As the first major step toward implementing the Master Plan for Buffalo Bayou East, Tony Marron Park will soon be the largest public park in the East End, serving as a nexus for community gatherings and recreation for residents from both sides of the Bayou.

Amplifying the unique character of the neighborhood and ensuring responsible stewardship of the park’s resources were core concerns for the community that drove every design decision. From mature trees and beloved soccer fields to industrial buildings ripe for adaptive reuse, the park will be built from the strong foundation that is already in place.

A combination of wild landscapes adapted to flooding events from the Bayou and a wide range of civic spaces creates a mosaic of park experiences that promise to offer something for everyone. By significantly expanding the types of activities that are possible, the park will be welcoming to a more diverse community of users. Major new additions include a two-acre nature-based playground, a community BBQ plaza, and rolling lawns with views of the Bayou.

Interwoven in the park’s redesign is a stormwater management strategy that is calibrated to the unique climate pattern of Houston. Major swales will be outfitted with check-dams and native grasses to increase detention capacity while expanding the biodiversity of the park for wildlife that rely on the Bayou as a migratory stopover. Working with natural systems and introducing riparian ecologies into this urban context will create novel opportunities for Houstonians to interact with nature and Buffalo Bayou as part of their daily experience.