By: Jade Wise
Pasadena ISD Communication
Meador Elementary recently held a dedication ceremony for the campus’ new SPARK park.
The park was a cooperative venture of Pasadena ISD, Meador parents, students and the community. The park includes a ¼ mile concrete walking trail, asphalt overlay and striping of basketball court, new basketball goals, benches, and trash cans.
Dobie High School students, including many who attended Meador as elementary students, painted a mural on the building facing the new concrete trail to commemorate the new park. Additionally, Trees for Houston will be providing 25 trees that Port Houston volunteers will plant in the coming weeks. The Port of Houston also contributed $7,500 for the project.
To commemorate the occasion, two flags were presented to the campus by elected officials. A representative from Congressman Gene Green’s office presented a U.S. flag that has flown over the Capitol in Washington, D.C. State Rep. Garnet Coleman’s office presented a Texas flag that has flown over the Capitol in Austin.
The park, designed by architect Carmen Posey of Environments, cost approximately $210,000 to construct. The project was funded by an $187,000 grant from Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation and Powell Foundation. An additional $10,000 was raised by the campus through fundraising activities and the remaining balance was covered by Pasadena ISD.
“We are very appreciative of our new SPARK Park,” said Principal Beverly Bolton. “The park is used every day, both after school and on the weekends by our students and community.”
The SPARK organization was established by former Houston City Councilwoman Eleanor Tinsley in 1983, and uses available land to create green spaces on school properties. The organization has established more than 140 playgrounds and community parks in 15 school districts in Houston and surrounding region, including SPARK parks at several Pasadena ISD schools.
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(L to R): Amy Reed, Keep Houston Beautiful Representative; Alyta Harrell, PISD Associate Superintendent; Aaron Cano, Houston Endowment Representative; Dr. DeeAnn Powell, PISD Superintendent of Schools; Marshall Kendrick, PISD Board of Trustee; Beverly Bolton, Meador Principal; Kathleen Ownby, SPARK Park Executive Director; John Garcia, Representative for Congressman Gene Green's Office; Guy Hagstette, Kinder Foundation Representative and Angie Gomez, Representative for Congressman Garnet Coleman's Office