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If you had to pick a day to open a park, you would pick one exactly like this past Saturday. Moderate temperatures and clear blue skies brought out Houston residents by the droves to check out the grand reopening of Levy Park. The park, designed by the Office Of James Burnett and managed by the Upper Kirby Redevelopment Authority, had attractions for all ages. There was a 24k SF play area for kids to explore, a 22k SF activity lawn featuring yoga classes, a beer garden with celebrity chef Tim Love, a reading area, and plenty of food trucks on hand to feed hungry parkgoers. The park will have year-round programming for all ages.
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Mayor Sylvester Turner, Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Cohen and soon-to-be-retired Joe Turner of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department were on hand to kick things off.
"This city is becoming an example to the nation. It's truly inspiring to look and see you all, so many Houstonians, enjoying the latest contribution to our city's great, green space," Turner said. "Never before have Houstonians had so many options for places to gather together, to celebrate our heritage and diversity and to plan and find respite from a contentious world."
Leon Levy donated the 5.2-acre plot to the city in 1941. The $15M redesign was led by Burton Construction. The park is just a piece of the overall redevelopment of the 11-acre area that includes Midway's Kirby Grove mixed-use development.
CORRECTION, FEB. 28, 8:19 A.M. An earlier version of this story incorrectly conflated Leon Levy of Levy Park fame with a Wall Street investor named Leon Levy.
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