A massive new 100-acre regional greenspace is officially open in south Houston!
Thanks to a partnership between Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and the Houston Parks Board (HPB), Hill at Sims Park successfully transformed a functional stormwater detention basin into Hill at Sims Park, a sprawling park with hike and bike trails, an elevated hilltop pavilion, and more.
Hill at Sims Park celebrated its grand opening with the community over the weekend.
Per officials, this is the area’s first new park in nearly 50 years:
“For too long, communities like Sunnyside — where I grew up — have gone without the parks and green spaces they deserve,” said Ellis. “At a time when working families face rising costs and shrinking public resources, investments like this matter. Safe, beautiful places to gather and enjoy time outdoors should not be luxuries reserved for the wealthiest neighborhoods.”
HIll at Sims Park offers nearly 5 miles of paved and dirt hiking and biking trails alongside six scenic overlook areas and a glass viewing platform. At its peak sits the Brown Foundation Hilltop Pavilion—perched on a 60-foot hill that boasts panoramic views of Downtown Houston, Uptown, and the Texas Medical Center. Visitors can also admire six large-scale murals created in collaboration with Street Art for Mankind.
A key component of the project is the newly constructed Dr. Alma Allen Bridge, which connects the park to the Sims Bayou Greenway, providing visitors with access to almost 20 miles of trails. In a full circle moment, the state lawyer and bridge’s namesake was Rodney Ellis’ teacher as a gradeschool student.
Located inside a Harris County Flood Control District basin, this dual-purpose site can safely store nearly 325 million gallons of stormwater from Sims Bayou.
Harris County Precinct One and the Houston Parks Board partnered to develop Hill at Sims Park through a $28 to $30 million public-private investment. The project utilizes $22 million in public funding—backed by federal and state efforts—alongside $8 million raised in private philanthropy, highlighted by a lead gift for the Brown Foundation Hilltop Pavilion.
Trees for Houston planted hundreds of native trees across the landscape, and Texas Parks and Wildlife added a fishable pier to complete the flood-control basin’s transformation..
“Hill at Sims reflects how strategic partnerships can elevate infrastructure projects beyond their primary purpose,” executive director of the flood control district Tina Petersen, said in a statement.
“While the Harris County Flood Control District’s mission is centered on delivering flood mitigation infrastructure, we welcome opportunities to collaborate with partners who bring expertise in parks, trails and recreation to create added value for the communities we serve.”
Hill at Sims Park is now open in Sunnyside 10 miles from Downtown Houston. Parking is available at 11808 Scott St, Houston, TX 77047.
