Navigation Esplanade Playground

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Recently, TXRX had the pleasure of installing a playground with a grant from Kaboom.org in 2nd Ward’s Navigation Esplanade.

The Kaboom Grant was supplemented with additional funding through a partnership with the Greater East End Management District, who manages the esplanade. With these resources and the volunteer efforts of The Mission Continues (2nd Ward Chapter), a veterans group which does civic projects all over the country, we were able to construct the new playground for the community.

Initially, the location needed structural work which included excavating the existing space, putting in a sand bed and weed barrier, several inches (12 tons) of rubber playground mulch, and the addition of a concrete barrier for sitting space along the sides of the park. Miranda Construction helped to provide this and did so at a reduced rate.

Aside from a pre-manufactured ‘wiggle worm’ tunnel, the overall layout was designed and fabricated out of steel in TXRX’s welding shops. There are three custom designed play panels built out of long lasting HDPE panels, which are specialized for playgrounds to last longer, prevent splinters, and are colored all the way through and UV resistant.

The panels include a rock climbing wall and a music wall with one octave of notes. The third panel has a touch of local charm with a hand painted mural on acrylic by David Cobb, who is a member and rents one of our artist studios here at TXRX. The mural features a local scene of a canoe going down Buffalo Bayou with downtown in the background. 

The completed park is a prime example of organizations connecting for a communal effort, and a continuation of TXRX’s mission to serve Houston.

For more information on TXRX’s community projects visit www.TXRXLABS.org