Hill at Sims Park opens, brings new greenspace to Sunnyside
Sunnyside’s first new park in nearly 50 years opened on Scott Street, a $30 million greenspace built to hold stormwater and serve nearly 50,000 residents.
A 100-acre park built on a Harris County flood-control basin opened in Sunnyside, giving residents a new place to walk, fish, gather and cross what had long been treated as drainage land rather than neighborhood greenspace. Hill at Sims, at 11808 Scott St. along Sims Bayou, marked the first new public park space in Sunnyside in nearly half a century.
The opening at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 30, capped a project that local officials have framed as both a quality-of-life investment and a long-overdue equity fix for one of Houston’s historically underserved communities. Houston Parks Board says the nearly $30 million park will serve nearly 50,000 residents and strengthen ties to 12 nearby schools and community anchors, including churches, a public library, a hospital, a community college and multi-service centers.
The park’s amenities were designed to make the site feel like a destination, not just a pass-through. Visitors now have access to The Brown Foundation Hilltop Pavilion atop a 60-foot hill with views stretching to downtown Houston, Uptown, the Texas Medical Center and NRG Stadium; nearly 5 miles of paved and dirt hike-and-bike trails; a 1.6-mile loop; nature trails; three overlook areas, including the Hildebrand Foundation Overlook and a glass viewing platform; the Dr. Alma Allen Bridge connecting the park to Sims Bayou Greenway; the Anthony W. Hall, Jr. Pier for recreational fishing; the Congressman Al Green Pavilion with an outdoor classroom and flexible lawn space; and six large-scale murals made with Street Art for Mankind.
The project also carries a flood-control role that matters deeply in Harris County. Houston Parks Board says Hill at Sims is designed to hold nearly 325 million gallons of stormwater while linking to more than 20 miles of trails along Sims Bayou Greenway and the broader Bayou Greenways network. That dual purpose, protecting nearby homes and businesses while creating safe public recreation space, has made the park a signature example of how drainage infrastructure can be turned into community asset.
Funding for initial improvements was announced on March 18, 2021 by Houston Parks Board and Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis. The original cost was listed at $28.3 million in 2024, with Precinct One contributing $18.8 million, The Brown Foundation donating $7.5 million, and another $2 million coming from public federal and state funds advocated for by State Rep. Alma Allen and Rep. Al Green. By opening day, the project was being described as a nearly $30 million investment, and Al Green was honored at the celebration with a pavilion bearing his name.
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