11:00 pm

The John P McGovern playground was replaced and reopened to the public in 2021. The new facilities give families double the amount of play space and feature ample seating, improved energy-efficient lighting for safer evening play and more shade thanks to 31 new trees.

The newly designed playground and other master plan improvements—including expanded restrooms that rolled out in May 2018 and the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club Allée that opened in August 2020—address the needs of the growing population of people who live, work and play downtown while positioning the park to meet the demands of the future.

Completion of the project was made possible by grants from the John P. McGovern Foundation, The Elkins Foundation and the Houston Endowment Inc. in honor of David Mendez. Discovery Green Conservancy’s master plan project is funded by Houston Endowment Inc., Kinder Foundation, The Brown Foundation Inc., The Wortham Foundation Inc., The Cullen Foundation and the Sterling-Turner Foundation.

Hargreaves Jones Associates designed the new John P. McGovern Playground, with consultation by landscape architect Lauren Griffith and Gandy2 Lighting Design and construction by Forney Construction LLC.