Our Mission
To enhance Emancipation Park by preserving its integrity and enriching its heritage as a local, state, national, and international landmark.
Purpose & Goal
Emancipation Park Conservancy is a non-profit 501 c3 charitable corporation established in 2014 to restore, manage, and enhance Emancipation Park. Its purpose is to create an open space of environmental and community excellence while continuing to preserve the integrity and historical roots of the park. Its goal is to transform the park into one of the nation’s premier landmark parks and international destinations through capital initiatives, operational improvements, strategic partnerships, programming, and events.
Guiding Principal
Emancipation Park is a masterpiece of landscape architecture created to provide a scenic retreat from urban life for the enjoyment of all and, in so doing, helps establish Houston’s place among the great cities of the world. As the organization entrusted with the responsibility of caring for this important public green space, our work is founded on the belief that citizen leadership and private philanthropy are key to ensuring that the Park and its essential purpose endure.
Our Contract with the City of Houston
In 2016, the City of Houston awarded a new, 30-year management agreement to the Emancipation Park Conservancy. The agreement affirmed the City’s confidence with the Emancipation Park Conservancy in jointly managing Emancipation Park. The Emancipation Park Conservancy provides for Emancipation Park’s day-to-day care. Specifically the Conservancy is responsible for landscape and lawn maintenance, tree care, horticultural work, cleaning and repairing playgrounds and comfort stations, repairing benches, graffiti removal, clearing walkways, and maintaining and repairing monuments and select Park structures.
The City’s role in Emancipation Park
In connection with the City’s partnership with the Emancipation Park Conservancy, the City retains overall control and policy responsibility for Emancipation Park. The Parks Department Director and officials of the City of Houston Parks & Recreation are involved in all aspects of Park planning and must approve all capital improvements the Conservancy seeks to undertake. In addition, administrative rulemaking, law enforcement, and concessions operations in Emancipation Park are under the exclusive domain of the City.
Emancipation Park Conservancy’s Governance
The Emancipation Park Conservancy’s diverse governing board includes a cross-section of individuals including City officials and individuals that represent the community that uses the Park. There are 15 General Trustees and 2 Ex-Officio Trustees including the Mayor and the Parks Director. Together, these individuals work toward the common goal of preserving and enhancing Emancipation Park for future generations.
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