Memorial Park Conservancy has announced a new relationship with Sempra Energy companies, receiving donations totaling $150,000 from Sempra Energy and Sempra LNG. These funds will support the Memorial Park Master Plan’s efforts of enhancing environmental infrastructure, stormwater management and establishment of resilient ecologies that will benefit the Park long-term.
“At Sempra Energy, we are committed to serving our communities not only through our energy infrastructure, but also by contributing to the sustainability of the regions where we operate,” said Lisa Alexander, senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer for Sempra Energy. “Memorial Park has been at the center of the lives of Houstonians for nearly a century and our hope is that these funds will help the community and visitors continue to enjoy this iconic area for many more years to come.”
“As we settle into our new Houston Center of Excellence located near the west end of Memorial Park, we couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to support the enhancement of this unique Houston gem,” said Brian Lloyd, regional vice president of external affairs and communications for Sempra LNG. “While we continue to grow our presence in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and further our mission of being North America’s premier LNG infrastructure company, we look forward to developing a long-term relationship with Memorial Park Conservancy.”
Located in the heart of Houston and less than five miles from Sempra Energy’s new Houston regional headquarters, Memorial Park is the city’s largest urban wilderness and recreation park. It spans 1,500 acres and holds historical significance as a former WWI training base (Camp Logan), where 70,000 soldiers trained for battle from 1917-1919. Memorial Park Conservancy’s mission is to preserve, restore, and enhance the Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.
“At its core, our new relationship with Sempra is all about giving back to the community,” said Shellye Arnold, president and chief executive officer of Memorial Park Conservancy. “We’re grateful for Sempra’s gift because it will help the Conservancy care for the Park’s vital environmental infrastructure and keep resilient ecologies healthy for future generations.”
Memorial Park Conservancy stewards 1,100 acres of Memorial Park, including 20 miles of natural and surfaced trails; provides public programming and recreation opportunities for 4 million visitors annually; maintains the Park’s native landscapes; and keeps park areas clean and safe for visitors.
The Master Plan’s first project, Clay Family Eastern Glades, opened in 2020 and the highly-anticipated Land Bridge and Prairie is set to open in 2022.
About Memorial Park Conservancy
Memorial Park Conservancy is a private, nonprofit organization that operates and maintains 1,100 of the Park’s 1,500 acres. Founded in 2000, Memorial Park Conservancy aspires to implement principles of exceptional park management and stewardship in a successful public-private partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD).
About Sempra Energy
Sempra Energy’s mission is to be North America’s premier energy infrastructure company. The Sempra Energy family of companies have more than 19,000 talented employees who deliver energy with purpose to over 36 million consumers. With more than $66 billion in total assets at the end of 2020, the San Diego-based company is the owner of one of the largest energy networks in North America serving some of the world’s leading economies. The company is helping to advance the global energy transition by enabling the delivery of lower-carbon energy solutions in each market it serves, including California, Texas, Mexico and the LNG export market. Sempra Energy is consistently recognized as a leader in sustainable business practices and for its long-standing commitment to building a high-performing culture including safety and diversity and inclusion. Sempra Energy is the only North American utility sector company included on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and was also named one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” for 2021 by Fortune Magazine. For additional information about Sempra Energy, please visit Sempra Energy’s website at www.sempra.com and on Twitter @SempraEnergy.
About Sempra LNG
Sempra LNG’s mission is being North America’s premier LNG infrastructure company by providing sustainable, safe and reliable access to U.S. natural gas for global markets. Sempra LNG owns interests in Cameron LNG, a 12 Mtpa export facility operating in Hackberry, Louisiana and Energía Costa Azul (ECA) LNG, a 3 Mtpa export facility under construction in Baja California, Mexico. Sempra LNG is developing additional LNG export facilities on the Gulf and Pacific Coasts of North America including Port Arthur LNG in Texas, expansions of Cameron LNG and ECA LNG, as well as supporting pipelines and storage projects. Through disciplined and innovative processes, Sempra LNG facilitates the energy transition by leading the responsible development of lower-carbon energy infrastructure investments along the LNG value chain.
About the Memorial Park Master Plan and Ten-Year Plan
The Memorial Park Master Plan is a visionary plan for the future of Houston’s largest urban wilderness and recreation park. The Master Plan focuses on: restoring the Park’s ecological systems and creating greater resiliency; reconnecting the Park’s land, waterways, trails, and people; consolidating compatible uses together in appropriate areas; tending to the land and the Park’s cultural history, maintaining balance through responsible management; and enhancing the overall Park experience and amenities. It includes capital improvements, long-term conservation, and an operations and maintenance plan for the Park. It was unanimously approved by Houston City Council in 2015. The Ten-Year Plan enables Memorial Park Conservancy to accelerate design and construction of significant components of the Memorial Park Master Plan and was made possible by a catalyst gift from the Kinder Foundation, which leveraged funding through the Uptown Development Authority, and by the generosity of other donors. Execution of the Ten-Year Plan is overseen by the Memorial Park Standards Committee, a partnership comprised of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Memorial Park Conservancy, the Kinder Foundation, and Uptown Development Authority. Memorial Park Conservancy continues to raise the remaining funds needed to complete the Ten-Year Plan projects by 2024, the 100th anniversary of the founding of Memorial Park.