Two Spark Park Dedications Planned

Students, parents and community partners at Nottingham Elementary School will celebrate the fruits of a 2½-year fundraising campaign on Saturday, Nov. 14, as a custom-designed SPARK Park is dedicated on the school grounds, located at 570 Nottingham Oaks Trail.

A separate SPARK Park dedication will be held Thursday, Nov. 19, at Valley Oaks Elementary School. The PTA groups at both Spring Branch ISD elementaries have raised more than $300,000 each for special school park improvements and features.

The Nottingham SPARK Park dedication will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday. It will be followed by a school carnival. More than $300,000 was raised by both area businesses and school partners to remake a tired area of Nottingham’s grounds into a vibrant and revitalized community park and public space.

Among other improvements, Nottingham’s new park will feature a paved track and new field, a prekindergarten play area, and a brick and wrought iron park entrance. Trees for Houston has planted 47 new trees at the site.

The Valley Oaks Elementary park dedication will be held at 9 a.m. on Nov. 19, and it will coincide with an unveiling of the 2016 SPARK Art Calendar. Valley Oaks is featured as the calendar’s October campus.

The Valley Oaks PTA contributed $356,000 to SPARK Park improvements with a successful capital campaign through both corporate sponsors and families. Tammy Bateman is a Valley Oaks Elementary Diamond Sponsor.

The rededicated school park includes fitness equipment, a gazebo, play equipment, and a track and soccer field. Trees for Houston planted 40 trees in the park assisted by Cub Scout Pack 552.

Press Release Nottingham Spark Park Dedication (pdf)

Press Release Valley Oaks Spark Park Dedication (pdf)