A Park in Elyson to Honor Ted Nelson

Elyson’s newest park has a very special legacy. Located at the northeast corner of Katy-Hockley Cut-Off Road and Elyson Boulevard within walking distance of Boudny Elementary and many Brookfield Residential homes, Ted Nelson Memorial Park honors the career of Ted Nelson. This legendary Texan led the Houston and Texas operations of Elyson’s developer for more than 50 years. The park was recently dedicated in a ceremony attended by Nelson’s family and colleagues. 

Bringing Schools to Families
Jennifer Taylor, vice president of sales and marketing for Brookfield Residential, led the dedication ceremony. “It’s no accident that Ted Nelson Memorial Park is located next to Elyson’s newest Katy ISD school, Boudny Elementary,” said Taylor. “You’ll see this kind of thoughtful design throughout Elyson and our other communities, because Ted believed that kids and families should never be far from a park or a school, or a trail that leads to one.”

At the Heart of Cinco Ranch
In the early 1990s, Nelson brought families to Katy with the launch of the popular Cinco Ranch community. The success continued with his work on the communities of Seven Meadows and Grayson Lakes. Later, Nelson worked closely with the Freeman family to purchase the land that would become Elyson. 

Recognizing the Value of Good Schools
In the early 1980s, Nelson helped develop the then-innovative idea that strong neighborhood schools would build successful communities. Nelson’s legacy has made a huge impact in the Katy area. When Elyson is completed, his leadership will have led to the creation of more than 23,000 single-family homes and 16 Katy ISD schools. 

This groundbreaking approach changed Katy’s future for the better, according to Katy-based land planner Kerry Gilbert who worked closely with Ted over four decades. “Ted raised the bar and set the stage for all the development that has occurred in Katy since the earliest planning for Cinco Ranch,” said Gilbert.

A Place of Joy
It only seemed right that Ted Nelson Memorial Park should be a place that brings delight to kids and families. Today, Elyson residents can enjoy a playground with a soft mulch surface and a shade structure to help kids stay cool during warm weather. Trails provide a safe place to walk and jog, and there’s even a butterfly garden with plants that attract native pollinators. It’s the perfect spot to fly a kite, enjoy a picnic, or take on the neighbors in a friendly game of gaga ball, a fast-paced game played in an enclosed octagonal pit. We hope that, like the many homes that Nelson helped develop, the park will delight Elyson families for years to come.