Sugar Land park upgrades come with steep new membership fees

Sugar Land has completed a series of park improvements, including dedicated pickleball courts, cooling stations, indoor cardio rooms and water misters. The upgrades are paired with higher annual membership fees at two recreation centers and concerns about parking during future sports tournaments.

Starting this month, annual resident memberships at the Imperial Park Recreation Center and the T.E. Harman Center cost $50, up from $12.75. Non-residents, including people in Municipal Utility Districts such as Greatwood, now pay $191.

Improvements were completed at City Park and Park at the Levee, while Brazos River Park received indoor cardio rooms and water misters. Outdoor trails remain free.

Some residents worry that tournaments tied to the city’s long-term “Sports Tourism” plans could increase street parking and make parks less accessible to local users. City officials say parking is considered as parks grow and point to additional spaces included in recent projects such as Park at the Levee.

Pickleball is a paddle sport often played in doubles on a smaller court, while cooling features can provide relief during hot weather.