Welcome to Longwing Landing, Bridgeland’s latest grand amenity and Prairieland Village’s centerpiece for outdoor enjoyment and connection with nature. Throughout Prairieland you’ll find many vibrant outdoor spaces, including Longwing Landing that were inspired by the colors of the flora and fauna found on the prairie. The vision for the colorful 4.5-acre village park that sits adjacent to a 40-acre lake — an amenity in and of itself — with accessibility for canoeing, kayaking and catch-and-release fishing has come to life. Its grand debut for residents took place on Friday, June 30 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and butterfly release.
The theme of painted by nature was on full display that afternoon as the gardens surrounding Longwing Landing were a flutter with various species of colorful butterflies. Purposefully planted with pollinator attracting plants, the landscaping in Prairieland provides nectar for butterflies and other insects that seemed eager to make themselves known, greeting residents upon their arrival. Walking through the entrance breezeway, colorful fencing panels with oversized flower cutouts tell you the names of the plants you see in the gardens. Once inside, an art wall displaying a kaleidoscope of butterflies and the names of the first 100 families that moved to Prairieland provides a backdrop for photos and serves as a reminder of the importance of pollinators.
Longwing Landing consists of a pool complex with 2 pools, an activity center with 2 flex rooms and a prep kitchen, a children’s play park and event lawn. Providing scenic views, the main event room, with bifold doors that open to patio space and lawn overlooks the lake and can accommodate parties and special events of 150 people.
A butterfly-shaped pool provides enjoyment for kids on one side with fountains, spray features and a lounge area for parents, and on the other side, a hangout pool with additional lounge seating. In another area, a walking bridge crosses between a shallow pool with a sun shelf so parents can monitor their little ones. On the other side of the bridge, a lap pool for swimming that can also be used for aquatic fitness classes extends towards the lake. You’ll find plenty of seating – in brightly colored fabric – some under covered areas, along the perimeter of all pools offering residents the ability to come and relax for the day.
The pool area offers additional fun with a ping pong table with paddles and balls that can be checked out and an area with BBQ grills and tables for feeding hungry swimmers making a day of being at the pool. Residents also have the ability to rent any of the pool pavilions for birthday parties and other special occasions.
Nearby, a towering butterfly sculpture overlooks the lake, beaconing pollinators to stop and stay a while. Its body rotates so that its scales shift in color in sunlight and are reflected on the walkway below. In the evening, the sculpture will be lit, accentuating Prairieland’s theme.
Shade canopies provide some relief from the Texas sun in the children’s play area where vibrantly colored structures and flooring will captivate your young child. Continuing with the butterfly theme, a large climbing caterpillar emerges from the playground surface, an ADA-compliant swing, spinners, and a climbing web that leads to a tower with a covered slide will provide lots of enjoyment for hours of fun.
In the parking area, charging stations with card readers are available, should you need to charge your electric vehicle. Bridgeland’s network of hike and bike trails will easily bring you to the complex by foot or by bicycle, which can be safely stowed in the racks nearby.
Dedicated to environmentally sustainable design, The Howard Hughes Corporation continues to create best-in-class amenities like Longwing Landing for community engagement for healthy and active lifestyles. Located at 21212 Caterpillar Lake Drive, Longwing Landing is now open.