The Hyde Family Foundations today announced a $20 million challenge grant to launch the plan to transform Shelby Farms Park into America's great 21st century park.

In announcing the first funding for implementation of the park's new master plan, J.R. Hyde III and Barbara Hyde said that Shelby Farms Park represents an unrealized treasure that can enhance Memphis' national image, quality of life, health, and competitiveness.  "With the master plan, our community will create something exceptional for every citizen of Shelby County," said Mr. Hyde.  "With this challenge grant, we hope to send a clear message about our excitement for this unique opportunity to set national standards for urban parks and to transform our community."

The funding announcement came in the wake of Monday's unanimous vote by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners to approve the master plan developed by field operations of New York City for the 4,500-acre site.  The 223-page master plan envisions 12 distinctive "landscape rooms" that allow visitors to explore Shelby Farms Park and includes high-impact phase I projects such as an expanded Patriot Lake, a transformed playground at Plough Park, and a multi-use loop to improve pedestrian access and park connectivity.  The plan also calls for ongoing projects that would begin immediately like large-scale tree plantings, improved trails, better park signage, and a natural resource plan to guide ecological management and conservation.

James Corner of field operations said: "Memphis is in the process of creating a magnificent urban park of its own that matches, and in some ways may exceed, the qualities of the world's premier public parks.  This is an extraordinary opportunity for Memphis."

"In only a year, we have moved from signing the agreement between the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy and Shelby County Government to moving ahead with a bold and ambitious plan for the future for this signature place," said Mrs. Hyde, who also serves on the Conservancy board of directors as the master plan committee chair.  "We are encouraged by the pace of the progress, and how much has been accomplished in only 12 months.  We want to contribute to this momentum and to fulfilling the complete vision of the master plan.  Shelby Farms Park will not only be one of the largest parks in the nation, but when completed, it will become the benchmark for all urban parks in the future."

The $20 million challenge grant calls for a matching amount to be raised by December 31 by Shelby Farms Park Conservancy.  Its executive director Rick Masson told the Shelby County Board of Commissioners that the expected cost for executing phase one of the master plan is $80-100 million.  The first phase of the three-phased plan will take about five years, he said.

"We are gratified by the confidence and support of the Hyde Family Foundations for Shelby Farms Park, and we need the help of many others to complete the master plan," said Masson.  "They have been in the forefront of so many projects that have contributed to the progress of Memphis and Shelby County.  From the beginning, they have encouraged the Conservancy to be bold, visionary stewards for this park, and we are inspired by their example.  We look forward to moving quickly to raise the matching funds for this generous grant so we can get under way with the serious work of place-making."

The Hyde Family Foundations grant-making priorities include K-12 education reform, healthy neighborhoods, and positioning Memphis nationally as well as an emerging "greening" strategy focused on a high-quality, interconnected parks and greenways system for Memphis.  Mrs. Hyde said: "There's absolutely no question for us that Shelby Farms Park is a crucial element in leveraging the unique, authentic assets that make our city successful.  Its impact will be felt in so many areas - youth development, health, conservation, and particularly, economic competitiveness.  Outdoor recreation is a key ‘marker' that young professionals look for in cities where they live and work, and no city will surpass this special park.  In this way, we are doing more than shaping the future of Shelby Farms Park.  We are in fact shaping the future of our community."

Development and implementation of the master plan for Shelby Farms Park has been called a crucial talent strategy for the region by Mayor AC Wharton, who signed a 10-year agreement on July 20, 2007, for Shelby Farms Park Conservancy to manage, maintain, plan, and develop the area in the heart of Shelby County.