HOUSTON | Parks/Civic Spaces & Recreation Thread

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https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...e-highway-242/

The Woodlands building 5-mile hike-and-bike trail along State Highway 242

The long-planned pathway, which will stretch from FM 1488 to Harper’s Landing Park in the burgeoning suburb north of Houston, is being funded largely by a nearly $7.5 million federal grant allocated by the Texas Transportation Commission.

ADAM ZUVANICH | POSTED ONOCTOBER 31, 2023, 3:58 PM

A federal grant worth nearly $7.5 million will provide most of the funding for a 5-mile pathway for cyclists and pedestrians that is set to be constructed in The Woodlands, a burgeoning suburb about 30 miles north of Houston.

The upcoming trail will be built along State Highway 242, also known as College Park Drive, between FM 1488 and Harper's Landing Park to the east. The path will cross Interstate 45 on its way to the park, which is situated north of 242 and includes playgrounds, a dog park, skate park, swimming pool and sports facilities.

The Woodlands Township said in a news release about the project that the pathway has long been desired by the more than 120,000 residents and 2,000 businesses it serves, noting that 242 has presented "a unique challenge in the community."

"This high-speed, six-lane arterial road, with speeds ranging from 45 to 50 mph, lacks continuous bicycle and pedestrian facilities along the route," the township said. "This absence creates a physical barrier that hinders people's ability to access vital goods and services along SH 242 without the need for vehicular transportation. Compounding this challenge is the presence of I-45, which further isolates the Harper's Landing neighborhood from the broader Woodlands Township."

The Woodlands Township did not immediately respond to a Tuesday request for more information about the hike-and-bike path, including its anticipated timeline for construction.

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https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/transportation/2023/11/01/468388/uptown-houston-gets-grant-funding-for-pedestrian-pathway-across-loop-610-and-into-memorial-park/

Uptown Houston gets grant funding for pedestrian pathway across Loop 610 and into Memorial Park


The Texas Transportation Commission is allocating $18.5 million for a new hike-and-bike trail that would cross Buffalo Bayou and go underneath the West Loop in order to provide safe access between the Galleria area and Memorial Park.

ADAM ZUVANICH | POSTED ONNOVEMBER 1, 2023, 4:10 PM

Houston's biggest park is situated near one of its biggest and most bustling retail centers, and the two are separated by a big freeway often crowded with cars and trucks.

That makes it tricky and treacherous to walk or ride a bicycle from the Galleria area, which is immediately west of West Loop 610, to Memorial Park on the other side.

But a plan is in place to change that as the Uptown Houston District recently was awarded an $18.5 million grant by the Texas Transportation Commission to construct a dedicated pathway for cyclists and pedestrians that will start along Post Oak Boulevard and cross over Buffalo Bayou on a suspension bridge before meandering alongside the waterway and underneath the freeway and eventually connecting with Memorial Park a little to the northeast.

"It cannot be overstated what a significant barrier the West Loop is to the ease and safety of people west of the West Loop in accessing Memorial Park," said John Breeding, the president of Uptown Houston, a local taxing entity that focuses in part on infrastructure improvements, public safety and economic development in the area. "This is a thing where I can go ride (a bike), and I'm daring enough to perhaps try to go through an intersection, but if my grandkids or my wife's with me, it's scary. By building this facility, we'll be able to provide access to the near west side (of Houston) to the park in a safe and convenient and I think beautiful manner."

The forthcoming trail will cost a total of about $23 million to construct, according to Breeding, who said he hopes the project can be designed and bid out for construction by the end of 2024 and primarily built during 2025. The planned work brings into focus one of the visions outlined in the Memorial Park Conservancy's 10-year master plan, which calls for increased pedestrian and cyclist access from all sides of a central urban park that is currently difficult to get to without an automobile.

The federal grant money awarded to Uptown Houston was part of an overall $345 million allocation by the Texas Transportation Commission, which announced last week it is doling out funding to 12 initiatives in the Houston area and 83 across the state that add sidewalks, bike paths and other infrastructure with the goal of improving street safety and expanding multimodal access and mobility. Last year 830 pedestrians and 92 cyclists died on Texas roads, an increase of nearly 30 percent compared to five years earlier, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

The second- and third-largest grant awards in the Houston area were more than $8.8 million for a multimodal path in Katy's Asia Town and nearly $7.5 million for a 5-mile hike-and-bike trail in The Woodlands.

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https://communityimpact.com/houston/...-bench-series/

Sugar Land installs 1st piece of Eldridge Park sculptural bench series

By Jovanna Aguilar | 2:37 PM Oct 31, 2023 CDT
Updated 2:37 PM Oct 31, 2023 CDT

The Sugar Land Cultural Arts Division installed the first of four pieces in a sculptural bench series at Eldridge Park, Sugar Land officials announced in an Oct. 31 release.

"This new series of pieces being introduced in our parks is a resounding statement of our dedication to the enhancement of our city's aesthetics," said Sha Davis, who serves as Sugar Land's cultural arts manager.


The sculpture, titled "Dogwoods" and created by artist Elizabeth Akamatsu, is named after the dogwood flower. According to the release, the sunlight casts unique shapes on the sculpture's surface throughout the day and is designed to captivate viewers with light and shadow.

The abstract art piece is also designed to serve as both a sculpture focal point and a functional bench. City officials said the piece is a testament to the innovative spirit of Sugar Land’s commitment to the beautification of the city.

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https://houston.culturemap.com/news/...nning-complex/

Memorial Park invites Houston to grand opening of new, state-of-the-art running complex

By Steven Devadanam
Nov 3, 2023 | 5:55 am

Houston’s most popular destination for runners — recently voted one of the best in Texas — just stepped up its game in a major way. Memorial Park will unveil its new, state-of-art running complex on Saturday, November 4.

Encompassing years in planning and constructing, this new complex features the 400-meter Roy H. Cullen Timing Track, a viewing decks, an event plaza, several gathering spaces, trails, and more. More than a simple running track, the complex is designed to be a central gathering spot for all Memorial Park visitors, notes Memorial Park Conservancy executive director Shellye Arnold. The complex will also serve as new gateway to the park’s Bayou Wilds trails.

Locals are invited to a grand opening celebration of the complex (7575 North Picnic Ln.) from 10 am to 2 pm. The free, The family-friendly event will feature music by DJ Johnny J, activities for all ages, giveaways, and more. Pets are welcome at the event; make sure to keep those speedy doggos off the track. A Vendor Village will feature local businesses and organizations including Juice Land, Houston Marathon, HOKA, and Lean Body. Food and drinks including hot dogs, popcorn, and popsicles will be available for purchase.

At 10:30 am, the park will officially open with brief remarks and a ceremonial ribbon cutting by project partners. Then, kids aged 12 and under cab compete in the “Kid’s Dash” on the new 400-meter Roy H. Cullen Timing Track. All young runners will receive a special prize.

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https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/c...l-18435770.php

Lavish proposals and giant letters are taking over this Houston park

People are heading to Buffalo Bayou to publicly (and loudly) declare their love.

Brittanie Shey
Nov. 10, 2023

Like many people in the early days of the pandemic, Houstonian Jay Gonzales had a lot of free time on his hands. Though he previously ran a moving business, few people needed his services, so he started looking for something new to do. Scouring social media, he came up with an idea.

He saw lots of outdoor gatherings like gender reveals and birthdays, where people were celebrating with elaborate decorations and giant lit-up letters. That led to the creation of his current business, Superstar Marquee Letters, where he makes his own letters and rents them out for events. And one type of event in particular has been a huge boon for him: wedding proposals. Specifically, wedding proposals at Buffalo Bayou Park.

Drive past the park most weekends at dusk and you're likely to see at least one, sometimes multiple, such setups. Gonzales says he does an average of two engagements in the park a week. He also does events like quinceñeras and graduations, but proposals are by far his biggest business, especially this time of year. In America, the holiday season is the most popular time to get engaged, with 19 percent of all engagements happening in November.

"Right now there are a lot of people that rent the letters," he said.

Scroll through the Instagram location link for Eleanor Tinsley Park, the park-within-a-park along Allen Parkway, and you'll see dozens of over-the-top engagement photos, including not just massive marquee letters, but also geodesic domes and extravagant picnics. A quick Google search for local photographers shows a number of proposal photo shoots at the park as well. So when did Eleanor Tinsley, and Buffalo Bayou Park as a whole, become the go-to place to get engaged in Houston?

Karen Farber, vice president of external affairs at Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP), said the park has always been a popular place for proposals, but the elaborate set-ups really started to explode during the pandemic.

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https://communityimpact.com/houston/...begin-in-2024/

Construction on Montgomery County’s Fish Creek Regional Park to begin in 2024

By Lizzy Spangler | 9:15 AM Nov 10, 2023 CST

Construction on the infrastructure for Montgomery County’s Fish Creek Regional Park is estimated to begin in the first quarter of 2024, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley said in a Nov. 8 interview.

Riley said the infrastructure construction would include work on the roads, driveways and sites for things in the park.

“We’re ready to move on some of that,” Riley said.

The park will span 391 acres and be located off the Fish Creek thoroughfare near the Woodforest community, according to Precinct 2’s website.

Riley said the park will include around four sports fields, a nature center, a community building, soccer fields, and pickleball and tennis courts.

“It’s going to be a place where people want to come when we get this thing completed,” Riley said.

Riley said feedback on the park has been received through a survey and meetings with different stakeholders and local homeowner’s association.

“Once we get ready to pull the trigger and get this thing under construction, we will certainly put something out where everybody can see what we’re doing, what we’re planning,” Riley said. “But when we get to that point, there won’t be a whole lot of changing anybody’s mind and doing anything different. When we get it nailed down that close, we’re ready to go.”

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https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...-park-cistern/

‘Voices from the Underground’ echo inside the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern


Musiqa co-founder Pierre Jalbert’s world-premiere composition was created specifically for the unique underground space.

TROY SCHULZE |
POSTED ON NOVEMBER 17, 2023, 11:01 AM

After it was rediscovered in 2010 and opened to the public in 2016, the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern has become one of Houston's most unique hidden attractions.

Once the reservoir for the city's drinking water, the cistern is about the size of a football field and a half, and it features the stunning visual sight of 221 columns reflected in water, giving the illusion of a space twice its depth. The cistern also features a 17-second echo, which can be a challenge to the many artists that have been asked to purpose the space for installations and performances.

The Houston new-music organization Musiqa recently presented a world premiere performance of co-founder Pierre Jalbert's composition "Voices from the Underground," a 30-minute musical piece created specifically to be performed in the cistern.

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https://communityimpact.com/houston/...-thoroughfare/

25,004-square-foot nature and community center coming to Fish Creek Thoroughfare

By Jessica Shorten | 12:21 PM Nov 29, 2023 CST
Updated 5:51 PM Nov 29, 2023 CST

Preliminary master plans for a 25,004-square-foot community and nature center along Fish Creek Thoroughfare were revealed by Burditt Consultants during a Nov. 28 public meeting at the Woodforest Golf Club on 1199 Fish Creek Thoroughfare Road, Montgomery.

What you need to know

The new community and nature center will be constructed by Montgomery County in 2024 in the Fish Creek Thoroughfare area. As previously reported by Community Impact, Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a master plan analysis on the 391-acre park March 28.

The center will contain:
A 3,412-square-foot multipurpose hall
A 4,350-square-foot exhibit hall
1,182-square-foot classroom spaces
1,052-square-foot pop-up shop centers
3,874-square-foot covered porch areas

The center will also contain shower spaces and kitchen areas for events and other uses, according to information presented at the meeting. Additional trail access points will also feed off of the main center, according to plans by Burditt Consultants.

Several sports grounds are also expected to be constructed surrounding the center, including three baseball fields and a number of rectangular sports fields.

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link to vote: https://houston.uli.org/vote/

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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...s-18547853.php

MacGregor Park, an iconic space in Houston, due for a $54 million renovation

Kinder Foundation leads efforts to renovate historic park for its centennial

By Andrew Dansby,
Staff writer
Dec 13, 2023

A storied space in Houston, MacGregor Park lent its name to two hip-hop song titles separated by 30 years: After the LA Rapper declared it “the place to be” in 1985, Fat Tony in 2015 referred to MacGregor as “the sweetest park.”

As the park inches toward its centennial, it is now being discussed not just for its past but for what its future will bear.

Houston City Council on Wednesday voted to approve a monumental proposal for a $54-million renovation of MacGregor Park. The project is led by a $27-million gift from the Kinder Foundation, part of an ongoing effort by Rich and Nancy Kinder to create and nurture urban green space in the city.

Work on the park is expected to begin in 2025 and be completed in about five years.

The plan will ultimately marry two visions: namesake Henry F. MacGregor’s hope for a natural haven amid an urban center and the activity-driven community space that MacGregor became during the second half of the 20th century.

“It’s a reimagining of the park but staying true to its roots,” says Rich Kinder, who founded the Kinder Foundation with his wife, Nancy.

The renovation will leave iconic MacGregor Park features in place like its iconic covered basketball court, a Spanish-style structure with 24 dynamic arches, while addressing numerous points long neglected due to deferred maintenance. The reconceived MacGregor Park will also boast new features, including an amphitheater and a youth multipurpose field. The park’s perimeter trail will be extended by 1.25 miles, linking it to the Bayou Greenways trail along Brays Bayou, further enhancing a formidable network of bicycle and jogging trails.

But even before the Bayou Greenways initiative, kids found their way to MacGregor. Kenneth Allen, director of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, says he grew up on the other side of the South Loop from the park.

“As a boy, I’d still ride my bike here with my friends,” he says. “This park reaches more than just the surrounding communities over the years. People from all over have come to this park. They have for decades.”

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=0#cxrecs_s

Houston City Council approves $5M in funds for Sharpstown Community Center Project

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Dec 14, 2023

Residents of the Sharpstown area will soon be greeted with a new 37,300-square-foot community center to replace its existing facility located at 6600 Harbor Town.

In a Dec. 13 meeting, Houston City Council approved $5 million in funds to the Houston Parks and Recreation Department for the project. The new two-story facility will hold various amenities for residents — ranging from a restaurant to a golf club lounge. Officials said the projected total cost for the project is $16 million.

During the meeting, District J Council Member Edward Pollard, who oversees the area, said the Sharpstown golf course and the community center around it hasn’t been renovated in decades. He said the golf course is a city golf course and generates revenue.

“We need to make it attractive, not only for the people who play there, but for the surrounding community,” Pollard said.

The first floor of the new center will be 23,068 square feet and will hold a restaurant and bar with outdoor dining area — including a full commercial kitchen and catering area — a community center, administrative offices, a two-story grand lobby with public circulation corridor, and a banquet hall with an outdoor event space.

Meanwhile, the second floor, which is planned to be 14,232 square-feet, will boast a golf club lounge with a bar and six golf simulator stations, as well as a fitness room with exercise equipment. The project also includes 160,000 cubic feet of storm water detention.

During the meeting, Dave Martin, District E Council Member, mayor pro tem, said this project has been in the making for almost four years thanks to Pollard.

“I always told District J [that] I want to bring amenities to the area that can compete with the suburbs and the things that you see out in other areas of Harris County,” Pollard said.

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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...k-18578237.php

Texas Children’s Hospital donates $1.5M to MacGregor Park renovation

By Jen Rice,
Staff writer
Dec 28, 2023

Texas Children's Hospital is joining the list of donors pitching in on a $54 million renovation of Houston's MacGregor Park with a $1.5 million gift that will go toward upgrading the Third Ward community space.

The Kinder Foundation made a $27 million donation, providing about half the funding for the project.

Another $14.5 million is coming from taxpayer funding sources, including $5 million from the city of Houston.

Once the renovation is completed, the transformed 65-acre park will include a new Texas Children's play area, infrastructure enhancements and 20 new capital projects, according to Texas Children's.

The park's existing tennis center, swimming pool and community center will be upgraded. The plan also calls for the park's trails to link up with the Brays Bayou Greenway trail.

"When the opportunity to help support revitalizing our city's historic park arose, we enthusiastically agreed," Mark A. Wallace, president and CEO of Texas Children's Hospital, said in a statement.

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Buffalo Bayou East

-Japhet Creek Park segment progress

c/o hindesky on HAIF

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https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...land-habitats/

Galveston nonprofit acquires 63 acres to protect some threatened island habitats

The acquisition will protect other important geographic features to Redfish Cove that serve its native wildlife like coastal wetlands, prairie and upland buffers, according to the foundation.

SARAH GRUNAU | POSTED ON JANUARY 10, 2024, 2:06 PM

In an effort to protect some of the coast’s most vulnerable habitats, Galveston Bay Foundation acquired 63 acres of land along Galveston Bay in an area commonly referred to as Redfish Cove, the organization announced last week.

The project – funded by a grant from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program – will protect Redfish Cove’s 40 acres of estuarine and tidal wetlands, which provide water-dependent habitats for wildlife like the Eastern Black Rail, a black and white spotted sparrow-sized marsh bird with beady red eyes that to this day faces a federal threat.

In an effort to protect some of the coast’s most vulnerable habitats, Galveston Bay Foundation acquired 63 acres of land along Galveston Bay in an area commonly referred to as Redfish Cove, the organization announced last week.

The project – funded by a grant from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program – will protect Redfish Cove’s 40 acres of estuarine and tidal wetlands, which provide water-dependent habitats for wildlife like the Eastern Black Rail, a black and white spotted sparrow-sized marsh bird with beady red eyes that to this day faces a federal threat.

In an effort to improve wildlife habitat within Redfish Cove, Galveston Bay Foundation will conduct habitat management including establishing marine forests, removing invasive species and creating new oyster reefs, according to the foundation.

Those activities will further go to protect migratory birds that stop in Galveston Bay and native marine life.

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La Porte / Sylvan Beach

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=0#cxrecs_s

Sylvan Beach to get $30 million makeover to make it competitive with Kemah

By Florian Martin – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Jan 11, 2024

Harris County’s only beach, Sylvan Beach in La Porte, may soon rival the Kemah Boardwalk — at least that’s what Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia envisions.

The more than 30-acre park is located on Galveston Bay near the intersection of state Highway 146 and West Fairmont Parkway, next to La Porte High School.

It currently features two enclosed sandy beaches, an air-conditioned pavilion, picnic tables, a playground, a fishing pier, a boat ramp, a concrete promenade along the shore and a skatepark surrounded by a large parking lot. There’s also a bait shop on the property.

A $30 million master plan has the goal to once again make Sylvan Beach the kind of regional destination it used to be in the early 20th century.

Among the changes that are funded at this point are a stage with a shell-shaped cover for concerts and other performances, a water spray plaza and an improved, inclusive playground for children of different ages and abilities.

Other potential upgrades include beach volleyball fields, an event pier, a boardwalk, beach promenade, event lawn, kayak launch and an extended beachfront to both minimize the danger from riptides — which have led to drownings there, Garcia said — and increase the small swimming area.

Parking lots will be rearranged, but the number of on-site spots — currently 995 — will likely not change, the commissioner said.

There could also be an area for food trucks or local vendors.

The expectation is to finish the design by the end of the year and hopefully start construction early to mid-2025.

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https://communityimpact.com/houston/...bond-to-begin/

Fort Bend County commissioners advance funding to allow parks projects from 2023 bond to begin

By Kelly Schafler | 10:00 AM Jan 10, 2024 CST

Fort Bend County's parks department will now have access to funding to begin work on projects from the November bond.

At the Jan. 9 Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting, commissioners unanimously approved advancing $153 million in bond funding for parks projects.

The gist

This means the county can proceed with parks projects in the short term by using money from the county’s general fund before issuing bonds, County Auditor Robert Sturdivant said. About 25% of the way into the projects, Sturdivant said county staff can request commissioners' approval to issue the first round of bond funding to replenish the general fund.

“Is that fair to say that this might speed up the action?” County Judge KP George said.

Sturdivant confirmed, saying it acts as a “checkbook” for the parks and recreation department to begin bond projects now.

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https://communityimpact.com/houston/...park-upgrades/

North Houston District awarded $455K grant for Greenspoint-area park upgrades

By Emily Lincke | 8:00 AM Feb 14, 2024 CST

The North Houston District’s $940,000 planned revamp of the Greater Greenspoint area’s “largest, oldest and most heavily used park” is now funded thanks to a state parks grant, according to a Jan. 30 news release from the district.

What you need to know

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department awarded a $455,013 "nonurban outdoor grant" to the North Houston District for renovations to Thomas R. Wussow Park—located at 500 Greens Road, Houston—according to a Jan. 25 TPWD news release. The grant will fund about half of the project while the other half comes from funds the district has saved for years in anticipation of the project, according to a Feb. 6 email from Robert Fiederlein, vice president of planning and infrastructure for the district.

Planning and permitting for the project will take place this year, while construction is slated to begin in 2025, according to the North Houston District’s news release.

“Our two overarching goals for this project are to help improve the health and wellness of the community and to give the residents a more authentic and enhanced natural experience,” Fiederlein said in a statement. “This grant makes that possible.”

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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lif...s-18630989.php

County Commissioner Rodney Ellis planning bike-and-hike greenspace for Sunnyside

The Hill at Sims will transform a dirt mound into a scenic center south of town

By Andrew Dansby,
Staff writer
Jan 30, 2024

On a bike ride around Sims Bayou eight years ago, former state Sen. Rodney Ellis gazed upon a mound composed of 1.6 million cubic yards of dirt and imagined something beautiful.

Ellis returned later as Harris County Commissioner to scale that hill. There, in the Sunnyside neighborhood where he grew up, he looked upon Houston. Several miles to the west, the Williams Tower. To the east, refineries. Between them, the downtown skyline gleamed.

On a sunny day that followed a rainy week, Ellis treks through the mud to the top of the hill once again. When he reaches the top, he makes a few 360-degree turns, careful not to trip over discarded beer bottles.

“Look at that view,” Ellis says.

Ellis has grand plans to share that view with his fellow Houstonians. He has shepherded a project managed by the Houston Parks Board that will make the brown artificial mound into a flora-cloaked epicenter of the Hill at Sims, a lush green space with hiking and biking paths and a cluster of lakes. The project feels radical, creating splendor from the utilitarian. The 100-acre green space will emerge from a regional detention basin owned by the Harris County Flood Control District.

The Harris County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to approve the final funding for the $28.3 million project. The Hill at Sims is projected to be completed in late 2025.

'Something memorable'


Urban parks are frequently framed as a respite from the city: insular spaces where residents can pretend concrete, blacktop and glass are farther away than they are.

The plans for the Hill at Sims take a different approach. The space will be dedicated to nature, without park prerequisites like playgrounds.

But its panoramic view celebrates its connection to the sprawling city. “Parks like this make us connect more as human beings,” Ellis says. “It’s a good thing for the city. 'The most diverse city in the country.' That’s nice to talk about. But that diversity needs ways for us to interact with one another.”

A new bridge will link the Hill at Sims’ 1.5-mile loop, which encircles an additional 4.5 miles of trails, to the Sims Bayou Greenway, which itself boasts another 20 miles of trails. For those seeking a swing set, Cloverland Park remains across Scott Street.

Beth White, president and CEO of Houston Parks Board, remarks on its value “as part of a regional complex. There’s great synergy here with parks and recreation.”

Ellis wants to emphasize a sense of connection, so he pushed for a bridge across Sims Bayou that looks like no other in the city.

“I wanted something unique,” he says. “Something memorable.”

Renderings for the bridge indicate Ellis got his way. A dramatic rust-colored structure will contrast the green around it as it crosses the bayou before splitting at the Hill at Sims. Part of the bridge will connect with a path to the park’s trails, while an offshoot leads to a cantilevered viewing area.

Images c/o The Architect's Newspaper/SWA Group

The park offers 360-degree views of Houston, its skyline, and the surrounding landscape afforded by other nearby greenspaces. (Courtesy SWA)

Another pavilion is also planned for the site (Courtesy SWA)

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https://communityimpact.com/houston/...cnic-in-texas/



By Asia Armour | 3:36 PM Feb 23, 2024 CST
Updated 3:36 PM Feb 23, 2024 CST

Houston’s Memorial Park to commemorate 100 years with ‘biggest picnic in Texas’

The centennial anniversary of Memorial Park occurs this year, and the Memorial Park Conservancy—which maintains and operates 1,100 of the park’s 1,500 acres—will celebrate by hosting a free picnic on March 9 and making progress on various park upgrades throughout 2024.

What to expect

The family-friendly event will feature picnic activities, live music and entertainment, including an appearance by Houston Astros’ mascot, Orbit, according to a Feb. 14 news release. The event will also include food, drinks and activities for kids, such as face painting, arts and crafts, and a magic show.

The picnic will take place at 301 North Picnic Lane, Houston from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

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https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...oint-easement/

Houston’s Sharpstown neighborhood getting long-desired trail along CenterPoint easement


The Houston Parks Board, with funding from the Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority and Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones, is constructing a 1.8-mile trail in existing green space. The plan is to eventually connect it to other trails to the north and south.

Adam Zuvanich | Posted OnFebruary 28, 2024, 3:46 PM

A hike-and-bike trail in Houston's Sharpstown neighborhood – and specifically along an existing CenterPoint Energy easement where there is ample green space in addition to the power lines that hang from a row of transmission towers – has been on Charmaine LeBlanc's wish list since 2016.

That's when the longtime Sharpstown resident attended a charrette at the architecture and design school at the University of Houston, where she said students came up with the idea as a way to provide a park-like amenity in a densely developed area that could benefit from more of them. So LeBlanc, who served as president of the Sharpstown Civic Association at the time and remains a board member, has since been trying to make it happen.

Now, with the help of an agreement between CenterPoint and the City of Houston, a vision for increased trail connectivity by the Houston Parks Board and a combined $3.1 million in funding from a Harris County commissioner and local redevelopment authority, LeBlanc's dream is being realized.

Construction will start soon on the first phase of the Sharpstown Trail and is expected to be complete by the fall, according to Houston Parks Board president and CEO Beth White. Her nonprofit is building a 1.8-mile-long, 10-foot wide concrete path along the north-and-south easement, which runs parallel to South Gessner Road, and it will stretch from Beechnut Street to Sands Point Drive – with plans to subsequently expand the trail to the north and south.

"I'm thrilled," LeBlanc said. "I'm shocked, actually, that we were able to get this done."

The cost of the trail's first phase is being split between the Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority, also known as Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) 20, and Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones, who is making similar investments in other parts of her precinct that lie within the city limits. The project will include enhanced pedestrian crossings and signals where the trail crosses Gessner, a major thoroughfare in a community that is diverse both ethnically as well as socioeconomically.

There also will be trash receptacles, new tree plantings and seven trail connections from neighborhood streets, according to White.

"We know this trail will improve public safety," Briones said at a Monday groundbreaking ceremony. "We know this trail will connect people to their schools and their jobs. ... It is a connection to opportunities and it will help us all become healthier as community."

It also aligns with the Houston Parks Board's vision to continue developing an interconnected trail network throughout the region, which has been accelerated in recent years by a series of greenways constructed along Houston's bayous. White said the second phase of the Sharpstown Trail will be a nearly 1-mile extension south to the Brays Bayou trail, and the third phase will be a 0.6-mile segment to the Westpark Trail to the north.