Houston Needs A Swimming Hole (designers, oil, architectural)

[madrone2k]

From what I've read and/or heard over the years, Houston did have a number of natural springs, although I don't know anything about their past flow volumes. Apparently, many or most have stopped flowing over the years. There is one downtown that flows into Buffalo Bayou, but now it is just a trickle of water flowing out of a crack in some concrete. Such that people would be more likely to think its from a leaky pipe.

Growing up, I knew a woman who moved here from Ft. Worth in the 1930s for work. She mentioned a pond, perhaps used for swimming, that was near Memorial Park.

There are a few small lakes on the west side that are fed by artesian wells, in which water flows to the surface without pumping, due to the pressure in the aquifer. I used to live in a townhome complex that had such a lake and they had to comply with inspections from the Harris County Subsidence District, which regulates the amount of water they can draw.

[Mr. Clutch]

Originally Posted by mikeyyc

So start a trust, and get the massive support moving for this "obviously great" idea. What's your opening donation to the fund again?

It's not my idea first of all, and secondly, I only live in Houston mostly during the winter so it doesn't benefit me personally as much as it would the city as a whole. Read the post directly below yours. Philanthropists have largely been responsible for many of Houston's civic amenities throughout the history of the city - they fund things we can't/won't fund as citizens. This isn't unique to Houston - every great city in the nation has these.

My point was not that this should be built no matter what - whether its taxpayer money or some other source of funding. My point was that if this is technically feasible (which it very likely is) that will is the only thing keeping something like this from being built. And in a city as rich as Houston with 120,000+ millionaires and 10+ billion money shouldn't be the issue. It's the will to do stuff like this (not just this, but anything "out-of-the-box") that is in short supply. And personally, I think that sucks.

[houstmom]

Originally Posted by crone

No, I know that place.

This was a huge place for outside stuff. Such as a swimming hole. People also took boats but they were well away from swimmers. It was not a long drive like going to Galveston.

Probably like has been said, the river water is so dirty and chemical filled a place like this is no longer possible.

There were picnic tables where groups stayed all day long.

One of the oil companies also had a swimming hole, picnic, golf course up by Lake Houston.

Perhaps that old Houston guy at the Chronicle has a story.

Is it Magnolia Gardens? My MIL would go there as a child (she is in her early 60s).

[Augiec]

I don't know what's going on with the haters on this forum, but I think it's a cool idea worth exploring. If someone were to setup a Non-for-profit exploratory group, I'd contribute about $100 to it. Get a few thousand others (shouldn't be too hard in a city of 4,000,000 or so) and you could start something...

Half of the people in this forum complain about Houston this or Houston that... then when someone brings an idea to DO something they shift focus to tearing that idea, and the person who had the gall to post it, down.

[Milton Miteybad]

Given that the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Houston operates dozens of public pools, combined with dozens more operated by adjacent municipalities, neighborhood associations and utility districts throughout the area, on top of tens of thousands of privately-owned backyard swimming pools in the area, taken together with the Gulf of Mexico an hour away...it appears that the last problem Houston is faces is one of having too few swimming holes.

[Spartacus713]

Houston has a swimming hole. It is called "The Gulf of Mexico."

Just get on I-45 heading South. You will know you have arrived when your car hits the surf.

[crone]

Originally Posted by cBach

The Houston Symphony, Opera, Museums, Zoo, & even Hermann Park were started by early philanthropists that had acquired much oil money but wanted to make Houston the "New York of the South".

Nowadays the citizens of Houston just want to make their money and run. Too bad Houston doesn't have some of the old blood that actually made Houston the great city it is today. All the cultural institutions were due to these people.

The tax rates were so high they figured do good works rather than give it to the government. Mega rich were paying over 75% of their income to the taxman.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by crone

The tax rates were so high they figured do good works rather than give it to the government. Mega rich were paying over 75% of their income to the taxman.

If you believe that I have an old Astrodome to sell you...

[hendersj31]

If you buy the dome please tear it down.

[crone]

Originally Posted by houstmom

Is it Magnolia Gardens? My MIL would go there as a child (she is in her early 60s).

Yes, thanks for the memory update. I, too was a kid.