Memorial Park restoration gets a $70 million boost ! (Houston, Princeton: landscaping, neighborhoods)

[Jack Lance]

Memorial Park restoration gets a $70 million boost

City council must still approve the largest greenspace gift in Houston's history

Call them Mr. and Mrs. Green.

Super-philanthropists Nancy and Rich Kinder, who have already donated $106 million to various greenspace projects across Houston in the past decade or so, have offered the Memorial Park Conservancy a $70 million grant, the largest single parks gift in the city's history.

Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the proposed gift during a press briefing Wednesday before the conservancy was to present an amended agreement to its master plan to city council's quality of life committee. The matter will then proceed to full council for a vote next week.
https://www.chron.com/local/article/...ium=newsletter




I must say these are some really cool plans for Memorial Park, and I will love to see it all finally come to fruition. But I'm a little conflicted, because I always saw the uniqueness of Memorial Park was it's urban forest nature, which will be totally altered by these renovations.

[mingna]

Not a lot of details in the Chron article. I heard from a park employee that instead of replacing all the trees that died during the extended drought a few years ago, they will revert the park back to its original surroundings, mainly of gassy wetlands with a few tree scattered here and there. Similar to what is shown in the drawing here.

Going to be tough for trying to catch some cooling shade while using the park in the summers. And yes, although they may not have been native, I will miss (and preferred) the more densely forested look.

[travelguy_73]

I'm happy for the funding, but IMO this is equivalent of donating to the Princeton endowment.

Memorial Park, in it's current form, is already HEAD and SHOULDERS better than most every natural space in the city, and will do fine without this funding. There is a real need for parks (or renovation to existing parks) in other parts of the city where neighborhoods can really benefit. So yes, the donation is great, but instead of a single jewel, couldn't we have 70 $1M upgrades to existing parks? Or buy out multiple parcels of land to create parks/flood detention?

[bu2]

There already were parts of that trail that really needed shade, not prairie.

[hbcu]

looks boring..looks like an african savannah

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by hbcu

looks boring..looks like an african savannah

Agreed. They really need to fire whoever is in charge of landscaping projects in this city.

[hendersj31]

The folks who are donating for this have, according to the article already donated over 100 million to other projects. This is apparently where they want their money to go.

Originally Posted by travelguy_73

I'm happy for the funding, but IMO this is equivalent of donating to the Princeton endowment.

Memorial Park, in it's current form, is already HEAD and SHOULDERS better than most every natural space in the city, and will do fine without this funding. There is a real need for parks (or renovation to existing parks) in other parts of the city where neighborhoods can really benefit. So yes, the donation is great, but instead of a single jewel, couldn't we have 70 $1M upgrades to existing parks? Or buy out multiple parcels of land to create parks/flood detention?

[edwinpa7]

Houston Will Be THE City To be in about 10 years.
I love the diversity in the city. seems like anywhere you go in houston you are bound to hear diff languages being spoken.
I love the park options too. I recently purchased a new car so now i can drive all over this amazing city. i'm about to drive over to memorial park for a run then heading to the museum district. maybe even walk around the Medical center. I LOVE U HOUSTON <3

[Jeohnny]

Originally Posted by edwinpa7

Houston Will Be THE City To be in about 10 years.
I love the diversity in the city. seems like anywhere you go in houston you are bound to hear diff languages being spoken.
I love the park options too. I recently purchased a new car so now i can drive all over this amazing city. i'm about to drive over to memorial park for a run then heading to the museum district. maybe even walk around the Medical center. I LOVE U HOUSTON <3

I can't wait to visit Houston again soon. It seems like everytime I visit, I'm always there for a day or two and I can never do what I want without rushing. Since H Town is so big , i will need about a week. The diversity is what I like most about Houston as well as the endless skyscrapers. From far away, it makes it look like a mega city

[edwinpa7]

Yeah. I love the multiple skyscrapers too.