50 Years and More Than $500 Million In Real Green For Houston — Inside the Parks Board’s Mission To Connect Greenways to People
Bringing 1.7 Million Houstonians Within 1.5 Miles Of a Green Land
By Shelby Hodge //
Photography Jenny Antill, courtesy of Houston Parks Board
Fifty years and more than $500 million invested in supporting parks across the area. . . that’s reason enough for a grand celebration which raised a record $1 million for Houston Parks Board. It was an exuberant evening at The Revaire, marking this milestone.
Since 1976, the board has supported projects creating access to more than 15,000 acres of parks and trails. In addition through Bayou Greenways, the board is working to connect 160 miles of trails along Houston’s major bayous to bring 1.7 million people within 1.5 miles of a greenway.
With such an impact across the Houston area, the celebration and 50th anniversary toast by Houston Parks Board president and CEO Justin Schultz was more than appropriate as he noted the shared legacy that will endure far into the future, improving quality of life for generations to come.
Helming the evening were co-chairs Jessica and Taylor Chapman, Betty and Stephen Newton, and Leslie and Shannon Sasser.
In honor of the anniversary, what is typically an annual outdoor luncheon was switched to the dinner format. The trio of chairs tapped Rebekah Johnson of Bergner & Johnson to salute the anniversary with a park-like decor. Vines of greenery sparkling with Tivoli lights were strung across the rafters of The Revaire ballroom while side panels were draped in greenery.
The program included remarks from board chair Cullen Geiselman Muse and Mayor John Whitmire, who recognized the importance of continued collaboration in strengthening the region’s parks and greenspace system. A commemorative video celebrated the Houston Parks Board history, five decades of work and process to expand, improve and protect parks and greenspaces.
SHOP
The dinner from A Fare Extraordinaire celebrated the approach of autumn.
PC Seen: City Council member Sallie Alcorn, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Memorial Park Conservancy president Chris Ballard, Rice University president Reginald DesRoches and Paula Gilmer DesRoches, philanthropists Nancy and Rich Kinder, Beth Robertson and Steve Pearce, Sis Johnson, Gina and Domingo Barios, Laura and Tom Bacon, Janet Clark, and Laura Spanjian.
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