Giving Houston a Major Green Boost — Ambitious New Plans For Houston Parks Revealed
Lots of Green Always Makes a City-Lifting Difference
By Shelby Hodge //
Photography Jenny Antill
What: Houston Parks Board annual luncheon
Where: Avenida de las Americas
PC Moment: While the underlying theme of the al fresco luncheon was the critical role that parks play in the health, happiness and even the economy of Houston, as noted by luncheon co-chair Paula Gilmer DesRoches, two important initiatives were discussed.
Mayor John Whitmire announced the Let’s Play Houston program. The partnership between Houston Parks Board and Houston Parks and Recreation Department will focus on renovating 25 neighborhood parks in underserved communities.
Hood Design Studio Walter Hood and past Houston Parks Board chair Barron Wallace discussed Hood’s ideas for reimagining Houston’s beloved MacGregor Park. Barron asked Hood about his design philosophy, the resilient ecology of MacGregor Park, and looking beyond parks to study the spaces around them.
Luncheon co-chair George DeMontrond addressed the importance of leaving a wealth of parks for future Houston generations as well as improving the city’s green space ranking compared to the ratings of Austin and Dallas.
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As might have been expected of a luncheon celebrating the beauty of public parks, there was a large contingent of park lovers and supporters who dressed in green. It was a fashionable match for table decor and for the lush garden of plants native to southeast Texas that the came from the parks board nursery.
The greenery on view across the tented setting included 12 native trees, 25 native shrubs and roughly 60 smaller native plants.
PC Seen: Houston Parks Board chair Dr. Cullen Geiselman Muse, Reggie DesRoches, Liz DeMontrond, Susie and Joe Dilg, Beth Robertson, Phoebe Tudor, Franci Neely, Guy Hagstette, Mike Garver, Michael Heckman, Barbara J. Burger, Lisa Helfman, Ann and Karl Stern, Susan Christian, Jill and Dunham Jewett, Randa and K.C. Weiner, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Kathy Hubbard, Isabel Stude Lummis, Ann Ziker, Aliyaa and Herman Stude, Isabel Stude Lummis, US. Representative Sylvia Garcia, and State Senator Carol Alvarado.
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