HOUSTON, TX – For nature loving Houstonians, what could be more fascinating than a cluster of gardens designed solely to become an oasis of greenery and rejuvenation? A highly ambitious $205 million project undertaken by the Memorial Park Conservancy, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and Uptown Development Authority is a decade-long commitment towards renovation of Memorial Park Houston and turning it into a beautiful green space nestled within a populated metropolis.
Plans for this project began as early as 2015 and the first of the completed landscapes that arose was the 100-acre Clay Family Eastern Glades a park within the park that was opened to the public in July 2020.
The grand scheme is enveloped in groves of pine trees with a picnic pavilion that abuts the edges. What complete this lush, luxurious spectacle are serene waters of the man-made embankments coupled with babbling waterfalls. For one fleeting moment, you will be transported into the comforting lap of nature, away from the familiarly tiresome noise of the city. Memorial Park stands on the site of Camp Logan, a World War I training center known for an uprising led by African-American soldiers to battle racism in local communities. The project, Memorial Groves is a dedicated 100-acre area which will pay tribute to the military site.
OTHER PROJECTS CONNECTED TO MEMORIAL PARK HOUSTON
But this is not the only beautification project planned for the residents of Houston to enjoy. Construction is also under way to build the Land Bridge and Prairie which will unite the north and south sides of the Memorial Park by creating a hill like-structure over Memorial Drive. The restoration of the prairie also seeks to create a thriving community space for residents and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
However, not all is rosy in the plans drawn up for the gardens of Memorial Park Houston. Questions have been raised around the excessive human intervention that this construction will demand. How much of the nature will in fact be natural, is the pertinent issue raised by environmentalists in the area.
There has also been some criticism around landscaping that focuses more on aesthetics than conservation. As well, plans that instead of rebuilding, reinvent a park site raise concerns about the artificial nature of the grand scheme.
Still, throughout history, the park has been a grassy mix of wetland and coastal prairie where human intervention was needed to maintain the verdant grounds. Moreover, for the longest time, in spite of being popular among Houstonians, the park was treated more like an elongated jogging track within a clump of dying thickets.
Now, the plan is about creating something way more inviting for people at a time when we have all had plenty of experience with remaining confined indoors. With this dream project the aim is to reshape the park with proper sports complexes and excellent amenities. The garden will reclaim grasslands transforming this huge expanse of land into a green haven.
Once finished, the project is going to become an exciting place of attraction for Houstonians which is so much more than your average picnic spot.
