The running world changes
Memorial Park
2-19-08
Str8 Up With A Twist was there to check it out.
Today at 1030a there was a Mayoral Press Conference on the south side of Memorial Drive by the railroad tracks. Today was the kickoff for the $10 million capital campaign. Representatives from Memorial Park Conservancy were there to show plans that will improve the park.
They have already raised $1.1 million. The mayor and his wife have made a personal contribution. The City will be contributing $3 million to the effort.
Some of the changes that runners can expect:
- a bridge from the south side of Memorial Drive to the north side of Memorial Drive by the railroad tracks
- a new running trail that will run parallel to the current trail and go out a bit further thus increasing from a 2.9 mile loop to a 4 mile loop
- a running center on the south side of Memorial Drive with additional parking
- easy access to get around/under the railroad tracks
As money is raised, the improvements will be made in phases. Knowing how much Houstonians love the park I'm sure they will not have any difficulty raising the funds.
Memorial Park is a 1500 acre park located about 3 miles from downtown. People can play golf, tennis, sand pit volleyball, or croquet. They can run, cycle, swim, hike or workout. Approximately 4 million people use the park on a yearly basis.
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6 comments:
Thanks for going out there and getting the scoop. I am loving the 4 mile loop idea. I plan to head up to the park tomorrow for a run. I love going out there it is like a running field trip for me :)
More Memorial Park history -- it was a logging camp in the late 1800's (Rinnermann's Ranch) and then became Camp Logan during WWI where soliders came to train to go off & serve their country (Thank you!).
After the war, the Hogg family (Mike & Will) bought the land and planned to make a big addition to River Oaks.
Several women (mainly) thought the land should become a park in memory to all the wonderful soliders that trained there. The Hogg boys agreed and sold the land back to the city at cost with the one stipulation that it always be a park.
Over the years, developers have wanted to put an airpor there, the Astrodome, etc. But if that was to occur, the land would revert back to the Hogg family.
There is also an interesting history behind the development of the Seymore Libermann exer-loop (the running track), but I think I've bored y'all enough for one day....
Wahoo!
Anna
annabanana: Thanx for providing the information. And actually I would like to know about the running track around the park. I run past the signs several times a week and think, "Hmmm." and then keep running.
Awesome Dude! I missed the event but got like 5 free t-shirt this past weekend, haha they wanted me to take more. That was funny cause the last 1/4 miles here you have me carrying t-shirts and running.
Im going to enjoy the 4 mile loop, I will be ready for the challange and run it twice in a row. :)
Timmy this is a great site! Thanks for doing what you do.
viv: maybe I should expand my boundaries and find a new place to run every now and then. I like the idea of a field trip. :-)
runner in the making: well, you almost have one for everyday of the week. wear them and get people talking.
a girl from texas: thanx for stopping by and reading. I really hope the Capital Campaign reaches it goal ahead of schedule. We really are fortunate to have the Park.
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