|
Hermann Park, presented to the City of Houston by
George Hermann in 1914, is one of Houston's most historically significant
public spaces. Over the years, the Houston Zoo, Miller Outdoor
Theatre, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Houston Garden Center, and the Hermann Park Golf Course all
have added to the Park's importance as a recreational destination.
By the late 1980s, due to insufficient public resources
and very high public attendance, the Park became rundown and entered
a state of disrepair. In response, a group of committed and visionary Houstonians formed the nonprofit organization known as the Friends of Hermann Park (FHP) to encourage the development of more attractive, usable green space in Hermann Park and to promote the restoration of the Park to its originally intended standards of beauty. Today, Hermann Park is a 445-acre urban landmark owned by the City of Houston.
In 1993, FHP commissioned a master plan for Hermann
Park from Hanna/Olin Partnership of Philadelphia, a landscape
architectural group recognized internationally for the excellence
of its work in public parks around the United States and Europe.
This Master Plan, created in consultation with the City of Houston
and various stakeholders, was adopted in 1997 by Houston City Council. This Master Plan for Hermann Park has provided a “blueprint” for all subsequent renovations and enhancements to the Park.
In 2004, FHP changed its name to the Hermann Park Conservancy to reflect an institutional and permanent commitment to stewardship of Hermann Park ’s natural resources and physical infrastructure.
The Conservancy continues to build upon its successful working partnership
with the City of Houston whereby Conservancy funds and manages the design
of projects to be undertaken in the Park, and then shares the
construction cost of these projects with the City. In the last
ten years, under this award-winning partnership, HPC and the City
have spent over $40 million to enhance and restore Hermann Park.
HPC's successful public-private partnership with
the City has resulted in the following major capital projects:
- The completion of the new Lake Plaza, which includes several all-new components: Kinder Station, Conservancy gift shop, public restrooms, Little Bigs café (opening soon), dining terrace, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Bridge, pedal boat lagoon, volunteer and maintenance building, and the Mary Gibbs and Jesse H. Jones Greenway
- The completion of the Heart of the Park construction, which includes the Molly Gibbs and Jesse H. Jones Reflection Pool, the Molly Ann Smith and Sara H. and John H. Lindsey Plazas, and the enlargement, renovation, and beautification
of McGovern Lake to include three new islands as well as bird
and wetland habitat area
- The completion of a new West Entrance facility
and plaza for the Houston Zoo
- The beautification and re-alignment of North
MacGregor Street to improve access and circulation in and around
the Park and the Texas Medical Center
- The acquisition of additional land and capital
improvements to Bayou Parkland, an 80-acre area in Hermann Park
along Brays Bayou being "reclaimed" for healthier
activities and used extensively for stewardship programs
- The creation and implementation of extensive
stewardship programs, including Conservation Posse, a summer conservation program for teens
- The completion of the expansion and renovation
of Miller Outdoor Theatre
- The coordination of the comprehensive renovation
of the Hermann Park Golf Course (completed by BSL Golf Corporation)
- The coordination of the Hermann Park Railroad track
expansion
- The planting of over 2,400 new trees
- The park-wide installation of new park furnishings
such as light fixtures, benches and trash cans
In its primary Park stewardship role, Hermann Park Conservancy also
has led highly successful and collaborative efforts such as the Access
and Parking Charette that resulted in 18 practical recommendations
that have been adopted for implementation.
Another park-wide initiative is Hermann Park Conservancy's Maintenance and Operations
Master Plan Study for Hermann Park - the first such comprehensive
study ever for this flagship park of Houston. The study identified
many concerns for preserving and protecting Hermann Park, including
a gap of 20,000 maintenance hours for the Park. In response, the Conservancy
hired a Manager of Volunteer Programs to encourage volunteering in the Park and oversee the thousands of hours put in each year by dedicated volunteers.
To learn even more about the history of Hermann Park, click on either title to read Stephen Fox's "Big Park, Little Plans: A History of Hermann Park" or Barrie Scardino's "Hermann Park: A Brief History"
back to top
|
