SPRING 2019 PARKSIDE HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY NEWSLETTER 1&10 in the park Coming Soon: The Commons at COMING SOON: Hermann Park 2 The Commons at Hermann Park MVVA From the President 3&11 Creating a Space for all Houstonians 4 Holocaust Museum ‘Coexistence’ Exhibit Sponsor Spotlight 5 Love Your Park 6–7 Hats in the Park 8–9 Kite Festival 12 Park to Port 13 Run in the Park 14 Stonyfield Organic, Walmart, and Hermann Park Conservancy Team Up to Go Organic 15 One of the primary features of the Commons at Hermann Park will be an innovative “play garden” with whimsical play structures for Save the Dates! children of all ages. Houston is a very different city than it at the heart of the upcoming Innovation was in 1914, the year Hermann Park was Corridor—with the tech startups to the created. It is, of course, much larger and north in Midtown and the TMC3 research more diverse than anyone could have complex to the south along Brays Bayou. ever imagined. The neighborhoods With this prime location, this new project’s surrounding Hermann Park have also goal is to be a gathering place for all HATS IN THE PARK evolved and grown in that century. Houstonians, from families and university see pages 6-7 The needs and wants of Hermann Park’s students to tech workers and medical neighbors and Houstonians at large have researchers. changed dramatically, nearly as much MISSION Hermann Park Conservancy has always Hermann Park as this city’s many skylines. had one mission: maintain and improve Conservancy is a In that spirit, Hermann Park Conservancy the Park for generations to come. Over citizens’ organization is developing the Commons at Hermann the years, that has included projects dedicated to the Park, an exciting new project located both big and small—from construction stewardship and along Cambridge and Fannin Streets. of the McGovern Centennial Gardens to improvement of The Commons, currently in the design improving the network of trails and paths Hermann Park— stage, is a project geared towards to cleaning up green spaces. today and for meeting the needs of park users, now The Conservancy’s goal with every project, generations to and in the future. including the Commons at Hermann Park, come. It is located at the crossroads of the is to get feedback from those that use the Museum District, the Texas Medical Center, Park the most: you. and Rice University. In addition, it sits Continued on page 10 hermannpark.org PARKSIDE / SPRING 2019 DONORS HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY Jenny Antill letter from the president letter from The Commons at Hermann Park In memory of Carolyn O. Robertson Last month, at our annual Hats in $500,000–$999,999 Yasuhiko and Akemi Saitoh John P. McGovern Foundation Scurlock Foundation Creating a Space for all Houstonians the Park luncheon at McGovern Nicola Fuentes Toubia $25,000–$49,999 Centennial Gardens, I had the pleasure A.R. “Tony” and Maria J. Sanchez Kim Tutcher by Jane Curtis Family Foundation UTHealth of introducing this year’s honoree, Christie Vlahakos $1,000–$4,999 MaryFaye Way I didn’t grow up in Houston, so my first meetings when he was passed around like Jane Anderson Curtis. She gave a Steppie and Robert Holsclaw $1,000–$4,999 memories of the park date to August of a party favor. What’s the expression, wonderful speech, all about her $100–$499 Francine Ballard Britney and Esla Matthews–In memory of John Bradshaw Jr. 1993, when I came with my mentor Laurie hold my beer? Hold my kid. favorite memories of Hermann Park. Marvin Taylor Burguieres Family Foundation Olin to take stock of the park and have But we got through it all, and like an You can read an excerpt of her McGovern Centennial Gardens Greggory Burk $10,000–$24,999 Anne Chao–In honor of Franci Neely our initial meeting for the Master Plan. I unruly teen, the Park became greener and remarkable speech on page three. Monjula and Ravi Chidambaram–In honor of Cathy Cleary was in charge of the camera, and when their parents Catherine and Edward Crain bluer as per Laurie’s vision and began to Herb Society of America, South Texas Unit Molly Crownover we went back to Philly and I pinned up all Jane has been devoted to Hermann Liz Dinerstein mature into the landmark public space Master Plan Improvements Lisa Eads the images of the park—the mud-pit that that it is today. Park for over twenty years—but it $5,000–$9,999 Marita Fairbanks Steppie and Robert Holsclaw is now the reflection pool, the long rows wasn’t love at first sight. Imagine her Diane Lokey Farb Japanese Garden Varda Dror Fields of porta-johns outside the front door of Doreen took me out to lunch about first view of the Park—a significant loss $5,000–$9,999 Margaret Fitts–In honor of Kathy Phillips, two years before we opened McGovern Laurence Bragg and Reed Wareing the Zoo, the scorched earth—my other of trees, parking lots where gardens Ako Nose–In memory of Dr. Yukihiko Nose Centennial Gardens, and asked me to $1,000–$4,999 Cullen Geiselman landscape architect friends would come should be and a huge mud pit (or a Martin A. Reiner–In memory of Judy Reiner Eleanor Gilbane consider taking it on—to see the project Jennifer Gravenor over to my desk, look at the pictures, $500–$999 “reflection pool”) in the middle of the Blakely Griggs through construction and build the Hats in the Park honoree Jane Anderson Curtis and Doreen Stoller. Doreen Stoller and Dan Piette and start laughing. It didn’t look much Mary Groves park. But Jane looked past that. $100–$499 Diana and Russell Hawkins like a park. operation for the Gardens as the first Jessica S. Kagan–In memory of Her efforts in developing the The Holthouse Foundation for Kids Director of Horticulture. As a part of the team behind Hermann Sarah Rabinow Pesikoff Linda C. Hunsaker Over the years, as the projects completed maintenance operations are why the Lott Hall: Historic Clubhouse Jill Jewett As I recall, her exact words were “go into Park’s first master plan back in the Sis Johnson by the Conservancy grew in scale and Gardens continue to look beautiful $1,000–$4,999 your prayer closet,” and I did have to 1990s, Jane and the team at Laurie Doreen Stoller and Dan Piette– Demetra and Frank Jones scope, most of my memories are tied today, and will stay that way for In memory of Erin Gregory Neale and Allyson Kopel mull it over for a long time. But I am so Olin’s firm had a lot to look past. Think Lamar Gregory Neale Harriet Calvin Latimer to the birth and early days of raising generations to come. Marley Lott Dog Park grateful that I said yes, because I’ve had back to 1993 in Houston. This was long Kelley Lubanko our children. $1,000–$4,999 Danielle Magdol this privileged experience of shepherding before the revitalized greenspaces of McGovern Centennial Gardens may Winnie and Kevin Bonebrake Nancy Manderson The epic night at Holiday Lights when the Gardens from its early stages to what today. There was no Discovery Green, be relatively new to Houston, but Fund for Public Art Laura McWilliams little Lucy fell into the new McGovern $100–$499 Anne C. Mendelsohn it is today. no Buffalo Bayou, and Hermann Park they’ve become a centerpiece of this H. Joe Nelson III–In memory of Lenore Denise Monteleone Lake, and proved that the safety bench to Fenberg Kimball Moriniere Working in the public realm is more like was not looking its best. It certainly city. It’s a new backdrop in the lives Louise and Gary Moss keep toddlers from drowning did, in fact, Hats in the Park Luncheon an endurance relay race, as it can take took tremendous vision (and a lot of of Houstonians. All gifts in honor of Jane Anderson Curtis, Judy Nyquist work. Then there was cutting the ribbon Perry Homes Foundation honoree, and chairs Laura Wareing Wheless by the Reflection Pool when I was hugely years to take a project from conception determination) to look at Hermann and Kelley Young David Pesikoff There are many people who can dream Brooke Robertson pregnant with Pete, so I had to ask Jay to completion. You have to be able to Park and say “What if?” $25,000–$49,999 Regina Rogers big dreams but very few people have Kathrine G. McGovern/ Vanessa B. Sanchez Baker to be my stunt double. pass the baton and accept slow, steady Luckily for Hermann Park and Houston, the drive and determination to make John P. McGovern Foundation Kara Sanders progress in order to build something on $15,000–$24,999 Courtney Sarofim Actually, during my two-year term as it was love at first sight when Jane them a reality. Jane Curtis is one of Cockrell Family Fund Leigh Smith this magnificent scale. Cherie Flores Allison Thacker chair of the Conservancy, I was pregnant met Bill Curtis and decided to move those people. Sandy Godfrey/Franci Neely Tootsies my first year, then hauling baby Pete Continued on page 11 to Houston full time. She joined Laura Wareing Wheless/Kelley Young Martha F. Turner Hermann Park has been transformed $10,000–$14,999 Hallie A. Vanderhider around for the second. There were board the Conservancy’s board, serving as Mary Jo Chapoton/ Vallette Windham because Jane helped us execute the Susan and Mac Dunwoody $500–$999 our chair as well as on the projects Jenny Antill master plan she developed 20 years Jane and Bill Curtis/ Dorothy Ables committee which oversees the design Curtis & Windham Architects Harriet Alexander ago, and her work has brought great Letty Knapp Mary Es Anderson–In honor of and construction of park improvements.