WINTER 2018 PARKSIDE HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY NEWSLETTER Rendering by MVVA 1&3 Hermann Park Family Commons 2 Letter From the President 4 Reforestation in Action 5 McGovern Centennial Gardens Featured Practice 6 Urban Green Celebrates All Things Houston 7 Community Events 8 Holiday Cheer Aplenty in Hermann Park in the park 9 Hermann Park Railroad Gets Hermann Park Family Commons New Clean Diesel Engine A Reimagined Place for Play, Food, and Leisure HISD’s Project aDOORe 10 The Conservancy is excited to enter the first playground accommodating children Save the Dates! next phase in Hermann Park’s recently of all abilities, this area is far from reaching updated master plan. Effectively completed its tremendous potential as an enlivened in August of 2017 after nearly two years space that draws high levels of use from the of research, design, and community surrounding epicenters of activity. MISSION collaboration with landscape architecture The improvements include a more Hermann Park firm, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, welcoming entrance at the corner, a Conservancy is a Inc. (MVVA), the new master plan lays out a great meadow for picnicking and open citizens’ organization strategic vision of improvements covering play, enhanced connection to McGovern dedicated to the 233 acres of Hermann Park over the next Lake and improvements to the natural 20 years. stewardship and environment. MVVA also has a notable improvement of The plan aims to make improvements that record of creating inventive playscapes in Hermann Park— will enhance the natural experience, expand major Parks around the country—many of today and for the spectrum of play, and advance access them focused on nature-based play. and internal connections throughout the Park friendly food service will be added generations to Park. MVVA is focusing on these themes in come. adjacent to the historic Fannin Pavilion— the first project of the new master plan— which will also see a renovation to provide the Hermann Park Family Commons— better functionality for families and groups stretching along Fannin Street for 24.1 acres to hold small events. There will be plenty from the Cambridge Street corner. of shaded seating throughout, along Bordered by the bustling Texas Medical with new picnic pavilions. Family friendly Center (TMC), Rice University, Hermann programming will include a dedicated area Park/Rice U METRORail stop, and secondary for temporary exhibitions provided by the entrance to the Houston Zoo, this area of Conservancy’s Fund for Public Art. Parkland has long been underdeveloped and underutilized. While the Buddy Carruth Playground for all Children was the city’s continued on page 3 hermannpark.org PARKSIDE / WINTER 2018 DONORS letter from the president letter from Historic Clubhouse I often say that Hermann Park is a miracle of community $100,000–$249,999 engagement, and that sentiment is as true today as it was Phoebe and Bobby Tudor $10,000–$24,999 when I began my tenure at the Conservancy 15 years ago. Robin and Richard Brooks – In honor of Tommy Lott I am always amazed by the volunteers, $1,000–$4,999 proponents, and visitors whose Steppie and Robert Holsclaw appreciation for Hermann Park makes $500–$999 it such a special place. Without the Carolyn and Thomas Caldwell Kelly DeHay and Rod Danielson supporters who devote time to giving back to the Park in many ways, or Hermann Park Family Commons $250,000–$499,999 those who spend time with loved ones John P. McGovern Foundation appreciating its beauty, this miracle $10,000–$24,999 wouldn’t be possible. And for many The Robert and Janice McNair Houstonians, this devotion to Hermann Foundation Park goes back many, many years. Master Plan $500,000–$999,999 In December, the Conservancy lost one Houston Endowment of our earliest champions, the honorable Fund for Public Art in Peter H. Brown. An architect, advocate, Hermann Park and spirited urbanist, Peter impacted $500–$999 Gwen Kunz many, whether it was during his time as a $100–$499 councilman or in his guise of Pedestrian Virginia and William Camfield Pete, aiming to improve Houston’s H. Joe Nelson III – In honor of walkability one sidewalk at a time. Cece Fowler McGovern Centennial Gardens Peter became involved with Hermann $25,000–$49,999 Park in 1992 when his firm was part The Garden Club of Houston – of the winning team of Rice Design In memory of Suzanne Kibler Morris Alliance’s Heart of the Park competition, $10,000–$24,999 Jeanine and Randolph Buckley one of the first major initiatives toward The Holthouse Foundation for Kids revitalizing Hermann Park. He was the Doreen Stoller and Peter Brown $1,000–$4,999 architect of record for the design of Bank of America the Park’s serene O. Jack Mitchell $100–$499 Linda and Bill Carson – Garden, and through the remainder And Marvin Taylor, whose passion for In honor of Carmela and Kelly Frels of his life, Peter worked to create both improving our Park’s trails is enjoyed South Coast Film and Video peaceful and functional respites all by hundreds of walkers, runners and Gail and Michael Walsh across Houston. joggers every year at Run in the Park. Japanese Garden $10,000–$24,999 We will miss him and the enthusiastic Whether it’s through attending the Japan Festival of Houston, Inc. spirit he brought to making the upcoming Kite Festival, offering advice $1,000–$4,999 community a better place to live, walk, on what will make the new Hermann Kim and Chris Reichert Family Doreen Stoller and Dan Piette or simply be. Park Family Commons a lively space for $100–$499 families and friends, or just sitting on a While we remember Peter and the Janet Rarick and Benjamin Kamins Park bench watching passersby, there Joy Yang significant impact he had on improving are countless, invaluable ways you can our great City, I’m heartened by his Friendship Pavilion Maintenance contribute to our miracle of Hermann Fund legacy seen in the many community Park. I encourage you to get out and $10,000–$24,999 members and multi-generational Houston-Taipei Society become a part of our community volunteers who work hard in big and $100–$499 that is loved by so many. little ways to make Houston’s public Joy Al-Jazrawi Daniel Chen – In honor of spaces better. Great examples include See you in the Park, 2017 Houston-Taipei Friendship his son, Chris Brown, and his wife Divya, Pavilion Fund establishment who rode in our Park to Port Bike Ride Dog Park in October and are strong advocates $500–$999 for improving our bayou trails. Doreen Stoller, President Carol and William Simmons 2 DONORS HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY Park to Port Bike Ride continued from page 1 $5,000–$9,999 Reliant – an NRG Company Renderings by MVVA Port Houston $2,500–$4,999 Williams $100–$499 Marcia Adelson and Clay Harter Rhonda and Byron Barclay Divya and Chris Brown Anthony Clay Jennifer Cully David Delacerda Michael DeVito Elideth and Joel Escobar An updated ADA accessible playground will enhance the spectrum of family-friendly programming in the Family Commons. Playground David Fishel concept rendering prepared for A Gathering Place for Tulsa. Christopher Gonzalez Edward Groocock Susan Hall Hsiang Huang Katherine Jackson Pam Johnson Thomas Kaleekal Paul Klein Jennifer Lewis Elizabeth and Jason Love Sean Murphy and Hector Moreno Luisa Orto-Symmans Angel Rua Sandra Sanchez Added food service to the Family Commons will attract Park visitors and patrons from Rice University and the Texas Medical Center, offering a place to rest and refuel. Concept rendering prepared for A Gathering Place for Tulsa. Victoria Sanchez Solace and James Southwick Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron Brian Tison Scott Tranweaver Claudia Varady Rene Vasquez Adriana Wechsler In Kind Bayou City Cycles BikeHouston Brady’s Landing Chick-fil-a DJ Mav Music Tree-lined promenades will invite people from the Family Commons into the rest of Hermann Park also creating opportunity for added Friends of MacGregor Park picnic and seating areas. Promenade concept rendering prepared for Kiener Plaza in St. Louis. George Hixson Events Houston Parks and Recreation Department Houston Parks Board Plans for the Hermann Park Family Commons are in the very Houstonia Magazine Mayor’s Office of Special Events early phase. The Conservancy and MVVA will work on conceptual Saint Arnold Brewing Company designs over the coming months with public input. Service Systems Associates, Inc. Silver Eagle Distributors The Conservancy is collecting ideas and feedback on how the Hermann Texas Medical Center Park Family Commons can be improved. Be sure to visit the HPC membership Waste Management tent in Kinder Station on the second Saturday of each month to share your Run in the Park thoughts and see initial design concepts for the project. $1,000–$2,499 Frontier Utilities We also encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback about improvements Texas Children’s Hospital you want to see in the Hermann Park Family Commons by emailing Williams [email protected]. $500–$999 Enaxis Consulting Please continue to follow our progress as we further develop plans for this area Kate Bell Elementary School and the overall master plan by visiting hermannpark.org/masterplan. Phillips 66 Legal 3 PARKSIDE / WINTER 2018 DONORS Run in the Park continued $100–$499 Reforestation in Action Juan Campos Lucy Gebhart Reforestation is a core component of HPC’s mission and is one of Emily Glidden the prime stewardship initiatives carried out throughout each year. Thomas Kaleekal Karima Maloney Chad McGhee Alfredo Rivera Eli Rosen Marisa Vanegas Donald Wendland Pamela Yusz In Kind Blacksmith Fleet Feet Sports Houston Parks and Recreation Department Luby’s Fuddruckers Restaurants, LLC Mayor’s Office of Special Events Rhodes School for the Performing Arts Saint Arnold Brewing Company Shake Shack Silver Eagle Distributors Waste Management Urban Green $1,000–$2,499 Anderson Arbor Services, Ltd.