Discovery Green Park At 1500 McKinney St.

[Talbot]

When I saw the name of the thread, I thought someone was calling the homeless a bunch of rats.

Anyway, I myself have never seen a rat downtown.

And Semipro, the more people around downtown, usually the less amount of rodents like that you see. So you should go to downtown not away!

[SpringTX]

Toronto. It's been a few years since I've been to their downtown, but theirs seemed to be extremely clean and free of vagrants. Calgary didn't look bad, either.

[LTAWACS]

this is cool

[editor]

In Montreal there are vagrants, but they don't talk to you. They stand and hold out their hands or their hats, but it appears that they are prohibited by some sort of law from actually speaking to people.

I recently picked up a new book at Barnes & Noble called "Rats." It's about a guy in New York who spends a year observing the rats in a particular alley. It was actully quite fascinating. If you're looking for a neat book, pick it up. It's only ten bucks at Amazon.

Cool book on Rats and urban life.

[RedScare]

The Chronicle finally got around to writing about the downtown rats, this time focusing on the County buildings, where I have seen more of them.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3308751

They seem to have done more research than the Houston Press' shock and awe version of the problem. That's a shame, because I like the Press. Far from doing nothing, as the Press suggested, the city has more than 100 rat traps arounf the GRB and park.

[RayLSU]

The Chronicle finally got around to writing about the downtown rats, this time focusing on the County buildings, where I have seen more of them.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3308751

They seem to have done more research than the Houston Press' shock and awe version of the problem.

[dbigtex56]

Thinking outside the box:

My ex owned a boa constrictor, which achieved a length of 8+ feet, which was a little larger than he was prepared to deal with. According to a pet shop which dealt in reptiles, Texas law prohibits the trade of snakes over a certain length. He was stuck with the thing until another friend was persuaded to take it off his hands.

Bear with me. We gather these unwanted boa constrictors, pythons, etc., and fit them with radio transmitters so they can be tracked. We then release them in areas infested with rats and the homeless.

The homeless will scatter. The rats will be eaten. The snakes will be saved. Everyone's happy.

[RedScare]

Actually, the biggest rat problem is under the Pierce Elevated.

[Guest danax]

^ Great idea, dbig. Really, the problem is that neither the rats nor the homeless have any natural predators. It's just not a natural situation. Unfortunately, snakes are more feared than rats or homeless. Maybe stray cats from the animal shelters can be released and left to at least take care of the rats. Oh yeah, the animal rights people would have a cow. It's better than having them sit in shelters until they're killed though. Put 'em to work. I say! Kinda like a feline version of The Dirty Dozen.

Snake or cat patrol. We as a city need innovative thinking like this.

[RedScare]

Unfortunately, this is the natural extension of what we wanted. When downtown was dead, there was not a lot of food on the street, and there was not a big rat problem. As downtown was rejuvenated, restaurants moved in. Because of tight quarters, the trash is left on the curb to be picked up by garbage contractors (BFI, WMI, Downtown Houston, Inc.). Many times, the trash overflows, or is left on the sidewalk in plastic bags. This is easy pickins for the rats, who quickly multiply when there is a ready food source.

So, by rejuvenating the area, we have created the rat problem. We'll never get rid of them, but an agressive campaign can at least control them. Here's hoping.

[Subdude]

^ Great idea, dbig. Really, the problem is that neither the rats nor the homeless have any natural predators. It's just not a natural situation. Unfortunately, snakes are more feared than rats or homeless. Maybe stray cats from the animal shelters can be released and left to at least take care of the rats. Oh yeah, the animal rights people would have a cow. It's better than have them sit in shelters until they're killed though.

Snake or cat patrol. We as a city need innovative thinking like this.

I like the idea of a Cat Patrol, although a lot of the ones in shelters are declawed or haven't hunted in years.

[RedScare]

Then you have the feral cat problem, though I guess they could be spayed and nuetered beforehand.

[dbigtex56]

Then you have the feral cat problem, though I guess they could be spayed and nuetered beforehand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The problem is that kitties are cute. People would want to feed them, and the rats would invite themselves to the buffet.

[H-Town Man]

I don't know about you guys, but I personally didn't need to know that the rat poison they put out causes the rats' lungs to fill with blood. Why couldn't they have just said, "The rat poison kills the rats"?

Poor rats. Did anyone ever read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, or Racso and the Rats of Nimh?

[Trophy Property]

Rodents are my worse fear.

You all are scaring the ____ out of me, when I come back to Houston and make it back downtown.  Usually rats are the only animals that are hard to find when people are around, which is a good thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hate rates too with a passion. I could not even get through this article. I saw one about a week ago run across the power line in front of my house. I was terrified. There was a fear factor where they submerged a person in a box full of rats and I lost it. There is no way I would do that. Maybe for a million but these people are playing for way less than that.

Rats SUCK

[MidtownCoog]

Did y'all see the list of propsed activities in the paper yesterday?

They had a number of ideas form this board. I think they want four restaurants, which seems a bit much.

I hope they do it in phases, becuase if they do it all at once I think it'll looks faux.

[RedScare]

Coog, maybe we should form the "Faux Warriors", dedicated to ferreting out and destroying all forms of Faux design, Faux urban, and most of all, Faux old!

[hokieone]

I saw the list and in general was pleased with the ideas. I agree the restaurants were a little much, but I would imagine that gets pared down to one or town by the time all is said or done. I like the idea of a little cafe/ restaurant on it, I know some people will say its a rip off of Tavern on the Green or something, but I think it would be nice. I meant to link to the article yesterday but forgot.

I think it had something like a pond/stream, a kids area, a cafe, restaurants, some kind of playing field I think, and a dog run. Good for a start in my opinion.

[MidtownCoog]

Just so no to Faux!

Ersatz!

[Houston19514]

Here's link to the full plan

[MidtownCoog]

Sounds pretty busy, eh?

I hope we don't cram too much into that space.

[tomv]

Sounds pretty busy, eh?

I hope we don't cram too much into that space.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, it's a park, not a food court! One restaurant on-site is okay, but I think Downtown would be better served by having the cafes across the street, overlooking the park.

[texasboy]

People, goodness, you don't always have to go for the bare minimum all the time. Were bringing more activity in the area, why are we opposing it? Settle for mediocrity and you will get nothing but another Houston Gardens which will not spark any sort of development. I do not get you all sometime. When the park was announced, there were so many claims that it is overrated and will do nothing for the area but now that plans are released and they are more than you expect, we feel that we need to complain about it?

[citykid09]

Yes, it's a park, not a food court!  One restaurant on-site is okay, but  I think Downtown would be better served by having the cafes across the street, overlooking the park.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the Cafe would be neat, haven't you ever been to central park in NYC there are resturants in there.

This just made me think about something. Is there a resturant in Memorial Park?

[YakuzaIce]

This just made me think about something. Is there a resturant in Memorial Park?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think so. At least not really "in" the park. Memorial has always like more of a nature preserve than a standard urban park to me.

[citykid09]

I thought They where trying to change that by adding new stuff to the park. Whats that park by the medical center? Do they have one? If not it would be a good idea.

[texasboy]

I thought They where trying to change that by adding new stuff to the park. Whats that park by the medical center? Do they have one? If not it would be a good idea.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hermann Park which pretty much has everything. It is just more spread out, that is why it looks like there are not that many pedestrians in the area.

[ssullivan]

I really like the plans for the downtown park. I don't think it's too busy; there's a lot there in those 12 acres but what's wrong with that if it gets people downtown to use it? This could end up being a great location for outdoor festivals in the park and on surrounding streets, as well as an amenity that can be used by conventions. For once, we have a proposal for a new outdoor recreational area in this city that not only looks nice, but also includes many features that should attract people to use it. This could have ended up as just an expansion of the existing Houston Center Gardens, which while beautiful (well, they were nice before the rats and homeless moved in), didn't provide for much use by the public.

[RedScare]

I don't think so.  At least not really "in" the park.  Memorial has always like more of a nature preserve than a standard urban park to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Beck's Prime is in the golf course clubhouse. It does a pretty good business when the weather is nice. There is a smoothie shop by the tennis courts as well.

[YakuzaIce]

Beck's Prime is in the golf course clubhouse.  It does a pretty good business when the weather is nice.  There is a smoothie shop by the tennis courts as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is why I said "in" I figured there was something at the golf course, but it is not like the DT park where there are places truly in the park. But then again people will probably be going into the park, compared to Memorial where alot is thick forest. Many people do not go in, but rather stick to the jogging trails. Or they go to the areas that have benches or a trail and stuff.

Edited August 28, 2005 by YakuzaIce