robinctc

I would love to see this corner become an actively-engaging public hub for our Montrose community! The best and safest parks include design elements that elicit many uses by many people throughout the day, afternoon, and evening. For a great local example on a similar small-ish scale, consider Bagby Park on Gray at Bagby. 

What elements would you enjoy? What will make it a great community gathering spot? What will feel open and invitating to our community members, including oldest and youngest? How can we activate it?
- cafe or snack/drink kiosk
- public bathrooms
- variety of benches, chairs, and tables for eating, reading, games
- multi-purpose greenspace for gathering
- shade structure and/or additional trees for comfort/respite from sun
- stage for performances or events/speaking
- Bcycle station or bike rental
- sprayground or splash pad for kids/adults/dogs
- playscape or climbing structure for kids and/or adults?
- public sculpture or mural 
- interactive art
- dog run
- water feature?

I hope some of you will attend the public meeting Tuesday night (August 16) and share your ideas!

TXDoT seems to have won the battle of Herman Brown Park without firing a shot. With the contracts to extend the Crosby freeway from Uvalde/BW8 to the 610 loop having already been granted, environmentalists completely missed an opportunity to preserve one of their supposedly-beloved green spaces. The six-lane freeway will bisect the 750-acre Herman Brown Park in the process.

It is interesting to note how careless environmentalists seem to be when it comes to preserving green space in areas populated by poor suburbanites.

It strikes me as callow to conclude that because TxDOT is now advancing their original alignment, that "the environmentalists" were not ineffective but actively careless. Your lack of awareness of their efforts, and their failure to change the outcome, do not mean there were no efforts.

I know that members of the Houston Regional Group of the Sierra Club (HSC) opposed TxDOT's proposed extension of US-90 through Herman Brown Park. The Sierra Club participated in the federally-required scoping and alternatives analysis processes, and their position against this project is clear. Here's an excerpt from their 29-page analysis and position paper:

The [Houston Sierra Club] is very concerned that TxDOT is not considering any re-alignment of the U.S. Highway 90 Project. A re-alignment may be necessary to reduce the environmental impacts of the U.S. Highway 90 Project on Furr High School, a Houston Community College campus, Herman Brown Park, and the Holiday Forest, Wood Bayou, Songwood Wood Shadow, Shady Brook, Greens Bayou Estates, Wallisville Gardens, and Pine Trails Neighborhoods.

There were two reasonable alternatives that the HSC provided to FHWA/TxDOT in its October 19, 2005 scoping letter.

From the October 19, 2005, HSC letter,