TEX

As many of you may know, the Terry Hershey Park Trail (and/or others connecting?) now goes all the way from Fry Road at Highland Knolls to the Sam Houston Parkway near Memorial Drive - quite a distance. The problem, if you live in Katy, is that there is nowhere to park other than the Walgreens and then cross Fry Road. I contacted the County Parks in our precinct about the possibility of building a parking lot on the East side of Fry right where the trail begins. I got an interesting reply. I was told that the idea of a parking lot had been brought up, especially since Walgreens has now filed several complaints, but it was not being seriously considered because of two things. One, the two neighborhoods on each side, when they caught wind of this, expressed concerns about noise and teenagers parking there at night, or parking lot lighting to avoid such that would let light pollution into surrounding properties (???). Also, that Highland Knolls was already slated to be extended all the way to Hwy 6 and it would go right through the middle of any such parking lot. This person did mention that when the road was extended or put through, they might consider building a parking area about 1/4-1/2 mile inward, East of Fry Road. Can anyone verify any of this.

I also asked about the possibly of the trail being extended beyond the Sam Houston toll road all the way to Memorial Park. This person told me that this also had been discussed and investigated, but that this portion would be especially difficult because many properties (residential and country club) extend right up to the bayou with no clear cut right of way or easement due to some of this land still titled or transferred under the old Spanish Land Grants, meaning they own every square foot right up to the water because the bayou is not considered a navigable water way (???). That was all a little over my head. He also said that a number of people who own the land is question have serious political clout and don

Monterey House (many family meals there)

Boston Sea Party (on Westheimer)

U-R-Cooks (cook your own thick steak while sipping a brew)

Uno's Pizza (may still be one left, but not near me)

When I was very young kid (born 1953) there was an old house on a couple of acres not too far away from our home off Southpark (now MLK Blvd.) that was operated as a Italian resturant by what seem to me to be a Italian family. Absolutly great food and homey faimly atmosphere. The house was, what I can only describe as a country mansion and they had turned all the downstairs room in to mini-dinning rooms much like Steak and Ale does. I remember as kid it seemed to me like a country inn stached up from Europe and dropped down here in Texas, bu then again I was a kid, so it may have been nowhere as impressive if I had been an adult.

Most of the resturants that have come and gone in Houston were far better than most resturants out of state that I have been to.

TEX

Several days ago I happen to drive by what used to be Westbury Square and almost did not recognize it. In fact I was a little surprised that any of it was still there. I got curious about what had become of it and found this forum in a web search.

The last time I saw the place was probably in the early 80s or late 70s. I grew up in the Houston area and Westbury Square was THE PLACE to hang out when it was in its hey day, even if you did have to drive all the way from Bellaire or Spring Branch : ). I was still young and impressionable so the place seemed almost magical to me. I worked part time for a while in a store there called Cargo Houston that was like Pier 1 Imports, only much, much better. I can remember what most of the stores were and where they were. Behind Home Depot is where the main parking lot was and the front of Cargo Houston faced the fountain, the remnants of which can still be seen through the wooden fence behind Home Depot. There was also a really cool restaurant, book store and clothing store facing this same main parking lot. The other stores I remember, I think, where a Pizza Shop, a oriental import shop, a Dutch or Danish import shop, a glass art shop, a photography shop, and an high end outdoor equipment (hiking and climbing, etc.) shop sort of like REI. They also had stores at Town and Country and eventually in the Galleria (all apparently out of business now). The guys that owned Cargo Houston also owned a place there called the Candle Shop. I believe there was also a Baskins and Robbins or something like that across the fountain from Cargo Houston. I also think there were a small number of upstairs apartments within the square and above the shops.

I would be interested in history about he place including pictures, list of stores, maps, etc. It was a great place to hang out, shop and work, but I don