Buffalo Bayou Parkis a 2.3 mile long municipal park located along the banks of theBuffalo BayounearDowntown Houston, Texas.
| Buffalo Bayou Park | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Houston from Buffalo Bayou Park | |
 | |
| Type | Linear park |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Coordinates | 29°45′40″N95°23′02″W/ 29.761°N 95.384°W |
| Area | 160 acres (0.65 km2) |
| Opened | October 2015 |
| Operated by | Buffalo Bayou Partnership
|
| Status | Open |
| Website | Houston Parks and Recreation |
With a total area of 160 acres, Buffalo Bayou Park stretches from Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street, between Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive. Opened in 2015, the park features a variety of recreational activities including a skate park, picnic area, children's play area, dog park, cultural events hall, and miles of bike and hiking trails.[1]
History
editThe area now known as Buffalo Bayou Park was earmarked for parkland since the early 1900s. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, the City of Houston was gifted or outright purchased tracts of land around the Bayou with the intention of creating a city park. Due to increasing development, the land was subdivided into smaller parks, roadways, various public spaces andInterstate 45.Eventually, due to the presence ofAllen Parkwayto the south andMemorial Driveto the north, it became difficult for pedestrians to enter the park. During the 1950s, consistent flooding issues led theArmy Corps of Engineersto strip the banks of vegetation and straighten the Bayou in order to allow floodwaters to easily pass through. The project failed to improve drainage as the lack of trees caused brush to grow and impede the flow of water.[2]
In 2011, the city entered an agreement with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership to develop and renovate the site. The $50 million renovation project was financed by a series of private donations, including a $30 million from the Kinder Foundation, with some public funding.[3]Eleanor Tinsley Park,which is now a section of Buffalo Bayou Park was also renovated during the same project.[4]The updated park was officially opened in October 2015.[5]
Attractions
editJohnny Steele Dog Park
edit
Named after Houston architect, Johnny Steele, the dog park opened in January 2015. The 2 acre park consists of separate play areas for large and small dogs, a pond where dogs can swim freely, and dog washing areas.[6]Due to its proximity to the Bayou, it is designed to handle periods of flooding from storms.[7][8]
Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark
editThe 30,000 square footskate parkis named after Houston attorneyJoe Jamail.Completed in 2008 at a cost of $2.7 million and renovated in 2016, the world-class skate park has hosted a variety of events and competitions.[9]
Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and Picnic Pavilion
editLocated near the skatepark, theBarbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and Picnic Pavilionincludes a boulder rock scramble, a stream and waterfall, a sandpit, climbing logs and stones and a slide. It features a tree house with a climbing net and a picnic pavilion that can be rented out for events such as birthday parties.[10]
The Cistern
edit
TheCisternis a 87,500 square foot public space for visual art and sound installations.[11]Once a water reservoir for the City of Houston, the structure was decommissioned in 2007 due to an irreparable water leak.[11]In 2010, Houston architecture and engineering firm, Page, transformed the historic reservoir into an ultra minimalist, safe, and accessible attraction.[12]The Cistern opened in May 2016,[12]and the first art exhibit debuted in December 2016.[13]
- Eleanor Tinsley Park
- Waugh Bridge Bat Colony
- Lost Lake
- Houston Police Officer's Memorial
- Tapley Tributary
References
edit- ^"Buffalo Bayou Park - An Ambitious Public Space".Houston Chronicle.
- ^"Buffalo Bayou Park".Houston Parks and Recreation.
- ^"$55 million 'green' plan to beautify Buffalo Bayou".Houston Chronicle.Retrieved11 June2020.
- ^"Eleanor Tinsley Park Getting a Face Lift".chron.com.Retrieved11 June2020.
- ^"Buffalo Bayou Park opens after four year renovation".Houston Chronicle.Retrieved11 June2020.
- ^"Wildly popular Buffalo Bayou dog park reopens with new perks for pups".Culture Map Houston.Retrieved11 June2020.
- ^"How Much Will the Repairs to Buffalo Bayou's Dog Park Cost?".Houstonia Magazine.Retrieved11 June2020.
- ^"Flooding and the Effects on Johnny Steele Dog Park".Buffalo Bayou Partnership.Retrieved11 June2020.
- ^"When Is the Jamail Skatepark Reopening?".Houstonia Magazine.Retrieved11 June2020.
- ^"Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and Picnic Pavilion".Buffalo Bayou Partnership.Retrieved11 June2020.
- ^abMortice, Zach (2017)."The Cistern".Contract.58(1): 126–129 – via EBSCO.
- ^ab"Cistern – Buffalo Bayou Partnership".Retrieved2024-06-29.
- ^"From Water to Art".PM Network.31(1): 12–13. January 2017 – via EBSCO.