As we approach what feels like our first sunny weekend on the horizon for this Memorial Day, we can’t help but look back at all of these somber days of rain that we have been having of late and rejoice in planning for this over due weekend. This feeling is reminicsent of a few weeks back when Hermann Park Conservancy was faced with persistent rain up to and during the day of the much anticipated annual Evening in the Park Event at the Park. It was like a miracle that the rain stopped, the skies brightened and opened up for a beautiful evening as we have all come to expect from this favorite evening event for so many!
Due to Covid-19 safety measures, this year’s event looked a little different than in the past. Instead of a singular gathering point at the Molly Ann Smith Plaza, socially distant and tented “pods” were meticulously placed along the Mary Gibbs and Jesse H. Jones Reflection Pool for each table’s party. But despite the breaking of tradition, the Hermann Park Conservancy surpassed its goal and raised $650,000 for the care and improvement of Hermann Park.
Co-chairs Jo and Jim Furr, and Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell and Derrick Mitchell worked tirelessly to ensure that not only would guests have a fun and safe night, but that this Evening in the Park made up for lost time due to 2020’s gala cancellation. The honorees for 2021 were long-time Conservancy supporters and champions Laura and Brad McWilliams, celebrating the upcoming dog park, to be named in their honor after a generous leading gift. The honoree of 2020’s cancelled Evening in the Park, Marley Lott, was also in attendance and recognized.
After a brief cocktail hour, guests heard from Conservancy board chair Kristy Bradshaw about the next large Conservancy endeavor, the Play Your Park campaign. With innovative play spaces, natural habitats and plantings, public art installations, gathering areas, and the McWilliams Dog Park, this project will lead Hermann Park into the next phase of the Conservancy’s 20-year master plan.
“The Park welcomes over six million visitors every year, and that number continues to grow due to the amount of people utilizing outdoor spaces now more than ever. And one thing I’ve learned over the past year is that Houston needs Hermann Park. That’s why the Play Your Park campaign is so important for this city. It will give Houstonians now, and for generations to come, a place to call their own,” Bradshaw said.
The centerpiece of the Play Your Park campaign will be the Commons. Located in the southwest corner of the Park along Fannin St. and Cambridge St., this 26-acre area will be completely transformed into a vibrant and essential community space. And with it being right across the street from the Texas Medical Center, the Commons will offer a green and scenic locale for patient families, and healthcare professionals to visit when seeking a much needed break.
Also a part of the campaign, and the focus of this year’s gala celebration, the McWilliams Dog Park will be located along Brays Bayou and South MacGregor Way in the southern tip of Hermann Park, out of immediate flood zones. One of the most requested features by the community, the new off-leash dog park will have dedicated spaces for large and small dogs, play equipment, water features, ample shade, and on-site parking. Construction of the McWilliams Dog Park will begin this year with an anticipated opening of late 2021 or early 2022.
Following cocktails and presentations, many of we guests were escorted to their perspective pods by way of a fun trip on the remarkable Hermann Park Children’s Train. Dinner was provided by City Kitchen. After dinner tunes were provided by DJ Mav at the Pioneer Obelisk as guests indulged themselves with a bit of dancing to celebrate an Evening in the Park two years in the making that couldn’t have been lovelier.
In addition to all the generous donors, the Conservancy extends special thanks to City Kitchen andthe Mayor’s Office of Special Events for their event support.
Daniel J. Piette, Doreen Stoller
photos by Priscilla Dickson