HOUSTON—MAY 27, 2015 – Buffalo Bayou Park (between Shepherd Drive and Sabine Street) experienced heavy flooding on Tuesday, May 26. As the water recedes, Buffalo Bayou Partnership is evaluating the situation; however, the preliminary assessment is that the park did not experience major damage.
The Johnny Steele Dog Park is closed until we have the opportunity to clear storm debris and return the environment to a fun place for dogs and owners.
Park amenities such as the benches, trash receptacles, lighting, etc. were designed to withstand severe storm water events and the expectation is that much of the cleanup will involve mud and sediment removal along the trails, and trash removal throughout the park. Maintenance teams will work as quickly and safely as possible on the cleanup.
The rainfall over the last several weeks and months has hindered the progress of construction of major destinations – Lost Lake and The Water Works – in Buffalo Bayou Park. Therefore, the June 20 public celebration has been rescheduled to the fall. The exact date will be announced in the near future.
Please note the volunteer opportunity previously announced is proceeding. Details are below.
Confluence: A Journey in Five Movements
Date: Saturday, May 30 through Friday, June 12
Location: 2219 Canal Street, Houston, TX 77003
The illuminated procession, Confluence: A Journey in Five Movements, which will be part of Buffalo Bayou Park’s fall celebration, will be created over the course of the next 12 days. The free, creative building sessions will be led by artists Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles of Processional Arts Workshop. Participants will learn techniques for constructing large-scale lightweight illuminated structures. Drawing from a menu of images and themes first developed in community story-sessions, participants will add their own visions to the collective Buffalo Bayou story as a roving installation of giant lanterns. Sign up for a workshop.
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About Buffalo Bayou Park
The $58 million Buffalo Bayou Park project is a public-private partnership led by Buffalo Bayou Partnership, the City of Houston through the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, the Harris County Flood Control District and the Kinder Foundation. The Kinder Foundation provided catalyst funding of $30 million in 2010, an unprecedented gift to Houston’s park system. Buffalo Bayou Partnership raised an additional $23.4 million for the project and oversaw the design and construction. Buffalo Bayou Partnership will maintain and operate the park with funding of $2 million per year provided by the Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) #3.