Yard-of-the-Month: 528 Highland /  by Lori Bigler

Are you feeling down in the dumps with everything appearing lackluster?  Stroll by 528 Highland at the corner of Northwood for some cheer and vibrancy!  Shannie and Doug Sharp toil away to make their yard a colorful and entertaining oasis. An assortment of bright flowers along with attractive touches like decorative and vintage pots anchor the yard which attracts loads of butterflies and hummingbirds.

Shannie has an antique bench anchoring the corner succulent garden. An old iron spoked wheel sections off her herbs. Beautiful planters on the front steps welcome you to their comfortable porch. Something is always blooming! You can really see Shannie's artistic talent shine through when she decorates her windows and front porch with festive handmade artwork and banners. Accents of yellow and turquoise really brighten things up along with the yellow poodle standing guard next to the front door.  This lovely package is wrapped up in a fence full of Peggy Martin roses!  

The home quarantine has benefited those of us who like to stroll past the house because all the extra time has kept these two owners working more in their beautification efforts!  Kudos to you Sharps!

- Allison Hartzell, Dir of Beautification

May General Meeting Cancelled /  by Lori Bigler

WHCA General Meeting Cancelled Travis Banner.jpg

May General Meeting Cancelled

Under normal circumstances we'd be approaching the May General Meeting, which was planned for May 12th at Travis Elementary School. However, these are anything but normal circumstances.

As was foreshadowed in the last WHCA newsletter, the board last week officially moved to cancel the May General Meeting. In reality, it was not our decision. The current restrictions on public gatherings, the result of COVID-19, make a meeting impossible. 

Election in July

The primary purpose of the May General Meeting would have been to hold an election to replace those on the WHCA board whose terms are coming to an end. The board has decided to move that election to the July General Meeting. Those board members whose terms would have ended shortly have agreed to stay aboard and facilitate an orderly transition after the election is finally held.

While we are are hopeful that an in-person gathering might be possible by then, we're working on plans for a remote gathering, so the election may go ahead in any case. The last two board meetings were conducted using Zoom video conferencing.

Two New Directors

The Nominating Committee, lead by Alaina Hebert has been seeking board candidates for several months. That effort is ongoing. However, they have been successful in finding new folks for two positions. This allowed some change in the board at the most recent meeting.

The board accepted the resignation of Cody McGregor, Directory of Security, appointing long-time WH resident Margaux Poizat to the post effective immediately.

Similarly, Stephanie Riceman stepped down as Director of Beautification. That position was filled by the appointment of Allison Hartzell, both a long-time WH resident and past WHCA president.

So the evolution of the board continues. Collectively, we'd like to thank Stephanie and Cody for their efforts over the past two years. The neighborhood as a whole is better for the volunteer efforts of such caring people.

The Hunt Continues

The Nominating Committee is still seeking candidates for three positions: President, Director of Deed Restrictions and Director of Communications. This process has been made more challenging by the various restrictions imposed by the county and city.

If you have any interest, or know someone who does, or heard a rumor about someone might be interested, or would like to create such a rumor, contact the nominating committee at whcavolunteer@googlegroups.com.

A Message from the WHCA Board /  by Lori Bigler

Dear Woodland Heights Neighbors,

We are all living through time unprecedented within most of our living memory. I see no need to belabor the point, but, group meetings for Associations like ours are, at least for the near term, right out of the question. The result is we cannot hold our scheduled May General Meeting.

The business of the WHCA goes on despite the Covid crisis. The image above is a screen shot from our April board meeting, conducted using Zoom.US. It was one of the shortest meetings in recent years.

The business of the WHCA goes on despite the Covid crisis. The image above is a screen shot from our April board meeting, conducted using Zoom.US. It was one of the shortest meetings in recent years.

The overarching issue for the Association at our May General Meeting is our Annual Meeting, in which we vote on the Board of Director positions scheduled for election. To facilitate this unavoidable cancellation, in our Board Meeting of April 7, 2020, the board voted unanimously to postpone board elections until the next General Meeting, scheduled for July 14, 2020.

To accommodate this action, several outgoing board members have graciously agreed to stay on and see us through to the July election. In preparation for the July General Meeting and Board Election, we need to identify candidates for all positions up for re-election. We have interest from neighbors for Directors of Security and Beautification, but still need candidates for President and Directors of Communications and Deed Restrictions. If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact Alaina Hebert, the Secretary for the WHCA and the Chair of the Nominations Committee, at secretary@woodland-heights.com.

I know July is not the best time for holding elections. Historically, our July meeting is our meeting of lowest attendance. Therefore, in order to build a quorum permitting the election, I am appealing to your civic pride to break that trend. We truly need you to attend.

Further, please rest assured we, the Board of Directors of the WHCA, will find a suitable way to hold a meeting, either in person or virtually, based on the situation as prevails on that second Tuesday of July. To be plain, your attendance, regardless of the fashion or format, is important for our community.

- Harry McMahon, President, WHCA

Creature Feature: The DeHaven Zoo on Morrison Street /  by Lori Bigler

My brother and I were playing with our stuffed animals and were making boxes for their homes. Then my mom came up with the idea to make a zoo, so we didn’t have to throw them away. Because I feel sad whenever my mom makes me throw away our cardboard creations.  Now she made them weather proof so we can keep them forever.  We searched up some facts to make the zoo more interesting. We added the art board later then I caught a some tadpoles to add, too. The tadpoles were my idea. 

- Annie DeHaven

Yard-of-the-Month: 3405 Northwood /  by Lori Bigler

As Beautification Director, I have been fortunate to meet many lovely people in our neighborhood these last two years. It's been exciting to knock on doors, never knowing who I might meet, and always having unexpected and delightful conversations. Each was a little different, but one theme was a constant: our neighbors' gardens give them peace and joy. Our neighbors love their piece of earth and love learning how to tend it so it gives back. It's been fulfilling to tell these neighbors that their care for their gardens brings peace and joy to their community too. We are all so lucky to call them neighbors.

This month is no different! My final pick for Yard of the Month before our next Director takes the seat goes to Caroline and Roy Johnston at 3405 Northwood. Their yard was originally nominated by an admiring neighbor a couple months ago and I'm so happy it was! It's a small space that I had (regrettably) overlooked, but then the more I saw, the more I loved it!

Talking with Roy about all he did to bring it to life was inspiring. The space looks challenging: part along a hot afternoon driveway, part in shade along the front, and area measured in small feet and inches. But as we are out for our walks or bike rides with our families lately, stop and take your time here. It's a sweet spot in the Woodland Heights. Their yard shows us you don't need a lot of space to do beautiful things!

In these times when it's difficult to meet new people, I've decided to leave Roy's write up in his own voice - it's just right and personal, and easier to feel more connected with these kind neighbors. Thank you Roy and Caroline for sharing your yard with our neighborhood!

Stephanie Riceman, Dir of Beautification

We bought our home in 2014 and started on the yard in February 2015. We began by removing the poor existing soil (lots of construction sand), using river rock to separate the beds from the house siding, and building a new stone wall outside to replace the wooden one which had collapsed. I also installed drainage and sprinklers. I'm proud to say that I did all the work myself with help too from Caroline and our kids. My first time building a stone wall or laying out a garden!

We had help from Buchanan's to draw up a landscape plan and advise on plant selection. We wanted southern staples in the landscaping, color throughout the year, and different shades of green. We also did the planting and mulching ourselves. Our layout has changed quite a bit since then as we've moved plants where they have struggled and looked to create more interest with varying heights and size.

Our recent projects have been installing decomposed granite & rock border in our courtyard garden and planting a vegetable and herb garden. I am also working to replace the pet mesh on the fence with lower pet bars. I think that will really complete the texture and visual interest by letting the plants flow more naturally through the fence. A fun current experiment is letting one area fallow and seeing what naturally pops up - I'm calling this our wildflower garden experiment!

As I've learned more about gardening, I am increasingly drawn to low maintenance (and cost), with a focus on hardy (frost and heat tolerant) perennials. We are also switching to more indigenous staples and have introduced some butterfly and bird friendly plants. I find learning about what works in a specific spot to be an enjoyable part of the process. I've also enjoyed learning how to build the other structural pieces of the garden (a shed, the raised beds, the borders, the irrigation, and the vegetable boxes).

Some of my personal highlights are the multiple monarchs drawn to our three milkweed plants (thank you Travis!), the many lizards hiding everywhere, our shrimp-plants and jasmine on the fence (the color and aroma), and the thriving hybrid-tea roses which we added two years ago. I have an ivy vine which was a houseplant gift from my mom and cuttings from it have grown in each home we've lived. We are also looking forward to growing tomatoes, basil, and jalapeno from the St. Mark's garden this year.

I personally love the beauty and peace which the garden brings, how we enjoy it throughout the year, and how the kids find many creatures - even in this little space. It also connects me back to my family (and my wife's family) and the gardens they have nurtured over the years.

Here are some of the plants we have:

Vegetable garden:

  • Mint

  • Tomatoes

  • Jalapeño

  • Basil

  • Chives

  • Star anise

  • Parsley

  • Thyme

  • Gladiola (for cut flowers and color)

Front stone bed:

  • White Knight

  • Milkweed

  • Ligularia

  • Fire cracker fern

  • Camellia (shi shi)

  • Variegated dianella

  • Wood violets (ground cover)

  • Ajuga (caitlin's giant - ground cover)

Side beds by front door:

  • Gardenia

  • Hybrid tea roses

  • Mexican sedum

  • Camellia (japonica kramer supreme)

  • Azalaea - George Tabor

  • Abelea - Kaleidoscope

Inside fence:

  • Giant iris

  • Star Jasmine

  • Giant Liriope

  • English ivy in the hanging basket

Thanks again for the honor and the joy of sharing our project with you!

- Roy

The Great Flower Hunt /  by Lori Bigler

Our family of five (Lucy, Wesley, Gus, Christina and Dusty) had a great time cruising the hood looking for homes participating in the great flower hunt.  We had such a fun time looking for all the flowers in our neighborhood last week.  Since the beginning of the social distancing, we have loved riding our bikes through the hood and the different treasure hunts added a new element with something new to look for each week. 

We started with the rainbow hunt a few weeks ago, and enjoyed the sunshine, bear, and Easter egg hunts.  This one was especially entertaining because we looked not only at the handmade flowers people created, but also all the flowers in people's front yards and gardens. 

The most popular activity for our family is to yell out at the top of our lungs I FOUND A FLOWER - loud and proud.  We love our neighborhood so much and the fun, creative ways we can come together as s community while respecting the social distancing rules.    

  • Lucy (9) - "I liked getting out of the house, riding my bike and being with my family."

  • Wesley (8) - "I like to ride my bike by my friends' houses and look for their flowers." 

  • Gus (3) - "I like it because I pick them up and give them to my friends because I want to."  (He didn't do that, he's 3.  What he really likes is riding in the bike trailer with his snacks, water bottle and music.)

Christina Wilkerson
www.beautycounter.com/christinawilkerson

Why Should You Join Woodland Heights Civic Association? /  by Lori Bigler

Did you know?

You can now join the Woodland Heights civic association at any time during the year. In the past, memberships were always a fixed-term from April 1 to March 31. Recent improvements in how we handle payments allow us more flexibility. Now, your WHCA membership is one year from the date you last paid your dues.

We’ve also brought back the auto renewal option. You will receive a notice annually before you are charged each year. This is a great way to go.

Your civic association dues pay for special events, such as the home and garden tour, Lights in the Heights, maintenance of the Watson and Norhill esplanades and enforcement of deed restrictions. It also pays for the Woodland-Heights website and newsletters.

Membership also ensures your ability to vote at association meetings. Homeowners only please. Each household gets one vote.

If you have any questions or would like to know if your membership is current, please contact me at membership@woodland-heights.org

- Kelly Hare, Director of Membership, WHCA

Woodland Heights Sunshine Hunt /  by Lori Bigler

This past week there was a Sunshine Hunt in Woodland Heights for anyone who wanted to participate.  The event was to show cheerfulness in this hard time and brighten up our day.  Participants went around and took pictures or counted different suns at houses in the neighborhood.  Everyone was eligible to win a prize at the Sternfel’s house, courtesy of the Woodland Heights Civic Association. 

This hunt was harder than the rainbow hunt because there were fewer suns out, but the suns that we saw were very creative and pretty.  We saw a sun made of papier mache, some paper suns in windows and suns in chalk on the sidewalk.  There was also one made with strings and sticks, like a Tiger’s Eye.  The hunt started April 1 and ended April 5.   We also saw a lot of sidewalk art that brightened up the neighborhood. 

Thank you to everyone who participated and our next hunt is the flower hunt so watch for notices about that coming up soon.

- Grace Lindsay of Lower Morrison Street (LoMo)       

More Rainbow Hunters Reporting /  by Lori Bigler

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Hi there,

This Cora and Juliette, we are 7 and and 5 years old and we are sisters (our mom is transcribing). We hunted all over the Woodland Heights and we found 107 different houses with rainbows! We looked on Euclid, Norhill, Woodland, Bayland, Byrne, Omar and Merrill plus our street.

Cora’s favorite was 1011 E 7 1/2 St - I liked how many different colors there were and how pretty it was. Juliette’s favorite was 815 Merrill - I liked how big and beautiful it was with all the different colors - my best friend lives there too and she helped make it. Here is a photo of us. We did not hug even though it was hard.

We also submit our house as a runner-up - we live at [address removed] and our rainbow has gold glitter on it. We know everyone loves glitter! We had lots of fun but we missed the prize day. If there are any prizes left will you please let us know?

Thanks!
Cora & Juliette

Melissa Sternfels responds:

Thank you so much for your lovely note, and for taking the rainbow hunt so very seriously. I can first assure you that there are PLENTY of prizes left.

Second, I agree with you about glitter. Everyone loves glitter. And, I hope to see a glittery sun on your house on Wednesday when my daughter I begin our “sunshine” hunt, April 1.

Yard-of-the-Month: 3014 Norhill /  by Lori Bigler

After 18 years at 3014 Norhill St, Tiffany Tyler and Charles Kuffner have found that balance in their yard: the soil is rich, the birds and pollinators are happy, the squirrels play, the children grow, it is both relaxing and fun for their family to tuck into the garden work, and it is beautiful!

The yard has taken shape through some trial and error, and some help from friends and neighbors. Stories abound in their yard with neighborhood and historical ties. The monkey grass forming a border along the north beds have been there since they moved in. The Texas maiden hair fern was passed along to them from a friend on Bayland when they moved in as well. The soil itself is enriched from a compost begun before they moved there, wheelbarrowed from three blocks away. The red firespike salvaged from a home in Norhill before it was torn down. And of course the bluebonnets, tended and prodded and now finally blooming at the southwest corner. My favorite is the fig ivy covering the low brick border along Woodland, which also celebrates 18 years with them here.

There is a lot of color to see as we come into blooming season: day lilies, pentas, many varieties of coleus (another of my favorites), purple salvia, columbine, ice plant, Texas gold lantana, purple sage, the native butterfly-attracting purple porterweed, edible nasturtium, foxtail fern, pineapple hamelia, Dutchman's pipe, echinaceas, native milkweeds, tiny volunteer violas, and a yellow globe ground cover. Adorning the porch and deck are a variety of zinnias and geraniums. 

Over all of it towers their mature water oak to the west, giving them relief from the heat of the afternoon sun, and drummond red maples to the north. In spite of the shade, their satsuma and Meyer lemon trees are blooming with promise this year!

What's the secret to having such a nice yard? The Houston Museum of Natural Science plant sale gives her a lot to work with, as well as local favorite Buchanan's. And Tiffany has been inspired by the community of organic farmers and veggie enthusiasts at Central City Co-op, where she has been involved for many years in its development. The soil was in poor condition when they moved in, so regular household compost has helped nurture and feed the roots. Tiffany wants to feel relaxed and have fun gardening so that is rewarding in itself, and she doesn't worry over the weeds much - if pollinators enjoy them then they have a place at this corner too. Not to be overlooked is the abundance of yard art tucked all about the gardens, most of it gifted to her, or acquired from local artists or on trips, all quietly at home here.

Creature Feature: Samantha /  by Lori Bigler

This month’s Creature Feature takes a new twist. We’re introducing Samantha, a one year old female Pitt/Husky mix that we’ve been fostering for the past six weeks. Samantha (Sammy) is seeking a furever home and would prefer to stay in Woodland Heights.

Samantha was abandoned in Monte Beach Park in mid-February. Her former owner must have really cared for her. She was healthy, recently groomed and left where they could be sure she’d be found.

Our vet confirms that she’s healthy. We had her spayed and signed her up with a couple of rescue agencies, but have yet to have any inquiries.

She’s a great friend to Julio, our 3 year old Dogo/Setter mix. Less so to Gwen, our 10 year old Labrador, who finds all the puppy energy disturbing.

She’s smart and energetic. Walks well on a leash. Likes to ride in cars. Does well at the dog park, too. She’s been to Bill Archer Family Bark Park several times.

We’d love to keep her, but she’s aggressive towards our cats. We’ve not been able to dissuade her of that habit. As a result, she’s been crated in our garage apartment (my home office) overnights. She loves the dog door! She has the run of yard and office by day.

Sammy is super sweet. Julio would like his new friend to stay nearby, so they can have play dates.

We’ve accumulated a library of pics and videos to help Sammy find a great home. If you’re interested please contact communications@woodland-heights.org.

WH Rainbow Hunt-Harper Hatfield Reporting /  by Lori Bigler

I am Harper Hatfield and I am a 9 year old 4th grader at Travis Elementary.

Last week, some brilliant people organized a rainbow scavenger hunt to spread a little cheer around the neighborhood during this dark time. You can enjoy this event by riding a bike, driving around in the car or even just taking a stroll down the street! This is a great experience to have fun with our community and see everyone’s amazing art work while still being safe and socially distanced. 

It was so exciting to see all of the different rainbows the kids created and displayed. We spotted painted rainbows, crayon rainbows, flag rainbows, sidewalk chalk rainbows and even a pinata rainbow! But, my mom and my favorite was definitely the rainbow made of streamers, with Kermit the Frog sitting on a balcony and holding a poster that said “the lovers, the dreamers and me” (pictured above.)

It was the perfect excuse to pull my mom and myself out of the house, get some fresh air, exercise and see our beautiful neighborhood. I had so much fun making my rainbow art so I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next time!

Thank you!

Harper Hatfield
Morrison St.
Woodland Heights

Great Rainbow Hunt Official Rules /  by Lori Bigler

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First: observe all safety guidelines, and safe social distancing at all times. You know what to do. (In other words, don’t be getting us into trouble with Mayor Sylvester, County Judge Lina or Principal Day!)

Second: walk, skip, ride, scooter, saunter, skate or stroll your way through our neighborhood, keeping track of how many Rainbows you can find (within the boundaries of the Woodland Heights, which is generally I-10 to the South, Studewood to the West, Pecore to the North and I-45 to the East). 

Third: if you didn’t take a picture, did it really happen? Take lots of photos! And if you are into that whole social media thing, please tag us!

Fourth: once have finished your Great Rainbow Hunt, please email the WHCA at communications@woodland-heights.org or, better yet, post on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WoodlandHeightsCivicAssociation/. Please tell us who was in your search party, the total number of Rainbows your search party found, and the address(es) of your very favorite Rainbows. Please also include any photographs that we can share.

Fifth: at all times, at all times, be aware of your surroundings and again, please pretty please be safe. Also see, Official Rule 1, above. 

FINALLY: You are a winner! Collect your family’s prize from the purple bucket on the porch at 714 Euclid (March 25 through the 30th, and until we run out) generally between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm OR, please let us know your address for prize drop off. 

***Note that all prizes were pre-packaged and have also been placed in paper bags, by gloved hands. Before handling, please take all appropriate measures to ensure both your and your family’s safety. Again, see Rule 1.***

The City of Houston’s COVID safety guidelines can be found here: https://houstonemergency.org/covid19/

The CDC’s COVID guidelines can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprotect%2Findex.html

Six things to do with the kids /  by Lori Bigler

Hi Neighbors:

First – a disclaimer. I am not a parent nor do I play one on TV.

Second – a friend asked if I had any ideas for a scavenger hunt for kids and I’m getting the sense that some of you parents out there might be getting just a tiny bit stir crazy. So here are some ideas for things to do…

#1 - Wildflowers

It is the absolutely best time of year to learn about wildflowers. You could download the free East Texas Wildflowers app (at Google Play or the App Store), head down to the bayou (or park or whatever), and challenge the kids (and/or you!) to ID every wildflower you find.

The app is simple to use. Select the plant type (wildflower or vine), pick a color, count the petals, and select the leaf arrangement. Once entered, these choices narrow down options to the point where you can scroll through and compare the app’s photos to your flower and work out the ID.

Have the kids take photos and use a journal to draw sketches and write descriptions. Then group flowers by different variables (color, number of petals, size, leaf arrangement, etc.) and challenge the kids to ID what’s the same and what’s different about each (a useful skill for pre-algebraic thinking).

Older kids can learn about plant families. There’s a great intro to plant families at http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Identification/Patterns_in_Plants.htm that is drawn from the book Botany in a Day. (The book is a slightly challenging read for adults, but has some good drawings/overviews kids can use.)

If older kids or adults want an old-school field guide, I would recommend A Field Guide to Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers. It’s not as flashy as the newer regional guides but is an excellent hard core resource.

#2 - Bird Watching

Go bird watching! Particularly if you have binoculars. If you are new to birds, download some of the zines or posters I’ve put at http://whiteoakbayou.org/resources-and-zines.html.  Each features a small group of similar birds. Bring chairs to the edge of the bayou and learn to ID each of the herons and egrets (zine/poster #1) and diving birds (#6) you’ll find there (these birds are big enough to ID without binoculars).

Or wander the neighborhood and search for birds like cardinals and other commoners (#4), pigeons/doves (#5), and blackbirds (#10). If you are up for a challenge, bring binoculars, a blanket and picnic basket and hang out in the shade of bridge that crosses over a bayou while you learn to ID the aerialists who may be nesting under the bridge (#7) and/or watch for soaring hawks (#2 and #3).

#3 - Further Bird Watching

Take the bird thing a step further and download the free BirdsEye Texas app, Merlin Bird ID app and/or Audubon Birds app. Go to http://whiteoakbayou.org/uploads/3/4/9/1/34911613/thebestfeatures-of-threefree_birdapps2018-07-12.pdf to download an intro to each and directions for how to use the BirdsEye Texas app to create a mini-field guide that features only the birds that are being reported right around you.

#4 - Monitor Nesting Birds

Become a Yellow-crowned Night Heron expert by keeping tabs on the nests that are just now being built/repaired in mature Live Oak trees in various neighborhoods. It’s easiest to see these birds early in the morning or just before dusk, but you can go looking anytime.

Take a notebook, list each address where you find a Yellow-crown, and keep records of how many you see at each nest every time you pass by. Note that young Yellow-crowns are brown with light spots and then transition slowly into adults that are kind of gray with black-and-white striped faces. You can find photos of Yellow-crowns at https://ebird.org/media/catalog?taxonCode=ycnher&sort=rating_rank_desc&region=Harris,%20Texas,%20United%20States%20(US)&regionCode=US-TX-201&q=Yellow-crowned%20Night-Heron%20-%20Nyctanassa%20violacea Very cool birds!

#5 - Draw, Partner!

Learn how to draw birds. There is a fantastic book titled The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds. The author (John Muir Laws) also has some free tutorials at his website at https://johnmuirlaws.com/ (see his blog).

#6 - Night Sky Watching

Go outside at night and learn to ID the constellations. My favorite kid-friendly book is Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey (the guy who wrote the Curious George books). Combine use of the book with a star finder app like Sky Map or Star Walk 2 and you’ll be good to go!

Hope these ideas help.

- Wendy Wright

 

 

 

Introducing The Great Rainbow Hunt /  by Lori Bigler

Following from the success of the city-wide ☘️Shamrock Hunt☘️, the Woodland Heights Civic Association cordially invites you and your family to participate in the 🌈 Great Rainbow Hunt!

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Similar to the Shamrock Hunt, neighbors are asked to place a rainbow (or two, or three, or twenty) of their choosing, in their windows, on or before Tuesday, March 24th.

🌈Paint it. 🌈Color it. 🌈Print it out. 🌈Macrame it. Whatever! Then, on Wednesday, March 25th, the 🌈 Great Rainbow Hunt will begin.

Additional details will follow, including how YOU or YOUR FAMILY can win a prize for locating the most 🌈s (within the boundaries of the Woodland Heights Civic Association).

Also, be on the lookout for the WHCA’s announcement of a neighborhood-wide scavenger hunt, which will be aimed at our younger neighbors, as well as the upcoming 🌞Great Sunshine Hunt, the 🌼 Great Flower Hunt, and other family-friendly-social-distancing-activities.

Questions? communications@woodland-heights.org. And, if you aren’t already a WHCA member, please consider joining us by visiting our website at https://www.woodland-heights.org/membership

P.S. - an easy way to add rainbows to your home is to use these Rainbow Windows Clings, available on Amazon.com.

Bye Bye Bridge: Old Wooden Bridge on Stude Park Trail To Be Removed. /  by Lori Bigler

This just in regarding an old portion of the trail at Stude Park. The bridge in question is the small wooden foot bridge close to the bayou. It’s been is disrepair for years. It gets very slippery when wet. It also suffers flooding events very poorly.

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Good morning,

Houston Parks Board continues making progress on improving the White Oak Bayou Greenway for all trail users. We sincerely appreciate your continued support and would like to share an important update with you.

In an effort to ensure everyone is using safe and well-maintained trails along the bayous, Houston Parks Board will be demolishing an old and crumbled asphalt trail along White Oak Bayou between Stude Park and White Oak Drive. Part of the trail demolition includes a wooden pedestrian bridge south of Thelma Drive and White Oak Drive. Click here to view a map of the demolition area.

Work will begin on the trail and bridge demolition starting Monday, March 16, and is expected to potentially last through March 20, depending on weather, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Our contractor for this project is L.N. McKean, Inc., who has performed other successful demolition and trail work for our organization.

After work is complete, the trail area will be returned to grass. Trail users can continue to use the White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail (the primary trail for this bayou) that is located near the top of the bayou’s bank along White Oak Bayou Drive.

If you have any questions about this work, feel free to email or call me at the contact information below. Please also share this information with anyone else you think may be interested.

Want to know more?

To learn more about our nonprofit organization and how we create, improve, protect and advocate for parks for everyone, visit www.houstonparksboard.org and click “About Us.”

To explore an interactive map of our other projects, visit www.houstonparksboard.org, and click on our Interactive Map.

Thank you,

Lisa Kasianowitz

Outreach Manager
Houston Parks Board
lisa@houstonparksboard.org
300 North Post Oak Lane
Houston, TX 77024
P: 713-942-8500 X14
F: 713-942-7664

www.houstonparksboard.org