The 20-year renovation master plan for Hermann Park began with the construction of a $2 million off-leash dog park.
The McWilliams Dog Park broke ground Feb. 22 and will be complete at the end of 2022. The 1.5-acre dog park will repurpose a 2.6-acre area bordered by South MacGregor Drive and Brays Bayou.
The dog park is being developed by a public-private partnership between the city of Houston and Hermann Park Conservancy, alongside landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., the firm that renovated Hermann Park’s trail system in 2011. The dog park is the first part of the new master plan to be constructed because it is the most requested feature, said Doreen Stoller, president of Hermann Park Conservancy.
“A request for a new dog park was the very first email we received during our master-planning process, and the request continued to draw the most interest from Houstonians when asked what they wanted to see next in Hermann Park," Stoller said. "We cannot wait for park visitors and their furry friends to have a place of their own later this year."
McWilliams Dog Park, named in honor of a $1 million donation from Laura and Brad McWilliams, who have a passion for foster and rescue dogs, is intended to increase access to Hermann Park and flow seamlessly into its existing public spaces. The dog park will be surrounded by native plants for aesthetics and blocking the busy traffic; the space will also include one of the largest interactive dog park water features in the city, separate areas for small and large breeds, and canine agility courses.
The 20-year Hermann Park renovation master plan was approved in 2017 and is expected to be done by 2042. The renovations include a new area called the Commons, an efficient parking garage designed as a mountain, a renovated inclusive playground for children of various abilities and ages, and a renovated park perimeter.
Construction of the Commons, a 26-acre site from Cambridge Street to Fannin Street, is expected to begin next. The total costs of the Hermann Park renovations are expected to be about $250 million. Stoller said the conservancy is still raising the first $51 million.
Part of the funds will go to ensure the sustainability of the Park. So money will be set aside for maintenance as well as areas for the park to make income, like a carousel, small train, and wedding venues.
"We spent a lot of time trying to understand what it's going to cost to maintain what we build, because we know the city's budget is really stretched, so it would be irresponsible of us raising money to put things in the park if there's no ability to take care of them," Stroller said. "This is so we're not having to rely 100% on philanthropy."
This is the second time the conservancy is working on a Hermann Park master plan. The first time began in the 1990s and included about $125 million worth of improvements on the reflection pool, McGovern Centennial Gardens and the train station.
Over the past several years, there has been a focus on renovating parks across Houston, including Discovery Green, Buffalo Bayou Park and Memorial Park, which is in the midst of a $200 million makeover. The green spaces help revitalize the city and can benefit the business community, as well, proponents say.
In an era where many companies and employees can work from almost anywhere, it’s important for Houston’s businesses that the city is as marketable as possible to bring in talent, Rich Kinder, executive chairman of Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE: KMI) and a billionaire philanthropist, said in 2015. He and his wife, Nancy, funnel their donations through their self-named foundation, which has provided millions of dollars to a variety of different projects that focus on green space, education and quality of life.
"There is a fair amount of development around Hermann Park. When you think about the Medical Center, Rice University and the Innovation Corridor trying to recruit talent to Houston, Hermann Park is really a differentiator," Stroller said. "People who are innovators expect a lot from their cities. So we really want to do our part to help recruit this intellectual talent to Houston."
