SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 130
WHEREAS, Memorial Park marked its 100th anniversary in
2024, providing a welcome opportunity to pay tribute to the rich
legacy of Houston's largest urban wilderness and recreational
green space; and
WHEREAS, In 1924, Will and Mike Hogg, with minority owner
Henry Stude, purchased two tracts of land that had previously
served as the Camp Logan training base during World War I and sold
the acreage at cost to the City of Houston; in May of that year,
the city officially established Memorial Park in honor of the
soldiers who trained at the camp and fought in the war;
conservationist Ima Hogg, the sister of Will and Mike Hogg,
served for half a century as guardian of the park, playing an
instrumental role in saving it from a number of potential
encroachments; and
WHEREAS, Today, Memorial Park is overseen by Memorial Park
Conservancy, a nonprofit group founded in 2000 that manages 1,100
of the park's 1,500 acres; the conservancy directed the Memorial
centennial celebration in 2024 while raising more than $3.2
million in support of the park's daily care; dedicated to keeping
the park free for all users, the conservancy conducts public
education about green space preservation, creates events,
programs, and park areas, and works to highlight Memorial's
cultural history; moreover, the organization has helped
formulate and carry out the Memorial Park Master Plan in
partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department,
Kinder Foundation, and Uptown Development Authority, delivering
transformational capital improvements, the restoration of the
park's ecological systems, and an operations and maintenance
plan for the park; and
WHEREAS, The millions of people who visit Memorial Park
each year enjoy a range of athletic facilities and recreational
amenities that include trails for running, walking, and cycling,
picnic areas, playgrounds, tennis courts, a pool, volleyball
courts, ballfields, and the renowned Memorial Park Golf Course,
which in 2016 was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, For more than a century, Memorial Park has served
as a sanctuary for relaxation and recreation for the residents of
Houston, and it is indeed a pleasure to join in recognizing this
treasured community asset; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th
Legislature, hereby commemorate the centennial of Memorial Park
in Houston and extend to all those associated with the park
sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for Memorial Park Conservancy as an expression of high
regard from the Texas Senate.
Cook
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 25, 2025.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate