H.P.A.R.D. Media

Houston Parks & Recreation Department
 Erika Madison, Administration Manager
 Office:832.395.7061
 Cell: 713.562.4095
 erika.madison@houstontx.gov

 Joe Steakley
 Senior Communications Specialist
 Office: 832.395.7020
 david.steakley@houstontx.gov

 

Jan. 27 38th Annual Arbor Day Celebration

PRESS RELEASES ARCHIVE

Press Releases 2013

 

2013 News Releases
Dec. 13 Bethel Park
Nov. 24 $30 Million Regional Bike Ped Projects
Nov. 6 US Paralympics Talent ID Day
Nov. 5 Rebuilding Together
Oct. 25 Emancipation Park Groundbreaking
Oct. 18 Lady Bird Johnson Tribute Wildflower Planting 2013
Oct. 18 TXU Tree Planting
Oct. 15 HPARD Reaccreditation
Oct. 8 HPARD Hosts NRPA
Oct. 2 HPARD Hosts Metal & Muscle Expo
Oct. 1 Sharpstown Golf Course Reopens
Sep. 25 Memorial Park Running Trails Center
Sep. 10 Lee LeClear Tennis Center
Aug. 29 Hermann Park $2 Plant Sale
Aug. 29 Hermann Park Labor Day Traffic
Aug. 28 HPARD Receives Four Grants
Aug. 27 City of Houston Thanks Bank of America
Aug. 26 HPARD To Combat Childhood Hunger
Aug. 14 Dr Pepper Snapple Grant
Jul. 31 NJTL Kids Day
Jul. 30 Houston Garden Center Closing
Jul. 29 Hungry For Happiness Tour At Sunnyside Park
Jul. 26 Summer Food Service Program Continues
Jul. 18 Let's Play Carnival
Jun. 28 Hermann Park July 4th Traffic
Jun. 18 Summer Food Service Program - English
Jun. 18 Summer Food Service Program - Spanish
Jun. 11 Woodland Park Illegal Plant Removal
Jun. 10 Hershey's Track & Field
May 24 Pool Opening Schedule
May 23 Hermann Park Memorial Day Traffic
Apr. 26 Townwood Park
Mar. 11 Kingwood Community Center Line Dance
Mar. 6 SFSP Recruit Sites (English)
Mar. 6 SFSP Recruit Sites (Spanish)
Feb. 28 US Soccer Foundation CEO Visit
Feb. 18 Willow Waterhole Grant
Feb. 14 Nike NBA Skills Clinic At Fonde Recreation Center
Feb. 4 US Soccer Foundation Grant
Jan. 28 $220,000 TPWD Grant
Jan. 25 Arbor Day 2013
Jan. 9 After-School Meal

 

 

Press Releases 2012

 

2012 News Releases
Nov. 19 HLSR Grant
Nov. 2 2012 Sam Houston Park Groundbreaking Event
Oct. 29 Timken Foundation
Oct. 26 $4 Million Moody Park Renovation Project
Oct. 25 Moody Park Media Alert
Oct. 18 Japanese Garden Commemorative Tree Planting
Oct. 10 Walmart State Giving Program Grant To Summer Food Service Program
Sep. 28 Lady Bird Johnson Tribute Wildflower Planting
Sep. 21 Fourth Annual Line Dance
Sep. 8 Kingwood Community Ribbon Cutting
Sep. 7 Kingwood Community Center Grand Opening
Aug. 31 Hermann Park Labo rDay Traffic
Aug. 31 Art In Parks Webpage
Aug. 24 Bethel Project Pays Tribute To 4th Ward History
Aug. 23 Bethel Church Press Conference
Aug. 8 Father Child Golf Tournament 2012
Jul. 26 Glenbrook Park Pool Splash Day
Jul. 25 Junior Tennis Learning Kids Day
Jul. 23 Hershey Track Field Meet Rescheduled
Jul. 2 Hermann Park July Fourth Traffic
Jun. 20 Groundbreaking Ceremony Honors Space Pioners
Jun. 19 Emancipation Park Capital Campaign June 19
Jun. 18 Emancipation Park Capital Campaign
Jun. 14 Hermann Park Japanese Garden Day
Jun. 13 World's Largest Swim Lesson
Jun. 8 Houston Pools Benefit From Bank Of America Grant
Jun. 8 2012 Hershey's Track Field Meet
Jun. 4 HPARD Summer Programming Kicks Off
Jun. 1 Margaret Jenkins Park Renaming Ceremony
Jun. 1 Grand Opening Jaycee Park
May 30 Summer Food Service Program 2012
May 24 Hermann Park Memorial Day Traffic
May 21 HPARD Pools Open For Summer
May 18 Houston Astros To Host Equipment Drive For HPARD
May 16 The First Tee Students To Meet Mark O' Meara
May 14 International Water Safety Day
May 14 Soccer For Success Students To Attend First Lady's Soccer Clinic
May 4 HPARD Receives Grant
May 3 Houston Corporate Games
Apr. 12 RE-Plant Memorial Park Forestry Project
Apr. 4 Sprite Spar kParks Grant To Renovate Basketball Courts
Apr. 3 Buffalo Bayou APA Award
Mar. 28 Hector Avila Honored At White House
Mar. 22 Lake Houston Wilderness Park Phase I Grand Opening
Mar. 13 Re-Plant Kingwood
Feb. 14 HPARD Receives $20,000 NRPA Grant
Jan. 27 Joe Turner Director HPARD Elected To NRPA Board Of Directors
Jan. 20 Volunteers To Celebrate Arbor Day By Planting 2,5000 Trees
Jan. 18 5 HPARD Projects Receive Recognition
Jan. 13 Walmart NRPA Grant For SFSP
Jan. 10 Walmart Grant For SFSP
Jan. 5 Re-Plant Houston Kickoff Media Availability

 

 

Press Releases 2011

 

2011 News Releases
Dec. 22 December Tree Removal Status Update
Nov. 14 Memorial Park Tree Removal
Nov. 10 Emancipation Park Visualize The Dream
Oct. 25 Greenhouse Grand Opening
Oct. 25 Greenhouse Grand Opening
Oct. 17 $4.5 Million Hazardous Tree Removal
Sep. 30 Mecom Fountain Lights
Sep. 23 Line Dance
Sep. 21 Emancipation Park TPWD Grant
Sep. 16 HPARD Response To Smoking Ban
Sep. 2 HPARD Hermann Park Traffic
Aug. 17 Water Reduction Plan
Jul. 5 Hershey's Track Field Meet 2011
Jun. 13 Summer Food Service Program Grant Announcement
May 27 HPARD Pools Opening
May 27 Moody Park Copper Theft Spoiled
May 26 Hermann Park Memorial Day Holiday Weekend Traffic
May 9 Jaycee Park Water Playground
May 4 Houston Corporate Games
Apr. 22 Hermann Park Holiday Traffic
Apr. 21 Gragg Gold LEED
Apr. 11 MMSC Festival Of Abilities
Apr. 8 Summer Food Service Sites Needed (English)
Apr. 8 Summer Food Service Sites Needed (Spanish)
Apr. 1 HPARD Calendar of Events April 1 - May 15 2011
Mar. 25 Grand Slam For Youth Season Opener
Mar. 21 Rosemont Bridge Grand Opening March 26
Mar. 17 Hermann Park Spring Break Traffic Hits Record Numbers
Mar. 9 HPARD Calendar Of Events March 9 - April 15 2011
Mar. 2 Spring Break Traffic In Hermann Park
Feb. 9 Godwin Park Reopening
Feb. 9 HPARD Community Centers Close Early Due To Inclement Weather
Feb. 4 HPARD Calendar of Events
Feb. 4 Inclement Weather Alters HPARD Community Center Hours For February 5, 2011
Feb. 4 HPARD Facilities Closed Due To Inclement Weather
Jan. 21 2,500 Volunteers To Celebrate Arbor Day By Planting 25,000 Trees
Jan. 18 Last Call For Arbor Day Volunteers
Jan. 4 2,500 Volunteers Needed to Plant 25,000 Trees In Celebration of Arbor Day 2011

 

 

Press Releases 2010

 

2010 News Releases
Dec. 20 The Houston Parks and Recreation Department Unveils $15000 State-of-the-Art  GTECH  After School Advantage Computer Lab
Nov. 22 William “Joe” Turner Appointed to NRPA Board of Directors
Nov. 16 James Surls Sculpture “Standing Vase With Five Flowers”
Nov. 12 HPARD Honored For Therapeutic Recreation Program Injured Service Members  and Vets
Nov. 12 Vale – Asche Foundation Grant To Fund 5th Playground Without Limits
Nov. 4 HPARD Hosts Area Youth at 1st Annual Houston Schoolyard Games Presented by  Aetna
Oct. 27 Rosemont Bridge Installation
Oct. 14 Memorial Drive to be Closed Temporarily As Rosemont Bridge Takes Shape
Sep. 24 H.P.A.R.D., H.I.S.D. and the Houston Dynamo Team Up to Combat Childhood  Obesity
Sep. 17 4th Annual Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Planting Volunteers Still Needed for Two  Sites
Sep. 3 Labor Day Traffic Will Be Heavy in Hermann Park
Sep. 2 $80,000 Grant Awarded To After School Achievement Program
Aug. 26 $2 Million Dollars Earmarked for Improvements to Historic Sam Houston Park
Aug. 11 Pool Schedules Change as Summer Swim Season Winds Down
Aug. 2 New “Splashtacular” H-E-B Water Playground Opens in Houston
Jul. 27 Bright Fields! Bright Futures!
Jul. 16 Let's Play Health & Fitness Carnival Set for Alief Park
Jul. 9 H.P.A.R.D. & AmeriCorps NCCC Unite to Improve Park Faciliies
Jul. 1 Fourth of July Weekend Traffic Will Be Heavy in Hermann Park
Jun. 7 Hershey's Track Field Games 2010
Jun. 3 H.P.A.R.D. Sponsors Free Summer Lunches & Snacks - English
Jun. 3 H.P.A.R.D. Sponsors Free Summer Lunches & Snacks - Espanol
May 28 HPARD Opens Pools in Two Phases For 2010 Swim Season
May 26 Memorial Day Weekend Traffic Will Be Heavy in Hermann Park
May 19 2nd Annual East End Golf Classic Benefits Historic Gus Wortham Golf Course  Restoration
May 3 Free Summer Meals for Youths Begins June 1 - English & Spanish
Apr. 30 44 Teams Come Together for 2nd Annual Houston Corporate Games Presented  by Aetna
Apr. 28 Aetna Houston Corporate Games
Apr. 13 Aetna Signs On As Title Sponsor of 2010 Houston Corporate Games
Apr. 9 Grand Opening of 2nd MLB Urban Youth Academy to Take Place at Sylvester  Turner Park
Apr. 1 HPARD Summer Food Program Seeking Sites to Fight Childhood Hunger in  Houston - Eng
Apr. 1 HPARD Summer Food Program Seeking Sites to Fight Childhood Hunger in  Houston - Esp
Mar. 24 Wildflowers in Full Bloom across Houston
Mar. 11 HPARD Celebrates Groundbreaking For New Buffalo Bayou Pedestrian Bridge
Mar. 5 HPARD Seniors Go Texan! During HPARD’s Western Line Dance Social!
Mar. 2 Spring Break Traffic Will Be Heavy in Hermann Park
Feb. 18 Eastwood Park Boundless Playground
Feb. 9 HPARD Offers Skateboarding Classes This Spring
Jan. 20 HPARD Offers Sports Officiating Positions
Jan. Bernar Venet Houston
Jan. 6 HPARD Receives $50,000 Grant For Soccer for Success Program
Jan. 5 Second Annual Metal and Muscle Expo
Jan. 4 Volunteers Needed to Plant 1,500 Trees In Celebration of Arbor Day 2010

 

 

Press Releases 2009

 

2009 News Releases
Nov. 30 Gragg Building Dedication News Release
Nov. 30 Gragg Building Dedication Media
Nov. 25 Memorial Park Living Bridge Dedication
Nov. 5 HPARD Move To Gragg
Oct. 7 Lake Houston Park October 2009 Events
Oct. 6 HBCU Career Day
Sep. 28 Lake Houston Wilderness Park Award
Sep. 21 Lady Bird Tribute Planting 2009
Sep. 18 Park To Park Walk Fourth Ward
Sep. 16 Eastwood Park Playground Groundbreaking
Jul. 24 Let's Play 2009
Jul. 20 Hershey Track and Field Finals
Jul. 17 Lake Houston Park August 2009 Events
Jul. 2 2009 Fourth of July Traffic at Hermann Park
Jul. 2 Hershey Track Field Finals
Jun. 23 Hot Summer, More Lifeguards
Jun. 17 Father Child Golf Tournament
Jun. 8 Hershey Track Field June
Jun. 5 NCCC Trail Day
May 26 Hershey Track Field
May 14 Grand Opening of Urban Forestry Headquarters
May 7 HPARD Pools To Open In Two Phases
Apr. 30 Humana Corporate Games
Apr. 20 Health and Information Fair
Apr. 3 Earth Day Houston
Apr. 3 Father Child Golf Tournament Offers Fun For a Good Cause
Apr. 1 2009 Summer Food Service Program
Apr. 1 2009 Summer Food Service Program (Espanol)
Mar. 31 2013 NRPA Congress and Expo
Mar. 20 Cloverland Park Community Center Renaming
Mar. 20 Hackberry Park Community Center
Mar. 09 Spring Traffic At Hermann Park 2009
Feb. 20 Bicycle Museum Media Alert
Jan. 29 Memorial Park Bridge Groundbreaking
Jan. 26 Johnson Park Renaming
Jan. 20 Lee & Joe Jamail Skatepark 10000th Member
Jan. 15 Lake Houston Jan-Feb2009 Events
Jan. 14 Arbor Day 2009
Jan. 12 First Annual Metal and Muscle Expo To Introduce Paralympic Sports to Injured Service Members

 

 

Press Releases 2007

 

2007 News Releases
Dec. 7 Unveiling of Martin Luther King, Jr. Statue
Nov. 16 Lake Houston Park December Events
Nov. 8 Grand Opening Lake Houston Park Nature Center Press Release
Oct. 22 Lady Bird Tribute Planting Press Release
Sep. 28 Celebrate Worldwide Day of Play! At HPARD Community Centers
Sep. 25 Haden Park Receives $394,000 In Improvements
Sep. 21 HPARD Expands Soccer Programming to Middle Schools
Sep. 13 $100,000 Trail to be Built at Metropolitan Multi-Service Center
Sep. 10 Lake Houston Park October Events
Aug. 17 New $5 Million Park to Open in Alief
Jul. 29 $5 Million Dollar Proposal Would Create New 22 Acre Park in Alief
Jul. 9 Emancipation Park Celebrates 135 Years of Freedom
Jun. 27 HPARD Summer Food Service Fills Lunch Gap for Thousands
Jun. 20 Great American Backyard Campout at Lake Houston Park
Jun. 6 New Mini-Train Plans Unveiled In $11 Million Hermann Park
Jun. 5 The First Tee of Houston at F.M. Law Park
Jun. 5 Outdoor Adventures and Nature Thrills At Lake Houston Park This July
May 25 Summer Swim Season Opens with a Splash in Houston Parks
May 24 Hermann Park Gearing Up to Receive 20,000 Plus People a Day During Holiday Weekend
May 18 Lake Houston Park Public Meetings Scheduled
May 17 FREE Meal Program Fills Gap for Students All Summer Long
May 16 June Events at Lake Houston Park
May 9 Gus Wortham Town Hall Meeting Media Alert
May 2 Young Entrepreneurs Enter the Business World on Lemonade Day
Apr. 27 HPARD Master Plan Meeting Districts A & B
Apr. 27 HPARD Master Plan Meetings Districts F & H
Apr. 25 HPARD Jr. & WNBA Player S.T.A.R.'s On and Off the Court
Apr. 25 Outdoor Adventures and Nature Thrills at Lake Houston Park
Apr. 19 HPARD Master Plan Meetings Districts C,D, & I
Apr. 17 HPARD to Host Master Plan Forums
Apr. 3 Rain Delay Forces Rescheduling of Spring II Softball Registration
Mar. 31 Media Alert - Moody Park Tile Mural to be Unveiled
Mar. 23 Media Alert - Soccer After School
Mar. 20 April Outdoor Adventures and Nature Thrills at Lake Houston Park
Mar. 8 Spring Break Traffic Will be Heavy in Hermann Park
Feb. 28 HPARD Summer Job Fair set for March 17
Feb. 27 Outdoor Adventures & Nature Thrills at Lake Houston Park in March
Feb. 22 West 11th Street Park Saved
Jan. 24 Celebrate Arbor Day 2007 on Will Clayton Parkway
Jan. 24 Lake Houston Events for the Month of February

 

Press Releases 2006

 

2006 News Releases
Dec. 13 Vale-Asche Playground the Playing Field for Children With Disabilities
Nov. 9 2,000 Volunteers Needed to Plant Urban Forest
Oct. 30 HPARD Invites Everyone to Get Aerobics During the Holidays
Oct. 27 Westcott Esplanades Receive a Forest Face Lift
Oct. 13 Spiders, Scorpions and Snakes Slither Series Seminar Scheduled
Oct. 3 HPARD Celebrates World Space Week by Honoring its Historic NASA Roots
Sep. 29 Upper Kirby Management District Provides Funding for the Completion
Sep. 20 HPARD Announces the First Peech Creek Peepers Bird Walk
Sep. 19 HPARD Joins Home Depot & Volunteer Houston to Reviltilize Edgewod Park
Sep. 7 NBA & Tyson Foods Visit Houston as Part of Es Tu Cancha
Sep. 6 NBA & Tyson Foods Host "Es tu Cancha" (It's Your Court)
Aug. 31 HPARD Expects Big Crowds at Hermann Park Labor Day Weekend
Aug. 25 City of Houston Acquires State Park
Aug. 2 HPARD and BARC Team Up to Educate Children
Jul. 17 Let's Play Carnival Set for Marian Park
Jun. 30 Road Closure to Be Factor for 4th of July at Hermann Park
Jun. 29 Houston Parks & Recreation Dept. Unveils Work of Young Artists
Jun. 23 Lyondell Chemical Company presents HPARD with New Bat
Jun. 13 Fifth Annual Father's Day Golf Tournament at Wildcat Golf Club
May 23 HPARD Kicks-off 2006 Summer Swim Season
May 23 City of Houston to Challenge Inactivity by Celebrating Challenge Day 2006
May 15 2006 Youth Sports Appreciation Day
May 15 Bunker Hill 5th Graders and Amegy Bank Raise $3,400
May 2 Dedication Scheduled for Refurbished Nellie Keyes Park
May 1 Hermann Park Water Playground Scheduled for Renovations
May 1 HPARD'S Project KidFit! Selected Among 2006 Nutrition & Physical Activity
Apr. 26 Fun-filled Summer
Apr. 1 First Annual "On The Trail Of Trash" Houston Cleanup Event
Mar. 22 2006 Senior's Summer Softball League
Mar. 20 HPARD To Host National Junior Wheelchair Basketball Tournament
Mar. 20 Houston Area Senior Olympics
Mar. 14 2006 Adult Summer Sand Volleyball League Registration
Feb. 28 Mayor Bill White Featured Speaker at Second Annual Health and Wellness
Feb. 28 HPARD Awarded $5,000 "Tennis in the Parks" Grant
Feb. 20 7th Annual "Cool Summer" Job Fair Hosted by HPARD
Feb. 15 Time for the Texas Round-Up
Jan. 17 Celebrate Arbor Day 2006
Jan. 12 5TH Annual Kids Health and Safety Fair