An effort to transform a tract of wetlands on the east end of Galveston Island into a world-class ecotourism park is one of several projects expected to make the city more attractive to tourists.
Other projects include a skateboard park with a distinctive feature that is expected to attract skateboarders nationally, a new beachside gymnasium, a new tourism information center and a rebuilt city golf course.
Each plan came about for its own set of reasons rather than as part of a master plan, but together they may give Houstonians and others a new set of reasons to spend a weekend on the island.
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In addition, the city broke ground last month for an 11,000-square-foot skateboard park in Menard Park at 27th Street and Seawall Boulevard that is expected to open in April. The park will have a one-of-a-kind feature, known as a cradle, that will allow skateboarders to perform a loop in which they would be upside down for a moment, said Rhonda Gregg, project manager for an engineering company and a skateboarding enthusiast.
The cradle is similar in shape to a tennis ball sliced in half and one of the halves placed on its side, said Micah Shapiro, lead designer for Grindline, the Seattle company that is building the park.
Shapiro said Grindline, whose only business is building skateboard parks, designed the Galveston cradle with a distinctive V-shape that flares to the outside.
"There is nothing like it in the world," Shapiro said.
He predicted that Houston skateboarders, along with skateboarders from the region and the nation, would be drawn to the park because of its exclusive design. The beachside location should make it a draw for combination skateboard and surfing contests and demonstrations, Gregg said.
Gregg, who says she is "over 40," helped convince the city to find money to help finance the skateboard park. The city is paying about $285,000 toward the $350,000 cost and the remainder is being paid through donations.
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Meanwhile, beachgoers will have access to the new $3.6 million McGuire-Dent Recreation Center in Menard Park at 27th Street and Seawall Boulevard that is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The center will have a full-service basketball court, two racquetball courts, a fitness center, locker room, showers, game rooms and a computer room.
"It's an open area for anyone to come in," said Assistant City Manager Lloyd Rinderer. "We don't really ask for residency requirements."
Not that I have a problem with Galveston taking steps to increase their tourism revenue. When you consider that tourism is the number one driver of their economy its makes sense. But what you don't hear coming out of Galveston Government are noises regarding infrastructure improvement, drainage, traffic flow ideas (especially along 61st street and a host of other, quality of life issues, that need to be addressed first.
A skateboard park is nice, but how about spending some money developing a local trolley system that will move tourists (and residents) from place to place on the island. Moody Gardens could probably do a lot better spending $14 Million on efforts to clean up the neighborhoods leading into Galveston then by refurbishing a golf course that's under-utilized. How about some refuse-abatement projects, grants to poor Galveston residents to encourage them to clean up their neighborhoods?
As a long-time Houstonian, I have to admit to an attraction for Galveston. I love heading down there during the Summer, I love walking along the seawall, and I enjoy strolling along the Strand. I go down there and buy seafood from the docks, I eat seafood at Mom and Pop restaurants, I head over to Boliver and fish etc. Galveston is easy to get to, and relatively inexpensive.
It'd be even better if traffic wasn't so bad, if I could hop a trolley and get from the Strand to the Seawall, and if some of the neighborhoods didn't look like they had been turned inside out and upside down recently. I'd take all of those fixes before I'd even consider any of the things mentioned here.
Unfortunately, that's local Government these days. Houston started the trend by spending foolishly on a Wi-Fi network that never got off the ground, looking to spend Millions for land to house a soccer team that few will follow, spending Millions to complete a downtown park that few will use and by backing a transit plan that was designed to spur development rather than move people from residential areas to work centers. Considering that Houston sets the local example, is it any wonder other municipalities are following suit?
