PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY

The neighborhood of Greater Inwood lies in northwest Houston along the White Oak Bayou, just north of its confluence with Vogel Creek. The Inwood Golf Course, which is part of the neighborhood, was purchased by the City of Houston to build new storm water detention basins in partnership with the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD).

HCFCD received a federal grant funds to develop detention basins at Inwood for flood control purposes only. To supplement this project, Houston Parks Board, along with Asakura Robinson, a landscape design firm, was tasked by the City of Houston to incorporate a recreational component.

Initial funding for the study to include a recreational component was supported by a grant from Rebuild Texas, and the preliminary planning study can be found here.

Houston Parks Board and its partners, along with input from the community, created a plan that proposes trails, recreation, and landscaping components that complement the detention basins. This approach will bring multiple beneficial uses to flood control infrastructure.

To view the Inwood Forest Stormwater Detention project webpage on HCFCD’s website, which also contains previous community meetings, click here.

INWOOD RECREATION PHASE ONE

The City of Houston, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), Harris County Precinct One, and Houston Parks Board are excited that funding is in place for the first phase of the Inwood Forest Recreation Plan. This Phase will create a 1-mile greenway with recreation elements and amenities along Vogel Creek. Phase one elements were chosen because they can be accomplished simultaneously with the detention project. Other elements from the plan are dependent on the detention project completion before they can be implemented.

OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS

Inwood Recreation Phase One involves community outreach to enable the project design to best respond to community needs. Community engagement for the Vogel Creek Greenway project is supported by Be Well™ Acres Homes.

Be Well Acres Homes is an initiative of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in collaboration with Harris Health System, Memorial Hermann Community Benefit Corporation, UTHealth School of Public Health, and more than 30 community organizations united with residents of Acres Homes.

The goal is to develop a strategy for developing park stewards around a new park or trail project equitably and inclusively. The initiative aims to improve long-term usage of the Vogel Creek Greenway so nearby residents can reap the physical and mental health benefits of regular, outdoor physical activity.

Community engagement activities will be announced as they are finalized. The core of the outreach and engagement plan is a series of three community meetings:

August 24, 2021 – Complete

November 17, 2021 – Complete

February 23, 2022 – Complete

PREVIOUS COMMUNITY MEETINGS

On Tuesday, August 24, 2021, a virtual community meeting was held to brief the community on this project and take their feedback. Community input enables the project design team to best respond to community needs.

• To view a recording of the meeting in English, click here.
• To view a recording of the meeting in Spanish, click here.
• To see a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation, click here.
• To view the community meeting summary, click here.
• To see a PDF of the community meeting summary, click here.

On Wednesday, November 17, 2021 a second virtual community meeting was held to update the community on this project with the goal of further refining the proposed trail and corresponding amenities.

• To view a recording of the meeting in English, click here.
• To view a recording of the meeting in Spanish, click here.
• To see a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation, click here.
• To see a PDF of the community meeting summary, click here.

On Thursday, February 23, 2022, a third and final virtual community meeting was held to share the updated design with community members and scope of work for the greenway, including amenities and adjacent parklets.

• To view a recording of the meeting in English, click here.
• To view a recording of the meeting in Spanish, click here.
• To see a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation, click here.
• To see a PDF of the community meeting summary, check back here soon.

Vogel Creek Greenway Update

Updated 8/1/22

Over the course of a year, Houston Parks Board gathered community input and ideas through a variety of avenues, including the community meetings listed above, surveys and in-person engagement activities.

Primary comments on the design from residents and meeting attendees focused on the safety and security of the greenway. In response to those concerns, HPB has developed a helpful fact sheet that can be viewed, downloaded, and shared here to help answer questions about these important topics.

The design of the greenway has been finalized and is now in permitting with Harris County Flood Control District and the City of Houston. Construction is estimated to begin ate fall 2022 with an estimated completion of fall 2023. 

The final design can be viewed on our Social Pinpoint platform here. 

An informational packet highlighting HPB’s approach to creating safe, community-centered trails, titled Community Voices: Neighborhood Safety and Trails was created in conjunction with this project, and features experiences of other neighborhoods with adjacent trails. That packet can be viewed here. Residents who live along the planned greenway and its parklets received this document via email and mail. 

If you would like a printed copy of Community Voices: Neighborhood Safety and Trails, email info@houstonparksboard.org to request one.