|
|
| |
|
Spring Break in Harris County
|
Spring break is here, which
means many students living in Harris County will be looking
for things to do. Now is a great time to rediscover your local
community. There are a lot of places to visit here in Harris
County that children and adults will find both entertaining
and educational.
|
|
Harris County is home to some
of the most beautiful parks in the nation. These parks provide
the opportunity to participate in recreational activities such
as fishing, skateboarding, hiking, biking, golfing, walking
along nature trails, viewing wild life habitats and much more.
|
Challenger
Seven Memorial Park in Precinct One has
activities for everyone in the family. Approximately
100 acres have been sanctioned by the Audubon
Society and designated a bird sanctuary.
Nature trails allow visitors to access the bird sanctuary
and other undeveloped areas of the park. The park
has three elevated observation platforms that are
connected to a boardwalk, allowing for viewing of
the wetlands along Clear Creek. It also has five
wetland education ponds with trails leading to them.
A fishing pond is available to the public for fishing
(you must have a fishing license). It is stocked
yearly with largemouth bass and catfish.
|
|
|
|
Gene
Green Park, located in Precinct Two,
is one of Harris County’s newest parks. The
park has a zip line for kids, two full-length basketball
courts, two tennis courts, a skate park, playground
equipment, a two mile walking and jogging trail
and a spray park that opens in April. Gene Green
Park also has a dog park, which is located on more
than four acres, is divided into two sections for
small (under 20 pounds) and large dogs, and includes
a small pond. Each fenced-in area has water fountains,
benches and a shaded canopy. The dog park also
has a trail running through each section made of
crushed granite and two wash bays located at the
front of the park.
|
|
Bear
Creek Pioneers Park in Precinct Three
is home to Bear Creek Golf World. Bear Creek Golf
World is located within the Addicks Reservoir and
has three eighteen hole golf courses and is considered
by many to be the premier public golf facility
in West Harris County. It has two practice putting
greens, a driving range, concession stands, and
much more. Bear Creek Pioneers Park also has a
wildlife habitat, which is comprised of a duck
and goose pond, an aviary, and exhibits for various
animals. The animals include birds of prey, peacocks,
bison, emus, potbellied pigs, white-tailed deer,
donkeys, sheep and goats.
|
|
|
Mercer
Arboretum and Botanic Gardens, located
in Precinct Four near Bush Intercontinental Airport,
is a nationally recognized arboretum and botanic
garden on more than three hundred acres of East
Texas Piney Woods. Mercer’s many different
sections showcase the region’s largest collection
of native
and
cultivated plants.
|
 |
The
Woodland Pond and Bridge section has ponds, creeks
and bogs that provide wetland habitats for endangered
native plants. It also has a replica of a beaver dam,
which illustrates how beavers help create these habitats.
The Prehistoric Garden allows visitors to trace the
path of plant evolution from mosses to magnolias and
has fossils and animal tracks to complete the primeval
setting. Mercer also has an extensive trail system,
a beautiful lake, a water wall, playground equipment,
picnic tables and grills. There are many wonderful photo opportunities for photo
enthusiasts.
|
|
These are just a few of the
many parks located throughout Harris County. Each park offers
a unique experience. Please visit the Harris County Web site
at www.hctx.net to
access each Commissioner’s Web page for a list of the
parks and amenities in each precinct. |
|
|
|
|
|
Spend
Some Time at the Library
|
There
are twenty-six branches of the Harris
County library system with an annual circulation of over 10 million
items. Besides being a year-round treasure trove for
literature of all kinds, the library system maintains
a collection of over two million items that includes
videos, CDs and DVDs, and it offers access to the World
Wide Web, eBooks, and online databases. |
|
 |
County
branch libraries are also meeting places for
weekly events like story time. There’s
bilingual story time, story time for babies,
for toddlers, for pre-schoolers, even family
story time. There are kids craft Saturdays, printmaking
and science activities, intergenerational“knowledge
exchanges” for ages 5-99+, seasonal crafts
and movies, even free tax assistance.
A sampling of Spring Break activities is listed below. Activities vary from
location to location, so check
events and programs for what’s happening
at the branch nearest you.
|
|
|
Tuesday,
March 16th
Maud Marks
Branch Library – 2:00 PM – Teen Game Time
Parker Williams Branch Library – 2:00 PM – Teen
Game Time
High Meadows Branch Library – 3:30 PM – Traveling
Naturalist & Animals
Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library – 4:30
PM – St. Patty’s Day Teen Movie
Aldine Branch Library – 4:30 PM – Tween Mixer
|
 |
|
|
Wednesday,
March 17th
Spring
Branch Memorial Branch Library – 2:30 PM – Houston
Grand Opera’s Opera to Go performs Cinderella
in Spain.
Parker Williams Branch Library – 3:00 PM – Children’s
Wii Time
Tomball College Library – 3:00 PM – Children’s
Chess Club
North Channel Branch Library – 3:00 PM – Teen
Wii Time
|
|
Thursday,
March 18th
Aldine Branch Library – 3:00 PM – Art Car Parade
Bookcart for Teens
Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library – 4:00 PM – Teens & Tweens
Game Time
Jacinto City Branch Library – 4:30 PM – Teen
Tech Class: Going Green
Tomball College Library – 7:00 PM – Teen Movie & Internet
Surfing Night
|
 |
|
|
Friday, March 19th
Tomball College Library – 3:00 PM – Houston Grand Opera’s Opera
to Go performs Cinderella in Spain.
Katherine Tyra @ Bear Creek Branch Library – 4:00 PM – Teen Time |
|
The
Kingwood Branch Library closed its current location
on March 13. It will re-open at the new location, 4400
Bens View Lane, on April 19th at 10 AM.
Join in celebrating the Grand Opening beginning with
the official opening and continuing until 9 PM. Click
here for more information regarding this
big event in Kingwood Library’s life – and
what to do about return items, pick-up items, and inter-library
loans. Call 281-360-6804 if you have any questions.
|
|
|
|
|
Milestone
Celebration Planned for 10th Annual
After-School Partnership Fair on April 1 at HCDE
|
|
|
|
 |
Annual After-School Partnership Fair on April
1, from 9 AM – 2 PM at the Harris County
Department of Education headquarters, 6300 Irvington
Boulevard, in northeast Houston.
The event links schools and organizations with educational
program vendors and grant opportunities totaling
more than $2 million for after-school programs.
Commemorating 10 years of after-school education
in greater Harris County, the event is free and includes
the
|
vendor
fair and informational grant opportunity workshops,
along with refreshments, drawings, and demonstrations
by after-school vendors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
2010 Annual Historic Preservation Conference
in Houston/Harris County |
|
The
conference, hosted by the Texas Historical Commission
in association with Preservation
Texas, will be held at |
 |
the
Westin Oaks Houston Hotel, 5011 Westheimer, on
April 22-24. Sessions focusing on themes of resource
fundamentals, resource development, preservation
advocacy and public engagement will provide valuable
information for preservationists in any community,
large or small. Enjoy the opening session "King
of the Road Trip" with special guest and
award-winning speaker Michael Wallis, author,
storyteller and self-proclaimed "Son of
Route 66."
Pre-conference tours on Thursday, hosted by local
preservation partners, will highlight Houston’s
Art Deco and mid-century architecture. Saturday’s
post-conference tours will take you to the annual
San Jacinto battle reenactment or the Clayton Library
for Genealogical Research.
On Thursday, workshops will be provided for county
historical commissions and city preservation commissions.
This year, a Section 106 Workshop for Professionals
also will be offered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
