Way back in 1925, the famed Hogg family turned over the 1,500 acres that today comprise Memorial Park to the city of Houston for a nominal fee under condition that the space would remain parkland. Recently, the Memorial Park Conservancy celebrated the nine decades since with a dinner evening honoring developer Ed Wulfe and raising $400,000 for park projects.
Anna Thomsen Holliday chaired the evening held at a private club on the edge of the park devastated by the drought of 2011. Wulfe was honored for his role in facilitating the Uptown TIRZ boundary’s expansion to include Memorial Park, thereby providing financial support for the park’s master plan.
Special guest was Thomas Woltz, principal of Nelson Byrd Woltz, who jetted in from New York for the occasion. Woltz, who has been hailed as one of the rising stars in landscape architecture, has been selected to develop the long-range master plan for Memorial Park.
Receiving special honors on this evening was Boy Scout Troop 354, recognized with the 2014 Ima Hogg Service Award.
The green-minded crowd included Mayor Annise Parker, Mindy and Jeff Hildebrand, Lorraine Wulfe, Anita and Welcome Wilson Jr., Connie and Roger Plank, Camille and Grier Patton, Elaine and Marvy Finger and City Councilmembers Stephen Costello, Ellen Cohen and David Robinson.
As guests headed home, they were given samples of those yummy River Oaks Donuts, compliments of the Hildrebrands, who own the shop. (Mindy is vice chair of the conservancy board.)
Rick and Marcie Craig at the Memorial Park Conservancy dinner.
