a new heights green space

New tree-lined Heights-area park opens along White Oak Bayou

Heights-area Bayou Greenways Park is now open.

Photo by Anthony Rathbun

Hikers and bikers and Heights locals, rejoice. A new green space, dubbed Bayou Greenways Park, is welcoming trekkers at the intersection of White Oak Bayou and the Heights Hike and Bike Trail.

Named for the Houston Park Board’s Bayou Greenways initiative, this new space park is the celebration of a century-old vision for Houston’s bayous and parks to serve as the backbone of Houston’s park system, a press release notes.

Bayou Greenways Park park is framed by woodland on the southwest and framed by a line of sycamore trees along the northeast. A broad grass knoll rises to more than 50 feet above the nearby White Oak Bayou channel.

Visitors can enjoy scenic views of the Houston skyline and the surrounding landscape.

Additional features of the park, per a release, include:

A bridge pathway lined with historic Houston bricks and a metalwork railing
A main plaza featuring a map of Bayou Greenways with sandblasted design of Houston’s bayous and associated landmarks
Views of White Oak Bayou from an overlook and shaded boardwalk area
An open lawn with magnificent views of Downtown Houston
Poetry panels along the lawn perimeter and a poetry wall at the main plaza
Gateways with custom Bayou Greenways Park education and wayfinding signage
Recognition of Bayou Greenways 2020 donors throughout the site, from panels at the gabion bridge and overlook railings to metal inscribed medallions on the gabion bridge
Trail connections to the White Oak Bayou Greenway and Heights Hike and Bike Trail
Seating areas with custom benches and brick-clad seating walls
Bicycle racks
Native tree, wildflower, and bioswale plantings
Trailhead and parking lot located at 1648 Studemont St. on land owned by TxDOT

To date, there are 122 miles of greenway trails being used by the public, with more than 3,200 acres of new greenways and parkland as the Bayou Greenways 2020 project continues, per the city.

“We were inspired by the plan to create greenways and parks in areas of Houston that have little or no access to parks,” Rich Kinder, chairman of the Kinder Foundation, noted in a statement. “It is really meaningful to know that our investment in this project is being used to make sure that greenways and parks will be created along Halls, Hunting, Upper Greens and Sims bayous along with other major bayous.”

Kinder’s 2013 forward gift of $50 million was the single largest park donation in Houston’s history.

parks

a new record

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo commits over $30 million to education

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cattle exhibition

Courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The money supports studies in fields such as animal husbandry.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo continues its annual tradition of breaking its own record when it comes to educational endowments. On Giving Tuesday, the organization pledged to disburse $30,353,380 in 2026 in the form of scholarships, grants, and other funding.

“This milestone moment of reaching $30 million in a single year highlights the Rodeo’s unwavering dedication to Texas youth and education,” HLSR president and CEO Chris Boleman said in a statement. “Thanks to our loyal donors, sponsors, more than 36,000 volunteers and dedicated attendees, 2026 will reach historic heights in supporting the next generation of leaders, agricultural professionals and organizations that share the Rodeo’s mission.”

This brings the total of education funding provided by the Rodeo since 1932 up to $660 million. Last year's $28 million commitment also set a new record.

One innovation this year is the establishment of the Area Go Texan Vocational Scholarship, a program that expands on the relationship with 68 Texas counties through the Area Go Texan affiliate program. One student from each county will receive $6,000 toward a degree or certificate in a vocational field at a Texas nonprofit college or university. Another $500,000 in vocational scholarships will awarded to 10 schools in 2026. Guidelines for applying can be found at this link.

In total, the Rodeo will hand out $15,126,000 in scholarships, $11,273,500 to junior exhibitors, $3,430,880 in grants, and $523,000 in graduate assistantships. Grants will be awarded to 82 Texas institutions and organizations, such as Arts for Rural Texas, BridgeYear, The Bryan Museum, Diversity in the Arts and Entertainment, Greater Houston Partnership Foundation, Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Space Center Houston, Texas State University Development Foundation, and University of St. Thomas at Houston.

Money for the annual endowment is raised through the annual auctions, sales of livestock and art, and through charitable donations. The goal of the endowment program is to promote study and research in agriculture, animal husbandry, and other fields that directly benefit the Rodeo.

The Rodeo is scheduled to run from March 2 – 22, 2026. More information on performers, attractions, and vendors can be found at RodeoHouston.com. Scholarship applications are open through February 2, with funds being awarded in summer 2026.

rodeohouston houston livestock show and rodeo