The future of Baytown

An open letter to our city's leadership:  I know everyone is seeing the scorched-earth dirt work that is going on all around Houston and Baytown.  Its almost as if there is a vendetta against anything green.  God help us if we don't start an aggressive program to replant. The greenhouse gas alone will continue to spike upward and then there is the very serious loss of habitat for wildlife to consider.

Baytown has always been a blue-collar town and I like it that way, but the truth is we have to start looking at more than people and industry growth, or the people earning very good livings off of our industry will live elsewhere and our collective health will decline.  We must push, push, push the expansion of parks and hiking/biking trails and businesses must be encouraged to replant trees and more trees, specifically native varieties tuned for the Gulf Coast.  I am going to retire here, most likely next year with no plans to go to "greener" pastures and I'm watching with enthusiasm for Baytown's future under you folk's direction.  Please don't let me and my neighbors down.

4 lane road through a natural area.

For years people called this Honda Hills.

Honda Hills defoliation to add Baker Road extension

Clear out everything above ground to put this underground.

I suggest we use this mowed containment area below the Fred Hartman Bridge

The current construction on Cedar Bayou replacing natural habitat.

Barkuloo Road closure to tie in the new Baker Road.

SH-146 & Hwy 99

SH-146 & Hwy 99

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Barkuloo road and Baker road intersection 7-28-13

Barkuloo road and Baker road intersection 7-28-13

Barkuloo road and Baker road intersection 7-28-13

Jenkins Park Disc Golf Course is Amazing!

I've watched with interest as our Parks department headed by Scott Johnson has steadily improved our many parks and with the newest addition of a DGC, or Disc Golf Course, we are competing with the many fine courses in the Houston area, and according to one player yesterday, this course will be a showcase.
July 4th morning, my Bride and I observed close to thirty players on the 18 hole course, all carrying the shoulder bags of discs, or small Frisbee-like saucers they throw.  The closest course to Baytown is over 15 miles away, so get used to the idea of people coming to Baytown to play this popular sport.

One player wrote a review on the course:  "Beautiful park space. Latest/greatest DISCatcherPro model baskets with just about all the chains you could want. Ample sized concrete tees (see Cons). Plenty of parking and the course loops back to the parking lot between holes 9 & 10 so you can restock if necessary. The elevated baskets on holes #9 and #18 are very well done and add a nice element to the course. The first half of the course is more technical requiring reasonably accurate shots to card birdies for INT/ADV players. The second half of the course opens up a lot and is more forgiving of errant drives but #10, #13, #14, and #17 really let you try to crush some drives. While the first half wouldn't be considered "woodsy" by most standards, I do like the balance of shorter shot-making holes and longer bomber holes."

 

Disc golf is a flying disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." The number of disc golf courses doubled in the 8 years from 2000 to 2008. The game is played in about 40 countries around the world.

More information about this exciting sport is available here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_golf

One thing is sure and that is Scott Johnson and park planners got it right again!
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Baker Road Extension update

Facing east behind Chaparral Village

Facing east behind Chaparral Village

Facing south behind Chaparral Village

Facing west behind Chaparral Village

Facing west behind Chaparral Village

Facing west behind Chaparral Village toward Barkuloo

Facing west behind Chaparral Village toward Barkuloo

Facing west behind Chaparral Village toward Barkuloo

Rumor is the pond may become part of the dog park which will have a dry side and a wet side for water dog.  The area is also rumored to become a spotlight area of Baytown's parks.  There may also be a practice ball field of some sort.  The city has promised to plant many trees here and maybe we will get bald cypress and native varieties only.

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Geocaching Picketts Bayou Texas 2013

Geocaching by Kayak - Horsepen Bayou CLAPS 2013

An open letter to the Mayor of Baytown

Mr. Mayor, after hurricane Ike, I drove over by the tax office on Baker road to get  MRE's and ice.

Mayor Steve Don Carlos of Baytown, Texas

Some government agency was there at early, along with some constables when I arrived. Nothing was being dispensed and there was a long line of cars waiting.  They would not give anything until 10am and I watched all the workers in nice new blue uniforms standing around the trailers talking. 

Their van had a flat tire and I watched six of them try to change the tire without success.  Around 0900 something, I left, totally disgusted after a cop demanded I get back in my car.  I just wanted to ask questions.

Promise us Baytonians, if something like this happens in Baytown again, you will jump down the throat of these people to get your citizens aide.

Please.

Baker Road Extension 5-17-13 - Baytown Texas

Barkuloo Road looking west

Barkuloo Road looking East

The beginning of the extension, looking East at N. Main and West Baker

The beginning of the extension, looking East at N. Main and West Baker

From behind Crockett Park at Harris County drainage ditch looking West

From behind Crockett Park at Harris County drainage ditch looking East

From behind Crockett Park at Harris County drainage ditch looking East

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Baker Road Extension 5-15-13 Detention Pond - Baytown Texas

Old lake in foreground which will be pumped and dredged.

 

Directly behind Chaparral Village.

The silver lining?

Baker Road Extension 5-5-13 Detention Pond - Baytown Texas

Expansion around Baytown April 2013

Detention Pond behind Chaparral Village subdivision 4-30-13

West side of Barkuloo Road - Baker Road expansion

N. Main and Baker Road 4-25-13

San Jacinto Methodist Hospital on Decker Drive 4-25-13

West side of Barkuloo Road - Baker Road expansion

East side of Barkuloo Road - Baker Road expansion

East side of Barkuloo Road - Baker Road expansion

New barge terminal going in across from Roseland Park in Baytown - Cedar Bayou

Old building made into a new building on N. Main close to Texas Avenue

Nurture Nature Bike tour April 6 in Baytown!

Looking for a unique way to spend Saturday morning on a spring day? Look no further than the Baytown Nature Center this Saturday, April 6, when the monthly Nurture Nature Series presents a bike tour with naturalist, Crissy Butcher and Superintendent of Natural Resource Programs, Tracey Prothro.

“Biking Around Baytown Nature Center” gives participants the opportunity to hit the trails in the interior of the park to discover some of Mother Nature’s spring wonders. The morning adventure begins at 10 am at San Jacinto Point near the Children’s Nature Discovery Area with a short talk on bicycle safety, before heading out for the two-wheel excursion. All ages and levels of experience are welcome. Parts of the ride will be along nature center trails so a trail/mountain bike would be helpful. The flat route assures a low level of difficulty; however all participants are asked to wear helmets. At the end of the morning, each participant will receive a bike light.

The Nurture Nature Series is the first Saturday of each month from 10 am –noon. The program is free with the $3 regular nature center admission for adults and children 13 and older.

For additional information, contact: MaryAlice.Trumble@baytown.org or call 281-420-7128.