Bay Area Edition | January 2025

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Bay Area Edition VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6 JAN. 22FEB. 20, 2025

2025 Health & Wellness Edition

Staying active

K W

HOMETOWN HEROES PARK

A woman pushes a stroller with a baby in it at Hometown Heroes Park. To keep up with a growing and active community, League City has plans to upgrade key parks in 2025.

COURTESY LEAGUE CITY

League City surveys show residents want more parks, local programming

believes there’s a shortage of indoor sport facilities and challenges with registering for youth programs for her ve children. “The city needs more park space for indoor sports,” she said. “Outside space seems to be ne.”

Recent surveys from residents show an increasing desire for more parks and green spaces in town. For resident Heather Llanes, she said she frequents parks, including League Park on Main Street, and loves attending community events at parks, such as Sunset Bazaar on 2nd. However, she

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Several parks and trails in League City could be receiving a makeover in 2025 as the city looks to include more services and programs to keep up with what ocials believe is a growing and active community.

CONTINUED ON 20

Also in this issue

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Transportation: Read about projects along FM 646 starting in 2025 (Page 14)

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Impacts

• 2508 Gulf Freeway S., Ste. 102, League City • Facebook: HB Mexican kitchen

KEMAH WATERFRONT

ARMAND BAYOU NATURE CENTER

5 Kiwi Tires 3 The business services lifts, wheels and tires, as well as financing options. It is now accepting appointments. • Opened Jan. 2 • 18004 Hwy. 3, Webster • Facebook Kiwi Tires 3, Webster

KEMAH BOARDWALK MARINA

Seabrook

146

2351

CLEAR LAKE

GALVESTON BAY

Coming soon

BAYBROOK MALL RD.

GREEN WING ST.

Nassau Bay

6 Frutta Bowls The cafe offers healthy food options, such as fruit bowls and smoothies filled with acai, pitaya and kale. It also sells gluten-free, rustic Italian toast with toppings including avocado, egg and red pepper. • Opening TBD • 2700 Marina Bay Drive, Ste. P, League City • www.fruttabowls.com 7 Rotolo’s Craft & Crust The pizza chain will serve a number of different toppings, such as bacon, vegetables and pesto, among many others. It will also offer appetizers such as meatballs. • Opening TBD • 4550 W. League City Parkway, Ste. 100, League City • www.rotolos.com 8 Whiskey River South The dance hall will offer tacos, quesadillas and nachos, as well as complimentary dance lessons. This will be the third location to open in the Greater Houston area, with the other two being located in Richmond and Houston. • Opening summer 2025 • 1030 W. NASA Parkway, Webster • www.whiskeyrivertexas.com

518

528

Webster

W. NASA PKWY.

146

SOUTH SHORE BLVD.

646

W. WALKER ST.

League City

517

• Opened Nov. 27 • 6011 W. Main St., Ste. A103, League City • www.postnet.com

Now open

1 Dayba Creations The sweets shop sells freeze-dried candies, chamoy candies, chocolate covered pretzels, mini charcuterie boxes, cookies, cheesecake shooters and other gifts including purses, clothes and accessories. • Opened Sept. 11 • 139 Gulf Freeway S., League City • www.daybacreations.com 2 PostNet The business specializes in helping enhance brands, as well as office services such as shipping, packing, printing, design, notary services and marketing materials.

3 7 Brew The shop’s menu boasts espresso drinks, shakes, smoothies, teas, sparkling waters and energy drinks. • Opened Jan. 6 • 236 El Dorado Blvd., Webster • 7brew.com 4 HB Mexican Kitchen The restaurant serves different varieties of nachos, soups, queso, chicken and beef dishes, and fajitas, as well as traditional plates from Mexico. • Opened Jan. 1

Relocations

9 Rasa Yoga School of Ayurveda Yoga The business relocated to a new studio in early December. It offers yoga education, personal and

6640 South Shore Blvd., Suite 100 League City, TX 77573 713.852.6700 TexasBayCU.org

NMLS #280545 * Restrictions apply

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

• 381 Green Wing St., Webster • www.onelifehouston.com

group classes, workshops and seminars for yoga and Ayurveda—a traditional Hindu system of medicine based

Now open

on the idea of balance in bodily systems. • 2450 E. NASA Parkway, Ste. 135, Houston • www.rasayogaschool.org

14 Standing Ovation Theatre The Clear Lake area-based theater announced its 2025 shows in late December, which marks the premiere season for the theater. The first show will run from Jan. 24 to Feb. 2.

10 Kendra Scott The jewelry brand opened a relocated spot at Baybrook Mall on Dec. 13. The store showcases the brand’s unique Kendra Scott Color Bar, offering shoppers an interactive experience to create customized jewelry in minutes. • Opened Dec. 13 • 700 Baybrook Mall Road, Ste. C100A • www.kendrascott.com

• 17380 El Camino Real, Houston • www.standingovationtheatre.org

15 Snap Fitness The business was named the 2024 Seabrook Business of the Year, which is presented by the Seabrook Economic Development Corporation. The gym is a 24/7 private gym offering equipment, personal training and nutrition support, among other services. It has been open for 16 years. • 2900 NASA Parkway, Ste. 430, Seabrook • www.snapfitness.com 16 Sunset Bazaar on 2nd The local pop-up market featuring more than 60 local vendors, artists, makers, bakers, authors, inventors, food trucks and performances returns to League Park on Feb. 8. The market is open on the second Saturday of every month. • 512 Second St., League City • Facebook: Sunset Bazaar on 2nd 17 League City residency program Artists interested in participating in League City’s new residency program have until Feb. 14 to submit applications. The residency will last nine months and offer artists free studio space at Heritage Park in return for hosting workshops, classes, open houses and gallery events. Up to three artists will be selected. Those interested can apply on League City’s website. • 1120 Coryell St., League City • www.leaguecitytx.gov

In the news

in December and closed up shop shortly after. The business sold bags totes, purses, clothing, candles and fragrances, and jewelry, among other items. • Closed Dec. 30 • 501 E. Main St., Ste. 1, League City • Facebook: GingerSnaps 20 The Flying Dutchman Restaurant & Oyster Bar After nearly 50 years in business, the restaurant closed shop at the end of the year in Kemah. A famous staple at Kemah Boardwalk, the restaurant was known for its seafood-based dishes. • Closed Dec. 31 • 9 Kemah Waterfront, Kemah • www.landrysinc.com 19 Cherry Moon Coffee & Bakery The coffee shop serves hot, cold and frappe Central American coffee drinks, tea and smoothies. It also features a bakery that serves fresh pastries made in-house, including a feta spinach bun, pistachio croissant, milk pie and assorted cakes. • Opened Dec. 1 • 2920 W. Bay Area Blvd., Ste. A, Webster • cherrymooncoffeeandbakery.square.site

11 League City public art gallery League City is hosting a new public art gallery, titled, “Small Works by Great Minds.” The gallery is in the lobby of the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, and will consist of 80 different pieces of artwork from local professional and amateur artists. The gallery will run from Jan. 17 through the end of March. • 400 W. Walker St., League City • www.leaguecitytx.gov 12 Topgolf The facility is getting a $4 million “refresh,” according to Oct. 2 filings from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. It will include renovating and altering the interior and exterior across 64,000 square feet of space. The business is an entertainment venue where customers can hit golf balls out of bays. Renovations will begin in February and run through March.

• 21401 Gulf Freeway, Webster • www.topgolf.com/us/webster

13 OneLife Church The project, for nearly $300,000, is a remodel covering more than 11,000 square feet of space that will see a partial demolition and expansion of the sanctuary at the church, as well as classrooms and a storage room, according to Nov. 25 filings from TDLR. The project is expected to wrap up by the end of 2025.

Closings

18 GingerSnaps The League City boutique held a retirement sale

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Government

Stella Energy Solutions receives operating permit Stella Energy Solutions received a special-use permit to operate a battery storage facility in League City near Caroline Street and FM 646. What happened 646

Trail project will not move forward League City’s Heritage Signature Trail project will not move forward following a split City Council vote on Dec. 17 due to what members called resident opposition. The gist The trail would have connected a few city parks. Officials did not specify if a modified project might come back for a vote.

3436

League City City Council on Dec. 17 voted 5-3 to grant Stella Energy a special-use permit to operate a battery energy storage station, or BESS, and rezone 1.7 acres from general commercial to public/semipublic where the facility will be built. What else? In July, City Council adopted an ordinance lay- ing out standards for future BESS facilities. A BESS is a facility of batteries that stores energy and sells it back to the grid when more power is needed to meet demand, Community Impact previously reported. The area needed to be rezoned in order for the facility’s construction to move forward because general commercial zoning does not allow for

BESS facilities to be built there, city staff said. Officials with Stella said Jan. 10 they expect construction to begin toward the end of January. The facility should be ready after about three or four months pending approvals from the city. Remember this? Following the ordinance’s approval in July, League City City Council also approved a BESS for Peregrine Energy in September, Community Impact previously reported.

Proposed trail

Existing trail

CORYELL ST.

RAILROAD AVE.

SOURCE: LEAGUE CITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

BY RACHEL LELAND & EMILY LINCKE

$4M invested in abuse reduction efforts On Dec. 10, Harris County Commissioners Court approved a $4 million plan to aid domestic violence survivors. The overview Harris County has a 75% turn-away rate for peo- ple looking for help when trying to escape domestic violence, Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said during a Dec. 10 press conference. The county has also had the highest numbers for intimate partner violence in the state since 2022, according to a Dec. 10 news release from Briones’ office. The Houston Area Women’s Center will receive the initial $1 million investment, according to the Dec. 10 news release. The center will collaborate with the University of Houston Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality, and the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council for the project.

1st Harris County AAPI commission created A new Harris County commission—which was created during the Dec. 10 Commission- ers Court meeting—will target topics such as health and safety for Asian American and Pacific Islander residents throughout the county. The big picture The population of Asian Harris County residents grew 53% across the Houston metro area from 2010 to 2020, according to Dec. 10 Harris County Commissioners Court meeting documents. According to the meeting documents, the new commission will: • Advise Commissioners Court • Work with organizations and residents • Focus on advancing policies

75% of people seeking help when experiencing domestic violence are turned away in Harris County. A 10% decrease in the turn-away rate is Harris County’s goal with the new plan.

75%

10%

$1M

$4M

is being invested to aid domestic violence survivors in Harris County.

will be initially given to The Houston Area Women’s Center.

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

According to Dec. 10 meeting documents, the county’s domestic violence plan will: • Aim to decrease shelter turn-away rates by 10% • Add texting and social media options • Allow for additional training for providers • Encourage increased collaboration • Be contracted Dec. 10, 2024-Dec. 9, 2025 with three options for one-year renewals

Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

New report shows CCISD enrollment to continue declining

Enrollment at Clear Creek ISD has declined by over 1% since the 2023-24 school year, and the trend is expected to continue, according to a report from demographic firm Zonda Education. Despite the decline, officials expect more res- idential growth within the district’s boundaries in the coming years. However, officials said data suggests that growth won’t reverse the district’s declining student population. The overview CCISD currently has around 39,700 students enrolled. Enrollment forecasts project that figure will decline by nearly 3,900 students by 2034, according to Zonda. CCISD has 27 actively building subdivisions, and 21 future subdivisions in various stages of planning, most of which are on the southwest side of the district near Campbell Elementary and Gilmore Elementary, according to Zonda.

Clear Creek ISD's 10-year enrollment forecast

45,000

Projected enrollment

Enrollment

40,000

40,737 40,827

39,693

38,840

35,000

37,779

37,054

36,396 35,839

2026-27

2028-29 2030-31

2032-33

2034-35

2020-21

2022-23

2024-25

SOURCE: ZONDA EDUCATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Meanwhile, other parts of the district that are built out are owned by families that are often older and no longer have children attending the district, Polsen said. Those families, in many instances, are staying put. “We span 110 square miles, so some of those neighborhoods in the areas that are not growing, those are just areas that are aging and there’s just not a lot of new younger families in those neighborhoods,” Polsen said.

Diving in deeper While the number of homes within the district is increasing, officials don’t believe it will trans- late to more students attending CCISD. The reason for this is in part because younger families with children are not the ones buying those homes, CCISD’s Executive Director of Communications Elaina Polsen said. The rising cost point of homes in the area are in many cases not something younger families can afford.

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Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

CCISD to vote on open enrollment program Clear Creek ISD’s board opted in December to postpone a vote that could loosen its open enroll- ment policy to allow more families to apply. The new vote will take place in February. What’s happening? The district is considering broadening its open enrollment policy to allow any family interested in attending CCISD to apply, with acceptance depending on superintendent approval. The super- intendent would consider the student’s academic, attendance and disciplinary history, ocials said. Currently, the policy requires guardians of students to live within 10 miles of the district’s boundaries and be a peace ocer, military member or federal employee, documents show. Students who are children of CCISD employees or who have grandparents within the district are eligible as well. The potential change would remove this criteria.

202526 academic calendar approved Most Clear Creek ISD students will start school Aug. 13 after the board of trustees approved the 2025-26 academic calendar at its Dec. 16 meeting. What you need to know Students in pre-K, kindergarten, sixth and ninth grade will begin school on Aug. 12, according to district documents. The new calendar also features a fall break for everyone in the district, ocials said. Notable dates include: • First day of school: Aug. 12-13 • Fall break: Oct. 10-13 • Thanksgiving break: Nov. 24-28 • Winter break: Dec. 22-Jan. 2

“Doing nothing is not really a realistic option here. ... Every year that we wait, we are starting farther and farther behind to come up with a solution. ... Declining enrollment is going to become a self-fullling prophecy if we don’t stop it.” For

SCOTT BOWEN, CCISD TRUSTEE

“I think we can do better. We need to really have that answer as to why before we just Against

pass a policy, put it all on the superintendent’s shoulders and her sta to gure it out.” JONATHAN COTTRELL, CCISD TRUSTEE

• Spring break: March 9-13 • Last day of school: May 21

CCISD OKs $4.55M for facility, construction projects

Breaking down CCISD's project costs

no longer reliable without continual repair with costly replacement parts,” district documents note. The central plant replacement request stems from the age of equipment and a need for constant repairs, CCISD’s Facility Services Director Alex Aragon said at the meeting. The video board will be completed by April, while the central plant replacements will be completed by July, district documents noted.

Clear Creek ISD ocials will replace the video board at Challenger Columbia Stadium and central plants for heating and cooling at Clear Creek High School after the board of trustees approved the projects at its Dec. 14 meeting. The overview The current video board at Challenger Columbia Stadium is “nearing the end of its lifecycle and is

Challenger Columbia Stadium's video board

26.37%

replacement: $1,200,000

$4.55M Total

Clear Creek High School central plant replacements: $3,358,000

73.8%

SOURCE: CLEAR CREEK ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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Real estate

More homes were sold in the Bay Area in December 2024 compared to the same month in 2023. Median housing prices declined in four ZIP codes. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

December 2023

December 2024

+20%

+183.33%

+10.53%

-27.27%

+37.97%

77059

77058

77059

77062

77565

77573

146

77062

77058

GALVESTON BAY

Median home sales price

77565

518

December

2023

2024

$307,000 $423,950 $330,000 $316,425 $376,000

$285,750 $457,500 $312,500 $301,695 $374,000

77058

77573

77059

Homes sold by price point

77062

77565

December 2024

77573

$800,000+

$600,000-$799,999

Average days on market +25%

$400,000-$599,999

+6%

+43.75%

+102.38%

-26.09%

100

$200,000-$399,999

<$199,000

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY ALINA ROGERS SPARROW REALTY • 281-961-2944 WWW.SPARROW-REALTY.COM

77058

77059

77062

77565

77573

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Transportation

Events

BY RACHEL LELAND

BY ASIA ARMOUR

FM 646 to see widening, safety improvement projects begin in 2025

• Free (admission) • 100 W. Walker St., League City • www.leaguecitylibrary.org

January

GALVESTON BAY

Overlay and safety enhancements

D&D Character Creation Workshop Helen Hall Library hosts this workshop for Dungeons & Dragons players over 18 years old who are looking to make an adventurer for a new campaign or who need ideas for nonplayable characters. The event will help guide attendees through the essentials of building a D&D character from scratch. • Jan. 26, 2-3:30 p.m. • Free (admission) • 100 W. Walker St., League City • www.leaguecitytx.gov Astronomy in the Park League City invites residents to observe the stars at Rustic Oaks Park. Led by Daniel Roy, attendees are encouraged to bring binoculars to look at the night sky. • Feb. 1, 7-9:30 p.m. • Free (admission) • 5101 Orange Blossom Court, League City • www.leaguecitytx.gov/4537/Astronomy-in-the-Park Black History Month Celebrate Black History Month at Helen Hall Library staff with stories, activities and games. • Feb. 1, 10:30 a.m.-noon

518

Mosaic Art Workshop League City area residents will learn how to craft their own Turkish mosaic lamps at this artistic workshop hosted by Pedalisa Art at the Holiday Inn Express Houston Space Center. Throughout the event, attendees will be provided Turkish tea, Turkish delight and homemade baklava while learning this 500-year-old technique. • Feb. 8, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2-4:30 p.m. • $69 • 900 Rogers Court, Webster • www.pedalisaart.com Clear Creek Cleanup Volunteers are needed on foot or by boat to clean up around Clear Lake. Meeting at the FM 270 boat ramp under the bridge on the League City side, boat captains will take volunteers and drop them off at selected locations to collect trash in bags provided by the Clear Creek Environmental Foundation. • Feb. 15, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. • Free (admission) • League City Boat Ramp and Park, Egret Bay Blvd., League City • Facebook: Clear Creek Environmental Foundation

Widening

646

project includes striping, base repairs and a 3-inch asphalt overlay, as well as making improvements to intersections and upgrading traffic signals. Construction is expected to start two months after the project is contracted out, Perez said. Perez said the upgrades planned for both projects are due in part to the growth the northern part of Galveston County has experienced in recent years. Stay tuned “As we continue to expand the entire I-45 corridor in Galveston County, we want to also focus on the smaller state highways and [farm to market] roads,” Perez said. These projects and all other closures will be posted at www.houstontranstar.org. Throughout the project, Perez said the plan is to keep the lane capacity that is currently available now at each road

In the new year, the Texas Department of Transportation will begin a few upgrades on a major corridor in the Bay Area, officials said. The gist In April, TxDOT will begin a $115 million project to widen FM 646 from east of Edmund Way to Hwy. 146 from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane road- way, and construct a bridge project to bypass the railroad tracks, TxDOT Public Information Officer Danny Perez said in a Jan. 6 email. This project is slated to wrap up in 2029, Perez said. Also of note TxDOT has also put out a bid for a project to make safety improvements along a nearly 4-mile stretch of FM 646 east of Hwy. 146, Perez said. That project is expected to cost $10.5 million. The

146

517

EDMUND WAY

DICKINSON BAYOU

Music in the Historic District Residents can come to the historic League Park for a night of live music from around a dozen artists of all genres. The League City Folk Association and the League City Historic Society bring musician Sam Miller to the spotlight for this show.

the same during construction, which he said can be done with phasing the work. Some closures may happen, he said, but often those will be for just a day or so, or a weekend. “We want to remind the community to always be mindful when traveling through work zones,” Perez said. “This includes slowing down, putting the phones down and always expecting the unexpected, as work zones can bring many moving pieces such as work crews and equipment.”

• Jan. 31, 7-10 p.m. • Free (admission) • 512 Second St., League City • Facebook: League City Folk Association

BAY AREA 1033 Bay Area Blvd (281) 486-9558 LEAGUE CITY

KEMAH 243 FM 2094 (281) 538-9095 SEABROOK 3126 Nasa Pkwy (281) 326-5127

196 Gulf Fwy S (281) 316-2140

Health & wellness

BY HALEY VELASCO

Health & Wellness Edition 2025

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Health & Wellness Edition! This brand new guide features the latest updates and resources on health and wellness in your community. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists. In this year’s edition, we provide information on the blood supply in the Greater Houston area, as well as the shortage the overall country is experiencing. Ocials said they often see a decline in donations during the winter months and recent trends show that continues to remain true. We also oer readers a trends page of new med spas that opened in 2024, as well as a feature on Total Body Niche, a local business in the Bay Area. For our cover story, we do a deep dive into League City’s parks, which includes information on new, upcoming and ongoing park and trail projects, residential feedback and the overall health benets of getting outside. We hope you have a healthy new year and look forward to providing hyperlocal content to our readers in 2025.

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Ocials look to up blood donations amid declining supply

As the demand for blood rises over the holiday season, ocials have observed that blood donations tend to decline during the winter. Current situation Blood donations are used for trauma care—spe- cically patients who are involved in accidents, chemotherapy and burn victims, said Cameron Palmer, the public relations specialist for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is a blood donation center that caters the Greater Houston area, including the Bay Area. The blood center hosts over 7,000 blood drives in the Greater Houston area each year, with high schools and universities playing a key role in mobile collections, Palmer said. Blood donations are especially needed as more people travel and become prone to accidents, which Palmer said is typically during the holiday season. Traveling also leads to fewer donations, he said.

A closer look In order for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center to have a maintainable amount of blood supply, Palmer said the center must administer 1,000 blood donations per day, and the center strives to have a 3-day blood supply. Palmer said this can be challenging at times since many regular donors are traveling during the holiday season. It’s also common to see blood supplies drop during summer as well. High schools and universi- ties mainly contribute to mobile collections, which are less available when school is out, Palmer said. Severe weather events can also impact donor turnout, Palmer said. Nationally, nonprot humanitarian organization American Red Cross last January declared an emer- gency blood shortage, citing the lowest numbers of people giving over the past two decades, according to a Jan. 7, 2024 news release.

Blood donations in the United States

6.8 million people donate blood in the U.S. every year 13.6 million units * of whole blood and red blood cells collected in a year in the U.S. 40% fewer people are donating blood compared to 20 years ago 3 units in an average red blood cell transfusion, with a single car accident needing as many as 100 units

*1 UNIT OF BLOOD IS ROUGHLY A PINT

SOURCE: AMERICAN RED CROSS COMMUNITY IMPACT

“Blood donations, they help save lives. ... There’s so many dierent reasons why people need blood.” CAMERON PALMER, PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST, GULF COAST REGIONAL BLOOD CENTER

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Health & wellness

BY RACHEL LELAND

Bay Area sees several new med spas open Med spas opened up in numerous spots throughout the Bay Area in 2024. The list was a diverse one, with some being chains, others being new businesses and some being relocations into the area. The spas offer a variety of services, with those highlighted on this page offering various Botox services, hair removal or styling, dermal fillers and various facial peels. Other businesses on the page offer studio space for beauticians to build a client list. Check out this list to see some of the new med spas, or med spa studio spaces, that opened up shop this past year. This list is not comprehensive.

GRAND OAK BLVD.

LINK RD

Luxe Wellness and Aesthetics 1108 Gulf Freeway, Ste. 240, League City www.luxewellnessmedspa.com

FORUM Beauty & Wellness Studios 1130 Grand Oak Blvd., Ste. 100, League City www.forumbeautywellnessstudios.com

W. WALKER ST.

COLUMBIA MEMORIAL PKWY.

LAWRENCE RD.

646

MINTbody Med Spa 3725 E. League City Parkway, Ste. 240, League City www.mintbodyspa.com

Innovation Beauty Med Spa 1535 W. FM 646 Road, League City www.innovationbeautylc.com

Lifestyle Health and Wellness 18096 Kings Row, Ste. A, Houston Facebook: Lifestyle Health and Wellness PLLC

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Health & wellness

BY ASIA ARMOUR

Total Body Niche in League City uses self care as path to wellness Regina Cruz, owner of Total Body Niche in League City, came into alignment with her true passion as a massage therapist while working a desk job at a hospital, she said. How we got here Though she always had an interest in both entrepreneurship and the health and wellness industry, she didn’t know what direction to take her career, she said. It wasn’t until she began an apprenticeship helping a man who had diabetes, neuropathy and bromyalgia that she understood how healing massages could be. “Seeing the state he was in getting on the table, [compared] to how he moved dierently coming o the table, I was like, ‘What? That’s crazy,’” Cruz said. After an internship and gaining experience massaging at resorts and chiropractic oces, Cruz opened her own holistic wellness spa in December 2023. The features Total Body Niche oers prenatal, restorative and relaxing massages, facials, body treatments and waxing services in League City. Body treatments include full body dry brushes and skin care treatments for various parts of the body. Clients can also request additional services such as hot stones, dermaplaning, and hand and foot treatments, according to the business’s website Cruz also partnered with wellness company

Owner Regina Cruz opened her wellness spa in League City in December 2023.

100 Perkins Ave., Ste. B1, League City www.totalbodyniche.com

Total Body Niche owner Regina Cruz said self care helps people take control of their own wellness.

PHOTOS COURTESY TOTAL BODY NICHE

Mystic Resonance to oer sound bath therapy sessions this fall. These practices help to empower her clients, Cruz said. “When somebody does something to take care of themselves, it gives them such a boost,” Cruz said. “And not just for their condence. They’re moving dierently, they’re feeling better.” Why it matters Cruz said these services also give clients the opportunity to “take the wheel when it comes to their wellness.” “A lot of people feel pain in their body, so they

tap out of their body, and they’re doing every- thing they can to not feel that pain,” Cruz said. “But there’s a growing population of people who are now paying attention to [how they feel].” With massage therapy, Cruz said the client gets a provider who looks at treating the whole body, who aims to heal instead of pacifying their pain. “In no way, shape or form am I diagnosing anybody with anything, but when ... I know there could be progress made—there needs to be a deeper look into things,” Cruz said. “I’m going to nd out about their diet, their health history, their lifestyle. We want to nd a solution to the problem, not just a temporary x.”

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Staying active From the cover

The outlook

The overview

Other projects include Lobit and Newport parks. Construction on Newport Park will last for four months starting in May and include a walking trail, a covered pavilion and playground features, Wei said. That project is estimated to cost $808,300. Lobit Park is expected to start the first of two phases in September, with the first phase estimated to cost around a total of $2.2 million, Wei said.

Work on multiple trails and parks within League City has either begun or is planned for the next few months and years, Wei said. The master plan mentions the Claremont Con- nector Trail, which will wrap up in early 2025, and a trail project from the Texas Department of Trans- portation trail connecting Palomino Road to Ross Elementary.

League City approved an update to its Parks, Trails & Open Space Master Plan in May, marking the first update since 2017, according to City Council documents. The plan, among other items, includes survey results carried out in 2023 and updates for multiple projects, Director of Parks & Cultural Services Chien Wei said. Those survey results show residents are eager for the city to add to its recreational offerings in the form of neighborhood parks, undeveloped green spaces and various recreational programming. Adding more parks, green space and opportunities to visit nature could provide a number of health benefits, said Kim Gushanas, licensed psychologist with the University of Texas Medical Branch. “Exposure to sunlight, soil, the colors green and blue ... have been attributed to health outcomes,” she said. Resident park and recreation needs Households surveyed picked park and recreational needs they have in League City. Residents could pick multiple options.

GALVESTON BAY

Park and trail projects

M A R I N A B A Y D R .

New parks/ trails to be built Ongoing or scheduled park/trail projects Existing parks

518

Trail from Ross Elementary to Palomino Lane

146

646

Claremont Connector Trail

Lobit Park

Newport Park

Bay Colony Park

SOURCE: LEAGUE CITY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

Neighborhood parks

51%

Assessing the need

Adult fitness and wellness programs

50%

Family picnic areas

within 24 hours of opening, often creating waitlists. For example, city data shows summer camps, which hold 120 children for each two-week session, fill up within six hours of registration opening. Other sport-related camps fill up within 24 hours. “The struggle all the time is, we need more facilities,” Wei said. “The demand is there for more use of our parks and programs.”

Wei said he believes League City is a “very active community,” highlighting not only the interest resi- dents have in more parks and public spaces, but also the large slate of programming available. One such program is the active senior program at Hometown Heroes Park, which is well-attended, he said. In addition, he said it’s common for youth programs, such as summer camp or sports, to fill up

44%

Senior adult and fitness programs

39%

Environmental/nature education programs

36%

Youth sports programs

24%

SOURCES: LEAGUE CITY, ETC INSTITUTE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

www.eckankar-texas.org Eckankar in Texas – Eckankar – The Light and Sound of God

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BY JAMES T. NORMAN

In their own words

have is not secured enough in terms of a police presence, which he said he feels drives people away from using the parks. “I think League City is woefully underparked for the growth,” he said. “We just don’t have enough.” Meanwhile, Llanes said she is “frustrated” with registering for the city’s youth programs, saying she believes the city should open more teams and opportunities to register.

Many from outside the city also travel to use the area’s parks and facilities. Friendswood resident Steve Brown visits Lynn Gripon Park at Countryside with his dog due to the park’s shading. This was enhanced with new trees that were planted last year, he said. League City resident John Hancock said he goes to Dudney Clear Creek Nature Center “almost every day.” He said he doesn’t feel the city has enough park space, and the space it does

“Unless you are ready to register for your kids’ sport at exactly the

second it goes online … then you’re placed on a waiting list.” HEATHER LLANES, LEAGUE CITY RESIDENT

League City nature offerings

The impact

23% of League City residents live within 10-minute walk of park

Looking ahead

Benefits to being outside in nature and at parks are wide-ranging, including mental health, stress levels, eye health, sleep and cardiovascular health, among other benefits, Gushanas said, citing multi- ple studies from across the world. One such example comes from a 2019 study out of Denmark that involved over 900,000 people. The study, shared and cited by Gushanas, found that children who had what the study called “the lowest levels of green space” available to them had a 55% higher chance to develop a psychiatric disorder. Even for those who don’t have access to parks or nature centers, Gushanas said there are still ways to bring nature inside. Studies and information on the best way to spend time outdoors still varies, she said. She recommended about two hours per week outside, regardless of the activity. “It’s less about what you’re doing and more about that you’re getting out there,” Gushanas said.

15 parks in League City

Among developments slated for 2025, the $30-$40 million new Bay Colony Park is set to start work and wrap up in a year or two. Once done, it will consist of more than 100 acres on the west side of the city off Calder Drive, city documents show. As the west side is being developed, Wei said his goal is to have 15 acres of park for every 1,000 future residents in that part of town. That will rely on securing land from incoming developments, Wei said. “We haven’t gotten much more land for parks since I took over in 2006,” Wei said. “At some point if we don’t acquire more [land], that standard of number of acres of park will continue to diminish.”

41%+ increase in park operation and recreation budget from 2021-2025

$30M+ park planned on west side

Easy ways to engage with nature

Adding house plants

Stepping outside and taking in sunlight

Meditating and thinking about nature

Building a garden, even on a window sill

SOURCES: LEAGUE CITY, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH, TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Peripheral Neuropathy Breakthrough!

They’re struggling with balance and living in fear that they might fall. Their doctors have told them to “just live with the pain,” and they’re taking medications that aren’t working or have uncomfortable side effects. Fortunately, four months ago, Sherry found our clinic, Return To Wellness, LLC, and the work that Deb Bilak, DAOM (Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine), is doing to treat those suffering from Peripheral Neuropathy without invasive surgeries or medications. Using the time-tested science of acupuncture and a technology originally developed by NASA to assist in increasing blood flow and expediting recovery and healing, Dr. Deb and her team are creating a breakthrough treatment for this debilitating disease. “Now when I go to bed at night, I don’t have those shooting pains. I don’t have that burning sensation. I don’t have pain coming up my legs,” Esther explains, enthusiastically describing life after receiving a series of treatments. “I can wear socks and shoes!” Esther and her sister now operate a successful dog walking business, sometimes covering up to 5 miles a day. “It’s life altering. As far as I’m concerned, she saved my life.” Dr. Deb and her team have been helping the senior community for over a decade using the most cutting-edge and innovative integrative medicine.

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“She saved my life!” League City resident Esther S. had been experiencing the painful side effects of Peripheral Neuropathy for years. “My feet and legs were extremely painful, and my doctor told me there was nothing they could do. He said I would have to take Gabapentin for the rest of my life.” Peripheral Neuropathy is the pain, discomfort, and numbness caused by nerve damage in the peripheral nervous system. Esther explained that daily tasks, like opening doors and using the bathroom, were overwhelmingly painful. “How can you live for the next 30 years when you don’t even want to get out of bed to do simple things?” She was experiencing the burning, numbness, tingling, and sharp pains that those suffering from neuropathy often describe. “The way I would describe it... it’s equivalent to walking on glass.” Esther hadn’t worn socks in five years and was wearing shoes two sizes too big so that nothing would “touch” her feet. Unfortunately, Esther’s story is all too familiar for the over 3 million people in the U.S. suffering from Peripheral Neuropathy. While each of our patients is unique, they all come to the clinic with similar stories: they aren’t sleeping at night because of the burning in their feet. They have difficulty walking, shopping, or doing any activity for more than 30 minutes because of the pain.

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