PARKS & RECREATION
GOVERNMENT
Trail of the Lakes MUD opens 4-acre dog park in Humble
City of Houston terminates contract with operator of Kingwood water plant Facility, and until recently the city has slow-walked every request,” Inframark spokesperson Miranda Sevcik said in a March 22 email. “The fact that the city has moved to termi- nate us as long overdue upgrades are nally being made is both a surprise and a disappointment.” Sevcik noted the company is currently conducting an internal investigation. “With respect to allegations of BY WESLEY GARDNER TREATING WASTEWATER The city of Houston oversees 40 wastewater treatment plants responsible for treating raw sewage before it is released back into waterways. Here is how the process works: 1 4 2 5 Start End
The city of Houston terminated its contract with Inframark, the con- tractor that operates the Kingwood Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s oce announced March 22. The decision to terminate the city’s ve-year, $74 million contract with Inframark came more than a month after Houston Police Department ocials executed a search warrant at the Kingwood Central Wastewater Treatment Plant on Feb. 17. HPD ocials alleged in the search warrant adavit the contractor doctored samples and records to suggest the plant had adequately treated sewage before releasing it into a waterway that feeds into one of the city’s main sources of drinking water. “Over the last ve years since Hur- ricane Harvey, we have repeatedly asked the city of Houston to address the serious deciencies in the condi- tion of the equipment at the King- wood Central Wastewater Treatment
WILL CLAYTON PKWY.
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BY EMILY LINCKE
WOODLAND HILLS DR.
of the MUD’s parks and trails master plan and was funded by the MUD’s $7 million recreational amenities bond, which was approved by voters in 2017. Before the MUD called its bond election nearly six years ago, it met with community members to nd out what projects they wanted in their area, according to Jo Smith, Trail of the Lakes MUD board director and parks liaison. “We asked the community what they wanted since the land belongs to the community,” Smith said in an April 4 email. “It was important to the board to nd out what the community wanted, and when the community voted … they asked for a dog park.” Smith said the MUD’s board of directors is reviewing its parks master plan to determine what project to focus on next. The master
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On March 4, the Trail of the Lakes Municipal Utility District opened a $2.5 million dog park in Humble, hosting locals and their canine companions for the grand opening. The 4-acre outdoor park space has areas for small and large dogs and features amenities such as a covered pavilion, walking paths, a splash pad, a dog play zone and seating options. Trees were added in for additional shade as well as a variety of plants, according to Four And One Landscape Architecture, the rm that designed the park. A parking lot was also added to the park with a walking trail to connect nearby neighborhoods and trails. Construction on the new dog park began on Jan. 21, 2022, according to an April 3 email from a spokesperson for Four And One Landscape Architecture. The project was part
The 4-acre dog park features amenities including a covered pavilion, walking paths, a splash pad, a dog play zone and seating options. (Courtesy Trail of the Lakes MUD) MAKING PROGRESS The Trail of the Lakes Municipal Utility District unveiled its new $2.5 million dog park and is evaluating its parks master plan to determine which project to begin next.
1 Sewage is pumped through screens to remove large particles and through a grit removal system to remove sand and silt. 2 Sewage is treated in a reactor to separate impurities using air and oxygen. 3 It then ows to a clarier, where solids are separated from the liquid stream.
4 Clear water then ows into a chlorine contact chamber, where it is disinfected to destroy pathogens. 5 Disinfectants are removed, and water is released back into the receiving streams. Upon discovering irregularities at the plant, Houston Public Works Department ocials forwarded their ndings to HPD’s Environmental Crimes Unit and the Texas Commis- sion on Environmental Quality. HPD ocials said the investigation is ongoing.
Trails
Parks and playgrounds
criminal wrongdoing, we are nearing completion of an internal investiga- tion that has found no evidence of any illegal activity on the part of any Inframark employees,” Sevcik said. City ocials said the Houston Pub- lic Works Department is now running the plant as well as four additional plants in Kingwood formerly oper- ated by Inframark. Ocials maintain the city’s drinking water has and will continue to be safe to consume. “We are committed to providing the highest-quality water services to Houstonians and believe this is the
• Clayton’s Park Detention Basin Trail • Atascocita Forest Detention Basin Trail • Trail connection along Woodland Hills Drive
• Dog park • Lago Forest Drive Playground • Fitness parks • Community park and playground
SOURCE: HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKSCOMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCES: TRAIL OF THE LAKES MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT, FOUR AND ONE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE COMMUNITY IMPACT
best path forward for Houston water treatment operations,” Houston Public Works Director Carol Haddock said in a statement. According to a Feb. 17 news release, the issue rst arose in January after city ocials received reports of foul odors emanating from the plant.
plan—designed by Four And One Landscape Architecture—includes additional trails, trail connections, playgrounds and tness parks, according to the MUD’s website. About 813.4 acres of land are included within the Trail of the Lakes
MUD’s boundaries. Founded in 1974, the MUD is located southeast of the intersection of Atascocita Road and Will Clayton Parkway in Humble. The Trail of Lakes MUD dog park is located at 16323 Woodland Hills Drive, Humble.
PORTER 23611 Hwy 59 (281) 354-0733 HUMBLE 19322 US-59 (281) 540-7202
KINGWOOD 1420 Kingwood Dr (281) 359-7115 ATASCOCITA 7034 FM 1960 E (281) 812-3100
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