Two groups aiming to beautify Brays Bayou
They will host a voluntary trash pickup at Meyergrove basin to help pave way for future trail development
Two Houston organizations are working to beautify Brays Bayou this weekend.
The Bayou Preservation Association is partnering with the Brays Bayou Association to host a voluntary trash pickup at the Meyergrove Stormwater Detention Basin, located just inside Loop 610 between Brays Bayou and North Braeswood Boulevard, on Saturday.
The pickup will be between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Volunteers are encouraged to bring trash bags, gloves, trash grabbers and a first aid kit and to wear clothes they don’t mind getting dirty or wet.
The main goal of the trash pickup is to clear litter from the site so the Harris County Flood Control District’s contractors can pave way for future development, said Brays Bayou Association President Charles Goforth.
“It’s also a great opportunity to introduce the setting to the community and stir up excitement about the trail connections that will be unlocking this particular 20-acre green space,” said Goforth.
Although the Houston Parks Board currently does not have any plans for additional trails around the basin itself, it did confirm work on a project to construct a new trail along the south side of Brays Bayou that crosses under the railroad, Braeswood, the Loop and the weir of the stormwater basin. A new pedestrian bridge will also be built over Willow Waterhole Bayou.
The design is complete and in the review process. It will be reviewed by the Harris County Flood Control District, the Army Corps of Engineers and the city of Houston before bidding and construction can begin.
The preservation association offers a variety of programs to preserve and celebrate bayous throughout Texas. The TrashFree Bayous Program helps reduce the amount of trash in the region’s waterways by conducting bayou cleanups.
The voluntary trash pickup is a self-supervised event with masks and social distancing strongly advised. In addition to cleaning up trash, volunteers will be working on preventative measures so programs such as this won’t have to routinely happen, officials said.
“People love to pick up trash, it is something people like to do. They feel good doing it, and it’s one of those things you go out and get it done and you accomplished something,” said Branwen Ranck, the Bayou Preservation Association’s director of philanthropy and engagement.
Some of the reasons behind excessive litter accumulation include ongoing transportation projects, lack of bins and human behavior, Ranck said.
“But ultimately, litter is never someone else’s problem,” said Ranck. “It is all of ours.”
The Bayou Preservation Association was founded in 1966 as the Buffalo Bayou Association but over time has grown into an organization that works to protect 22 watersheds in Texas. The organization not only picks up trash, but also supports public policy measures and projects that improve ecosystems, water quality and flood management.
For more information, go to www.bayoupreservation.org or text “donttrashbrays” to 281-9163072.