Botanic Garden Or Golf Course? Houston Chooses The Latter

Considering I was just reading last week (thanks reader Kevin) how one San Franciscoan has the short-sighted view that golf courses could be turned into affordable housing, it was refreshing to read that Houston chose to stick with golf over a botanic garden.

Granted, both are very open space but still, as Mike Morris details in the Houston Chronicle, it was a big fight over the old Houston Country Club site turned Gus Wortham Golf Course. The golf course and Houston Golf Association won, meaning the course will be spruced up and green space will be cherished for the forseeable future in Houston.

If the city cannot reach terms with HGA, the mayor said, she will seek proposals from private golf operators rather than hand the site to the botanic garden backers, as previously planned.

Parker also said a definitive vote was needed so that both nonprofits – the Houston Golf Association and Houston Botanic Garden – would not be held back in making fundraising pitches to potential donors about their plans.

Houston Golf Association President Steve Timms echoed those thoughts after the vote, which deviated from the body's typical silent yes votes and spoken "no" votes by having members proclaim "golf" or "garden."