Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Olson.
Anne, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region – a really beautiful part of the country. I think it is here that I came to appreciate nature and greenspace. I lived across the street from a five-acre park until I moved away for college and my parents lived there all of their married lives.
I moved to Houston in 1980 to become the Director of Public Relations for the Houston Public Library. Following that employment, I worked for a small PR firm here and in the early 1990s became the director of the Greater East End Area Chamber of Commerce. This is when I first became interested in Buffalo Bayou. I thought there was a great deal of potential for the waterway. After being on the board of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership for a number of years, in 1995 I became the organization’s first and only Executive Director.
Over the past 22 years, I have worked with a very dedicated board and staff to revitalize and restore Buffalo Bayou, raising more than $160 million. Our most recent project is the $58 million Buffalo Bayou Park which was made possible by a $30 million catalyst gift from Houston’s Kinder Foundation. Buffalo Bayou Partnership raised an additional $23 million and Harris County Flood Control District contributed $5 million. In addition to designing and constructing the park, BBP operates and maintains it. We are thrilled that the park has been embraced by Houstonians and visitors from all walks of life.
Currently, we are about to embark on a major planning effort along the bayou east of downtown. We are very excited about working with the Fifth Ward and East End neighborhoods to make the bayou a centerpiece of community life.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say it has been a relatively smooth ride. Of course, there have been some obstacles but it seems like we have always been able to overcome them. Virtually all of our projects have involved public-private partnerships with numerous public entities. These partnerships often take time but we have been rewarded by the great relationships we have established with the City, County, Harris County Flood Control District, and many state and federal agencies. Without them, our work would not be possible. Fundraising is always challenging but Houston is an amazingly generous city. We’ve been very lucky to have had the strong support of so many local foundations, individuals and corporations.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Buffalo Bayou Partnership – what should we know?
Our mission statement reads: “Buffalo Bayou Partnership is the non-profit organization revitalizing and transforming Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource.” The organization was founded in 1986 and was an all-volunteer group under downtown’s Central Houston until I was hired in 1995. Our three-decades worth of accomplishments include the development or redevelopment of Sesquicentennial Park, Sabine Promenade, Buffalo Bayou Park and Allen’s Landing in or near downtown. Most recently, we worked with Harris County Precinct Two to purchase property and create a park known as Buffalo Bend Nature Park near the Port of Houston Turning Basin.
We also have constructed miles of trails to accomplish our long-term goal of having a continuous greenway from Shepherd Drive all the way to the Port of Houston. Land acquisition is also a vital part of our work. In addition to all of our capital projects, we routinely sponsor events along the waterway. Our annual Bayou Bash and Kids Day are just two of our events. Our pontoon boat is extremely popular. In addition to people going on our history tours, bat tours and Foodie Floats, they can rent out the boat for private excursions.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
We have worked very diligently to create a brand for Buffalo Bayou, as well as for our organization. We have a very identifiable logo which the public seems to respond to. We pay special attention to all of our publicity materials, making sure they are designed to the highest standards possible. I think the public sees us as one of Houston’s most valuable non-profit “green groups.”
Contact Info:
- Address: 1019 Commerce, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77002
- Website: www.buffalobayou.org
- Phone: 713.752.0314
- Email: tsmith@buffalobayou.org
- Instagram: @buffalobayou
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/buffalobayou
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/buffalobayou
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/buffalo-bayou-park-houston
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2871082/
Image Credit:
Photo by Jonnu Singleton/SWA Group, Courtesy of Buffalo Bayou Partnership
Photo by Jeremy Keas, Courtesy of Buffalo Bayou Partnership
Courtesy of Bike Barn
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