Houston
Needs
a
Swimming
Hole!
We are a grassroots organization with the mission to create a world-class swimming destination for all Houstonians.
Building on the success of Buffalo Bayou Park, a centrally-located place to swim will add an amenity unlike anything today in Houston. The Swimming Hole will be a destination for residents and visitors alike and bring a new element to Houston’s quality-of-life: clean, swimmable water!
A
beach
History
Early in the 20th Century, numerous swimming holes lined the bayous. As freeways were built, however, they began to disappear.
Today, Houston is left without any large-scale public swimming spaces and is the largest city in the United States without a beach. The Houston Needs a Swimming Hole initiative aims to change that!
Taking notes from the landscape and climate that makes Houston unique - its proximity to beaches along the Gulf Coast, its proximity to Central Texas swimming holes, and its subtropical climate - the Swimming Hole is envisioned to be a hybrid between three types of bodies of water: a beach – with beautiful sandy edges for relaxing and plenty of shade, a swimming hole - with natural edges and grassy banks, and a modern swimming pool.
Vision
With the mission to create Houston’s premier outdoor swimming destination that serves as an anchor for connecting community along Buffalo Bayou, we envision a destination that intertwines the best features of beaches, swimming holes, and pools in an engaging urban landscape.
Picture a sand beach, shady lounge areas, grass lawns, and lots of native trees and plants surrounding a beautiful, clear, refreshing body of water. Local food vendors, float-in movie nights, and live music programmed for a relaxing and active community space.
A swimming destination will create a Civic Commons unlike anything in Houston today.
Location
As a part of Buffalo Bayou Partnership's East Sector Master Plan, the Swimming Hole will be a part of one of Houston's most expansive urban greenways.
Downtown
York Street