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  • My guess is that it’s some kind of public beach volleyball facility.

    Well, it’s either that or someone who’s opening a private beach volleyball facility for their friends and family. Yes, one of those two, i’m almost certain.

  • Lots and lots of bars in that area. Probably another sports bar with volleyball courts like they used to have on Washington Ave. Was sorry to see those go, hoping these are like that. Fun!

  • I know of two bars in Austin that revolve around volleyball set ups like this. So I’m assuming this will be a bar as well.

    The only question is whether it will be a gay volleyball themed bar like ‘Bout Time or more inclined to heteroes like Aussie’s.

  • what fun!

  • Emme … the only bar in that area is Petrol Station, and an ice house on Alba. This is a residential neighborhood.

  • They had a few of these on the campus where I went to college. We stopped playing when we saw a cat bury a turd in one.

  • There are several ice houses operating on Wakefield, pre-dating Petrol Station. I passed them on a daily basis dropping my kids off at St. Rose ECC.

    There was (is?) a members only pool that used to operate in the area in the 900 block of Fisher. My first thought–a sort of Moody Garden’s Palm Beach type thing, but not possible since Wakefield is the next street over, so it’s not contiguous to the property on Fisher.

  • Red’s, the Dutchman, Katty Korner (or is it Catty Corner?) and Petrol Station are all bars on Wakefield. Not sure what sort of place this is going to be, but hopefully one that fits into the neighborhood without being too disruptive.

  • The icehouse on Alba has been there at least since 1960. I know because I threw the old Houston Press all up and down Wakefield, and they were a subscriber. Dont know whether it has been continuously operated since then, but I wonder how many icehouses in Houston are that old. By the way, the Petrol Station was a Sinclair gas station in the fifties. It is where my mother bought her gas and I still remember the “Dinosaur Stamp Book and Stamps”.

  • The members-only pool was called Fishes, if I’m remembering correctly. We were members there when my kid was little in the late 90s. If you look at the satellite map for where this beach volleyball place is going to be, then look directly northeast, you’ll see a big green pool. That’s where Fishes was. I guess it’s not in operation any more.

  • Carol: Most recently the pool was called Garden Cove. We were members there the last year of its operation, which was 2007 I think. Nice pool, especially if you could walk or bike there as some did. but the place was becoming a little run down in general. The owner was trying to sell it, I don’t think she has – it would be a shame for the neighborhood to lose it.

  • Claire, that area lying south of Garden Oaks and east of Oak Forest really is not a residential neighborhood. There are some houses, but it’s more commercial than residential (maybe even with some light industrial sprinkled in).

  • The pool has not been sold, it remains closed though. The owners stopped by to swim with their family a few times last summer. But they are not carrying liability insurance anymore that would allow them to serve the public while it is listed for sale.

  • It will hopefully be like Third Coast, only closer to me. Yeah!