[g-slider gid="80831" width="100%" height="55%"] Developed in the early 1960s as a staff retreat for the employees of Houston-based construction company Marek Brothers, the 45-acre Circle Lake Retreat Center was donated to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in 1999. The center serves as a gathering place for Greater Houston area families, church groups and businesses. The retreat offers 14 fully furnished houses, each with beds to accommodate nine to 15 people, which makes Circle Lake Retreat Center ideal for family reunions and corporate retreats, Director Gloria Bustillo said. Guests can rent houses for overnight use or visit the property during the day to enjoy outdoor amenities. The property has nine lakes, two swimming pools and a playground. Guests have a number of activities from which to choose, such as hiking, fishing, canoeing, volleyball, basketball, badminton, horseshoe areas and soccer. “It’s a beautiful piece of property,” Bustillo said. “People can come to just gather and chill. It’s just nice and laid-back.”