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Ground Broken on Improvements to
W. Little York Park

Acres Homes citizens, elected officials and corporate representatives gathered July 17th to break ground on a $2 million improvement program for W. Little York Park.
A partnership among Acres Homes citizens, government agencies and the private sector has supplied the funding for the project. Led by St. Rep. Sylvester Turner, funding will be provided by a $1.5 million Texas Parks and Wildlife grant, money from the City of Houston and donations from AT&T, CenterPoint Energy and Southwestern Bell. The City Parks Department will maintain the facility.
The improvements to the 26-acre park will include baseball fields, picnic tables, a covered pavilion and landscaping, creating what Turner called a first-class quality park.
“As you go throughout the entire Acres Homes area, there is not one baseball field, other than those we make ourselves. Run around long enough and you will make the trail,” Turner said. “Many of the people on the northwest side of town would love to go to Minute Maid Park but they cannot afford to go.”
“And that’s how the whole idea came into play,” Turner continued. “Take a park, in this case a city park, that was already in existence and take this park and convert it into a complex that will be useful and meaningful and enhance the quality of life for the families in this area.”
“This is a day that many of use have dreamed about in this area in the northwest part of Houston,” said District A City Councilmember Toni Lawrence, in whose district the park resides. “Two years ago, this was only a weeded lot. We worked for a year just to get this area mowed. It became a safe place and a better neighborhood.”
A jungle gym and new playground equipment will be part of the improvements. The three baseball fields will come with bleachers, dugouts, lights and scoreboards. There will be a concession stand and an announcer’s booth. Parking will be provided, as will drinking fountains and restroom facilities.
A small wetlands area will be protected in the middle of the park, with an education center to educate residents about the need to protect this part of our environment. Boardwalks and nature trails will help citizens enjoy the area.
“You can’t imagine what a blessing it is to be here today to work on something as positive as the creation of a park,” said St. Senator John Whitmire, who helped Turner fight for the state grant. “We read the papers and watch the news and it’s so negative. You’d think things are going to the devil. But that’s not happening because of people like Ruby Mosley and the Acres Homes Citizens Council.”

Turner paid tribute to Mosley, calling her the Napoleon of Acres Homes. Although Mosley stands barely five feet tall, Turner said, her accomplishments make her seem 20 feet tall.
As is typical, Mosley took no credit for herself but instead recognized the civic clubs that are members of the Acres Homes Citizens Council and the individuals who had worked to make the park project a reality.
“This park is not only for Acres Homes,” commented Charles Ingram, President, Acres Homes Citizens Council. “It is to let the world know, Harris County know, the city of Houston know that we indeed are people to be reckoned with. When we put our mind to do something, we have done it and we have come out successful.” Turner thanked the three corporate donors to the project and told their representatives that he would be calling on them in the future to help finish the work. All agreed to continue helping.

“We are excited and very honored to have been asked to participate two years ago in this wonderful dream that Sylvester Turner had for this community,” said Sharon Owens, Vice President, Community Relations and Business Development, CenterPoint Energy. “It is a dream that has been long overdue to see come to fruition.”
Kerrick Henny, Director of External Affairs, Southwestern Bell, said “It was definitely our privilege to be in a position to support such a worthwhile project.”
His comments were echoed by Michael Jewell, Vice President, Governmental Relations, AT&T: “We are so proud to be a part of this effort. Working with Sylvester Turner on this, he is such an inspiration. His effort here in the community is infectious and it’s one of those things that we really ought to model as to the need to be involved with our community.”
Lawrence told the audience that she is working toward naming the park after Turner. “We hope in the near future when we open those baseball fields that this park will be the Sylvester Turner Park.”

District B City Councilmember Carol Mims Galloway, whose residents will also use the park, agreed: “Representative Turner is a home-grown Acres Homes citizen and all the things he’s done for so many years, this park is worthy of being named after him, not just because he got the funds but because of who he is.” Turner said he was grateful for the plan to name the park after him but he emphasized that the important thing is to bring these facilities to Acres Homes.
“When all is said and done,” he said, “you will see a first-class, first-rate park right here in this area that will be equal to any park you will find in the city of Houston.”

“This is a day that many of use have dreamed about in this area in the northwest part of Houston,” said District A City Councilmember Toni Lawrence, in whose district the park resides. “Two years ago, this was only a weeded lot. We worked for a year just to get this area mowed. It became a safe place and a better neighborhood.”
A jungle gym and new playground equipment will be part of the improvements. The three baseball fields will come with bleachers, dugouts, lights and scoreboards. There will be a concession stand and an announcer’s booth. Parking will be provided, as will drinking fountains and restroom facilities.
A small wetlands area will be protected in the middle of the park, with an education center to educate residents about the need to protect this part of our environment. Boardwalks and nature trails will help citizens enjoy the area.
“You can’t imagine what a blessing it is to be here today to work on something as positive as the creation of a park,” said St. Senator John Whitmire, who helped Turner fight for the state grant. “We read the papers and watch the news and it’s so negative. You’d think things are going to the devil. But that’s not happening because of people like Ruby Mosley and the Acres Homes Citizens Council.”
Turner paid tribute to Mosley, calling her the Napoleon of Acres Homes. Although Mosley stands barely five feet tall, Turner said, her accomplishments make her seem 20 feet tall.
As is typical, Mosley took no credit for herself but instead recognized the civic clubs that are members of the Acres Homes Citizens Council and the individuals who had worked to make the park project a reality.

“This park is not only for Acres Homes,” commented Charles Ingram, President, Acres Homes Citizens Council. “It is to let the world know, Harris County know, the city of Houston know that we indeed are people to be reckoned with. When we put our mind to do something, we have done it and we have come out successful.” Turner thanked the three corporate donors to the project and told their representatives that he would be calling on them in the future to help finish the work. All agreed to continue helping.
“We are excited and very honored to have been asked to participate two years ago in this wonderful dream that Sylvester Turner had for this community,” said Sharon Owens, Vice President, Community Relations and Business Development, CenterPoint Energy. “It is a dream that has been long overdue to see come to fruition.”
Kerrick Henny, Director of External Affairs, Southwestern Bell, said “It was definitely our privilege to be in a position to support such a worthwhile project.”
His comments were echoed by Michael Jewell, Vice President, Governmental Relations, AT&T: “We are so proud to be a part of this effort. Working with Sylvester Turner on this, he is such an inspiration. His effort here in the community is infectious and it’s one of those things that we really ought to model as to the need to be involved with our community.”
Lawrence told the audience that she is working toward naming the park after Turner. “We hope in the near future when we open those baseball fields that this park will be the Sylvester Turner Park.”

District B City Councilmember Carol Mims Galloway, whose residents will also use the park, agreed: “Representative Turner is a home-grown Acres Homes citizen and all the things he’s done for so many years, this park is worthy of being named after him, not just because he got the funds but because of who he is.” Turner said he was grateful for the plan to name the park after him but he emphasized that the important thing is to bring these facilities to Acres Homes.
“When all is said and done,” he said, “you will see a first-class, first-rate park right here in this area that will be equal to any park you will find in the city of Houston.”