An effort by Fort Bend County officials to maintain Needville’s Barbara Jordan Park, at the request of the park’s cash-strapped owners, has apparently fallen apart.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Richard Morrison two members of the non-profit Barbara Jordan Youth Center organization that owns the 7-acre park approached him recently and said they would “be glad to deed it” to the county if the county would maintain it.
At its May 12 meeting, Fort Bend County Commissioners Court was to have voted on accepting the park, to be operated by the county Parks and Recreation Department. But the agenda item was pulled, Morrison said on Tuesday, after youth center Board President Creed Henry objected to deeding the park to the county.
Morrison said county officials had hoped the timing of the deal would allow the Fort Bend YMCA to use Barbara Jordan Park for a summer youth program in Needville, similar to its summer youth program in Fresno and Arcola. But Henry also objected to allowing the YMCA to offer its program from the park.
Morrison also asked whether the park could be leased to the county, but board members haven’t responded to that question.
“I said Creed, you guys don’t have any money, and (the park) is going to go down and down, and eventually nobody’s going to go there,” Morrison said, adding that the deal “is certainly dead for the YMCA,” which will be running its Needville summer youth program at a Methodist Church.
Neither Henry nor other youth center board members could be reached for comment. A phone number provided for the youth center was not in service.
Barbara Jordan Park is on Park Street in Needville, southwest of State Highway 36 and about three blocks northwest of School Street.
By: Bob Dunn on Tue, May 26, 2009
News