Why our park? Grimes Park is the namesake of B.H. Grimes Elementary school which was named out of Buchanan H. Grimes, A former janitor who later became a principal. He also became the first Black person to retire as a public-school principal in Houston, Tx.
The school itself opened in 1952 and moved to the current location @ 9220 Jutland St in 1960. Grimes was closed in May 2011 under false pretenses claiming the enrollment was too low even though the principal was instructed not to accept any more kids.
Grimes Park was established in 1977 @ 5150 Rd as a city park that has served our community for almost 50 years that started as a softball field, basketball court, and tennis court. As the Civic President for Sunnyside Garden/ Bayou Estates Civic Association we submitted Capital Improvement Request for years along with various other partnerships and donors until we finally received our Newly renovated park October 20,2023.
The park was being used by the Southeast Lions Little League football team lead by Eugene “Coach Boo” Dixon therefore it was only right to convert the softball portion into a brand-new football field, along with new tennis court, basketball court, walking trail, playground equipment etc. For almost 25years this was home for the Lions where thousands of young men were mentored and coached into being good people as well as athletes, some have even made it to the pros like De’Von Achane the Miami Dolphin’s running back one of the best in the league. It’s a damn shame the city nor HISD aka T.E.A never bothered to come to the community instead the coach had to find out while trying to renew his park permit. No proactive warning, no time to plan, no consideration, and No park to play at.
The formal notice was just put out on social media Thursday August 27, 2026 by City of Houston Parks Dept. stating the park would be closing September 1, 2026 however the destruction of the park and the undetermined and uncertainty of where the team would practice started weigh before that.
Further research determined that the City of Houston nor HISD aka T.E.A cared enough to come to the community for input, consideration, or information where the New CTE building and the park could’ve coexisted or built some where else on surplus property with more square footage that doesn’t have a park attached to it. We not against trades or a trade school, however we don’t want OUR park to be apart of the TRADE OFF.
Believe it or not HISD aka T.E.A. knew for almost 3 years and the city had to have a clue also because, Grimes was part of the 2024 Bond Proposal in which the T.E.A. started promoting shortly after their arrival in June 2023 here in Houston ISD however the bond failed, but they ignored the voters wishes and borrowed the money anyway for CTE programs etc. If the voters said NO doesn’t mean do it anyway, especially when the district can’t keep the grass cut or HVAC functioning to insure safe learning environments.
After the bond failed, they tried to sale multiple properties including Grimes. After the Closures in 2011 this should have been another attempt for the city to purchase or swap property they been leasing for decades. The city is big on greenspace and parks so they say, I guess just not in Grimes Park. Why wasn’t the community notified?
Did the City ever offer to buy or swap property with another government entity? Why spend so much money and not try
to own something so valuable to the Community and the City?
Why wasn’t eminent domain used?
In our area we have to fight for everything, nothing is given however everything is often taken away. We have to hold our ELECTED EMPLOYEES accountable and look at the BIG picture vs always just allowing them to come out to take pictures. If they aren’t willing to fight for us, they should at least give us notice so we can fight for ourselves.
Where will the Southeast Lion go from here? Hopefully back home to Grimes Park after they when another Superbowl.
