Due to the efforts of State Senator John Whitmire, the last five acres of West 11th Street Park have been secured as park land. The city stood to lose those five acres to development unless $3.7 million could be raised to pay back a loan for which this portion was used as collateral to complete the purchase of the 21 acre park.

A great deal of local effort had gone into fundraising, but there was the possibility the money would not be raised in time. In a February editorial we stressed the importance of this park in an area where so much wooded land has been lost to development, and called on politicians to come up with a means to save the park.

Now Senator Whitmire has gotten $3.7 million included in the state budget to secure the park for the city. In a May 25 press release, Senator Whitmire said, "I am pleased we will now be able to pay off the existing loan and keep the remaining five acres of the West 11th Street Park. Preserving this park is crucial for the surrounding neighborhoods, and for the City of Houston."