Neighbors demand answers after community center shuttered in Galena Park

HOUSTON – A number of Galena Park residents say the city has not moved fast enough to reopen a community center building, shuttered "temporarily" nine months ago.

"What I see is we have a bunch of people who have no clue about how to run a city," said Paul Winfield, a Galena Park resident.

The Evelyn J. Churchill Community Center first opened in 1957 and had served the Galena Manor section of town faithfully until last August, when the fire marshal shut it down because of a number of problems, including mold.

"Mold remediation, asbestos remediation, replacing the roof, drainage," -- City Attorney Robert Collins cited a list of serious issues with the structure that makes it unsafe for use.

The building has served as the primary gathering spot for the area's seniors for decades.

In the nine months since the community center was closed, it appears little has been accomplished to repair it.

But Collins said that Friday there was a lot of work going on, including a pending bid proposal for the first stage of mold remediation, which should go out within the next two weeks.

"I can guarantee that we're going to do everything we can do to reopen it as soon as we possibly can when it's safe for people to use it," Collins said.

Residents remained skeptical.

"We as a community believe they have taken that money and used it on other projects, leaving no money for this," Winfield said.