Make that check payable to...

...the Friends of Lee LeClear Tennis Center, Inc.

I am pleased to share with you that on September 10th, the Friends of Lee LeClear Tennis Center, Inc., the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and the Houston Parks Board announced the beginning of their $5.4 million fundraising campaign to renovate the 40-year-old Lee LeClear Tennis Center located in District J at 9506 S. Gessner just north of Fire Station 68.

Built in 1972, and originally named the Southwest Tennis Center, the facility was renamed the Lee LeClear Tennis Center in 1995 in honor of Lee LeClear, the longtime tennis pro who served as the manager and head tennis pro at the center for 20 years. In 2012, Lee LeClear was inducted into the Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game of tennis. He was born in Chicago and taught himself to play tennis when he was young. He devoted his life to the game of tennis and considered his greatest accomplishment to be instilling the love of the game to those with whom he came in contact. Literally thousands of Houstonians have learned to love the game under the direction of Lee LeClear. Patti LeClear, Lee's widow, is leading the fundraising efforts of the Friends of Lee LeClear Tennis Center.

When the fundraising is completed, the proposed renovation plans for the center include the demolition of the existing facility, including the clubhouse building, tennis courts, lighting, walkways, and a plaza. The proposed new center includes a two-level building with an observation deck, new concrete courts and a practice wall, a center court seating and shade structure, walkways and entry plaza, site landscaping, irrigation, security cameras, furnishings, and a drop off zone.

The Friends of Lee LeClear Tennis Center are working in conjunction with the Houston Parks Board on their fundraising campaign. Information on the campaign can be found on the Houston Parks Board website, under the Lee LeClear Tennis Center project tab.

I want to thank Patti LeClear and the Board of the LeClear Friends organization for their work in raising money for this project. I hope you will join me in contributing to this vital work and thereby help to further re-vitalize this part of District J.

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Voter ID Information

 
Starting this election season, all Texas voters will be required to present photo identification when voting in person at Early Voting or on Election Day.  

Only the following forms of ID will be accepted:

• Texas driver license-unexpired or expired less than 60 days - issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety 
• Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC) issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS-unexpired or expired less than 60 days
• Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS-unexpired or expired less than 60 days
• United States military identification card containing the person's photograph - unexpired or expired less than 60 days
• United States citizenship certificate containing the person's photograph
• United States passport-unexpired or expired less than 60 days

Heavy Trash Options 

 
If you have some heavy trash or recycling that just can't wait for your designated curbside pick up date, you can bring your items to the Southwest Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Center located at 10785 Southwest Freeway Houston.

The depository accepts furniture, tree waste, appliances, and tires (up to 10 per month per household, rims not accepted). The depository also accepts the following recyclable items:

• Aluminum, tin, and empty aerosol cans
• #1-5 and #7 plastics (not toys, packing materials, flower pots, styrofoam, plastic bags or furniture)
• Newspapers and magazines
• Clear and colored glass bottles and jars
• Used motor oil
• Tree waste
• Cardboard

REMINDER - 30th Annual National Night Out

The 30th Annual Night Out  (NNO) is around the corner - Tuesday, October 1 from 6 to 9 pm. Your District J office and the Houston Police Department want to know if your community has any plans for an NNO gathering. 

To let your District J office know about your community's plans for NNO, you can email us at DistrctJ@houstontx.gov or call us at 832-393-3015. We also encourage you to register your neighborhood with your nearest HPD station.

• South Gessner Division - Officer Daniel Mendoza, 832-597-5605
• Midwest Division - Officer Joe Vasquez, 713-735-2062
• Southwest Division - Officer Ronald Price, 713-433-2720
• Westside Division - Officer Andra Sterns, 713-773-7000 

District J Spotlight - HFD Station 51 

 
The fourth and final installment in our Fire Station series is HFD Station 51.  Station 51, located at 6902 Bellaire at Bintliff, was originally built in 1962. Since its construction, it has undergone 2 renovations.  The most recent in 1999 raised the roof of the apparatus area to accommodate a taller ladder. 

Retired Firefighter Norman Champagne spent over 30 years at Station 51. He saw Sharpstown grow up around the station. When he first began at 51 in 1978, Bellaire Boulevard was a 2 lane asphalt road surrounded by open fields. Back then, the ambulance had to be kept in the back of the station. It now has its own bay that was added in the 1990's.  The station also had an engine and a ladder. Currently, Station 51 still houses an engine and a ladder, and a basic life support (BLS) ambulance.  

Firefighter Champagne spoke very highly of his years with Station 51. All the crew members get along very well, and many who have left the station choose to return.

He was also kind enough to share a story from the early 1980's when their ladder truck was out for repairs.  The reserve ladder they had to use was so old, it had a bell instead of sirens! They got a lot of funny looks rolling down the road in that old Mack open cab ladder. But they made it work. They put out a high rise fire using it.  Proof that Station 51 is "Always Rollin'!"