HOUSTON – For the first time since a controversial plan to move the Sunnyside Multi-Purpose Center was revealed, Mayor Sylvester Turner addressed the community's residents in a town hall meeting.
A standing room only crowd of more than 200 packed the center's auditorium.
City leaders want to relocate the center to a site near an old landfill at Sunnyside Park.
An environmental study by Terrain Solutions Inc. that was completed in March found "no concentrations of the suspected contaminants in the tested media that exceeded health standards."
But many residents said they don't believe the results or the politicians and think that the city wants to sell the current land to a developer.
Turner disputed that claim.
"I'm not coming here trying to take your property and dismiss you. I'm not making any money off this deal," Turner said.
Some residents did not seem persuaded by the mayor and vowed to continue their fight.
"We're gonna fight for this neighborhood. We're not going to take tokens and you're not gonna give us what you want," said Sandra Massie Hines, the honorary mayor of Sunnyside.
Turner has not announced a timeline for his decision on the center.