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HOW ARE YOU? IS OKAY? A LITTLE LOWER?[Press Conference: "Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan"]
SURE.ALRIGHT, WELL, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY EXCITING MORNING.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO GET, GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS, UH, WHO ARE WITH US TODAY, MANY OF WHICH, FORTUNATELY YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM AND NOT JUST HEARING FROM ME TODAY.
UM, SO I WANT TO THANK, UH, MAYOR TURNER FOR BEING HERE.
UNLIKE SO MANY OF THOSE LUNCHEONS THAT YOU GO TO, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY CLAP FOR EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS.
THEY'RE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS AND THEY DESERVE THEIR OWN SHOUT OUTS HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON, LEE CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA, COUNCILWOMAN CARLOS CISNEROS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
COUNCILMAN MATT HARSHA JACKSON, OUR HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.
I'M LOOKING, IF NOT, THEY'RE NOT TAKING THEIR SEATS AND, UH, BUT WE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THEM HERE.
UM, ALRIGHT, WELL, WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THAT OUR REGION IS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THIS SET OF DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO SEE THE HOLISTIC VALUE OF PROJECTS JUST LIKE THIS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW US, THE BUFFALO VALUE PARTNERSHIP IS A NONPROFIT THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR REVITALIZING OUR CITY'S HISTORIC WATERWAY.
CONTINUING BP'S LEGACY OF CREATING, TRANSFORM, TRANSFORMATIVE AND WELCOMING GREEN SPACES.
OUR ORGANIZATION HAS LAUNCHED A MASTER PLAN IN 2019 FOR THE BAYOU EAST SECTOR FROM US 59 THROUGH THE PORT OF HOUSTON TURNING BASIN.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THESE RENDERINGS, THE PLAN ENVISIONS NEW PARKS, TRAILS, CULTURAL DESTINATIONS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, CONNECTIONS TO AMONG AND WITHIN THE HISTORIC FIFTH WARD AND THE GREATER EAST END.
AND ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF COMMUNITY INPUT.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO ANNOUNCE AN EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO ACCELERATE THE REALIZATION OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU EAST MASTER PLAN OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS THAT HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY SOME VERY COMMITTED PARTNERS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A MAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION.
THE CITY'S OF HOUSTON'S BIGGEST ADVOCATE AND CHANGE MAKER MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
AND LET ME START OFF BY THANKING YOU AND, AND THE BOARD OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU, UH, PARTNERSHIP.
UH, LET ME THANK ANN OON AND, AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, ALL OF YOU WHO ARE, WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
UH, NORMALLY I WOULD CALL OUT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS NAMES, BUT SINCE THEIR NAMES HAVE ALREADY BEEN CALLED, LET ME JUST SAY HI.
WE ARE ALL VERY MUCH INDEBTED TO THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP, UH, FOR ALL THEY HAVE DONE TO CREATE THE BEAUTIFUL PARKS AND TRAILS WE HAVE COME TO ENJOY AS HOUSTONIANS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THEM, UH, FOR BEING VERY DILIGENT AND DEDICATED AND, AND VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO CONTINUE THE PARTNERSHIP'S TRANSFORMATIVE WORK.
I'M DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE A HISTORIC PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO REALIZE THE ORGANIZATION'S VISIONARY BUFFALO BAYOU EAST MASTER PLAN, A COLLABORATION THAT ALSO INCLUDES HARRIS COUNTY, OUR PARTNERS WITH HARRIS COUNTY, OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND QUITE FRA UH, FRANKLY, OUR PRIVATE PARTNERS AS WELL.
OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE WILL SEE MORE THAN $310 MILLION INVESTED IN BUFFALO BAES.
AND, UH, LET ME JUST SAY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I WANT TO THANK THE KINDRA FOUNDATION, UH, RICH AND NANCY KINDER FOR JUST BEING VERY GENEROUS IN THEIR SUPPORT,
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IN THEIR SUPPORT OF PARKS AND GREEN SPACE.WHY DON'T YOU JUST NOW GIVE IT UP TO, AND I'LL SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY, BUT I WILL TELL YOU OF THAT $310 MILLION, ALMOST ONE THIRD OF THAT IS COMING FROM THE KINDER FOUNDATION, ALMOST
THAT'S A, THAT'S A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WHEN I SAY
AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO GO ON
UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND PARTNERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED, UH, $83.5 MILLION FOR THIS VISIONARY PLAN AND BROKEN DOWN FOR THE CITY.
THAT'S 36.7 MILLION TO BE UTILIZED FOR PARK PROJECTS AND ANOTHER 46.8 MILLION FOR NON-PAR PROJECTS.
I WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY, UH, FOR THEIR, UH, COLLABORATION, THEIR PARTNERSHIP, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA, THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, UH, FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
IT HAS JUST BEEN A STORY COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
AND FOR THAT, I WANNA PERSONALLY THANK THEM.
AND THEN MUCH OF WHAT WE RECEIVED, UH, MANY OF THE PROJECTS WE PUT, WE PUT IN PLACE WHEN WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, WITHOUT OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S IN A VERY GENERIC SENSE, BUT BEHIND THAT, UM, FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE PERSONALITIES, PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, PEOPLE WHO ARE SENSITIVE AND UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND WE HAVE TWO OUTSTANDING CONGRESSPERSONS WHO ARE HERE, WHO HAVE HELPED TO DRAW DOWN FEDERAL DOLLARS.
YES, BRING THEM INTO OUR LOCAL DOMAIN AND WE ARE PUTTING THEM TO USE, UH, BECAUSE OF THEM.
PLEASE GIVE IT UP AGAIN TO CONGRESSWOMAN, SHE AND IKA GARCIA.
THE VISION INCLUDES, AS SHAUNA SAID, RESTORING, EXPANDING, AND IMPROVING PARKLAND, INCLUDING THE TONY MARONE AT JAFFER CREEK PARK.
IN FACT, THE TONY MARONE PARK WILL GO FROM 19 ACRES TO ABOUT 40 ACRES, AND JAFF CREEK EXTENDS RIGHT INTO THE HISTORIC FIFTH WARD.
NEW PARKS, NEW TRAILS, TWO PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, CONNECTING THE GREATER EAST END TO FIFTH WARD, ENHANCING OUR REGIONAL NETWORK.
AND SO NEW HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS ALONG BUFFALO BAYOU FROM DOWNTOWN TRAILS TO LOCKWOOD DRIVE.
TWO NEW PEDESTRIAN TRAIL BRIDGES OVER BUFFALO BAYOU, GREG STREET AND JAFF STREET, A NEW PARK CENTER MAINTENANCE CENTER, NEW AND ENHANCED PUBLIC STREETS CONNECTING TO THE PARK AT MARONE PARKWAY, UH, AND SO MUCH MORE.
IT WILL ALSO INCLUDE TWO, A NEW MIXED USE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, 80 UNIT MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT WITH 72 AFFORDABLE UNITS.
A NEW HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FACILITY AT TURKEY BEND, A HISPANIC, A HISPANIC HISTORY RESEARCH AND ARCHIVE CENTER THAT I KNOW THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, UH, ROBERT GALLEGOS HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONING FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
GIVE IT UP TO THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS AN EXISTING INDUSTRIAL SPACE AT TURKEY BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A VIBRANT WATERFRONT DESTINATION.
THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITIES.
IT WILL BRING NEW BAYOU PARKS, TRAILS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CULTURAL DESTINATIONS TO THE UNDERSERVED GREATER EAST END AND FIFTH WARD NEIGHBORHOOD.
HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE WEDNESDAY ON THE BUFFALO BAYOU EAST 10 YEAR PLAN AND THEIR TRI PARTY AGREEMENT.
AND LET ME PAUSE AND GIVE SPECIAL CREDIT TO TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL.
THE MECHANICS I PULLING THIS AGREEMENT TOGETHER OVER THE LAST MANY MONTHS, UH, MANY MONTHS.
UH, ANDY EON THE CHIEF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER GUY BERG WITH THE TENDER FOUNDATION GUY AND ANDY HAVE JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE.
ANDY HAS BROUGHT AGREEMENT AFTER AGREEMENT TO ME, AND WE HAVE STARTED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
UH, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN PERSISTENT AND NANCY AND RICH, THEY HAVE MADE IT HAPPEN AND WE ARE VERY MUCH INDEBTED TO THEM NOW.
UH, LET ME JUST SAY, LET ME THANK THE KINDER FOUNDATION AND RICHARD NANCY FOR PROVIDING A HISTORIC GIFT OF $100 MILLION FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.
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I BELIEVE THIS IS THE LARGEST GIFT THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ANY PARK INITIATIVE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY.AND I WANT US TO UNDERSCORE THAT AND NOT MINIMIZE THAT THIS INCREDIBLE ACT OF GENEROSITY MARKS THE LARGEST PHILANTHROPIC GIFT IN THE HISTORY OF HOUSTON PARKS AND GREEN SPACE.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S LARGER HAPPENS TO BE THEIR HEARTS.
UH, WELL, I'M GONNA POUR SOME CIRCLE ON YOU TODAY.
SO JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS GIFT IS ESPECIALLY NOTEWORTHY AS IT TOUCHES ON TWO OF THE CITIES, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, THE FIFTH WARD IN EAST END.
AND I WILL TELL YOU FOR ME, AS MAYOR OF THE CITY, UH, THIS IS BEYOND THE PARKS AND THE TRAILS AND THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES.
UH, THIS IS ALSO VERY PERSONAL BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
BUT THIS REPRESENTS A HISTORIC INVESTMENT ON THE EAST END.
AND, AND, AND IT JUST DIDN'T, IT'S NOT JUST HAPPENING ON ITS OWN.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL AND VERY FOCUSED IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
THE KINDER FOUNDATION, THE RICH AND NANCY KINDER HAS BEEN THE FORCE BEHIND, UH, HOUSTON BECOMING ONE OF THE NATION'S GREAT GREEN CITIES.
AND WHAT IS MORE THE FOUNDATION HAS LEVERAGED ITS PHIL PHILANTHROPY.
TO FORM THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WE NEED TO MAKE BIG THINGS HAPPEN IN THIS CITY.
AS WE HAVE REPEATEDLY PROVEN, OUR VALUES ARE GREAT TREASURES TO OUR CITY.
THEY PROVIDE THE CRITICAL DRAINAGE NEEDED FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BUT WITH WORK DONE IN MEMORIAL PARK, BUFFALO BAYOU PARK, BAYOU GREENWAY, AND NOW BUFFALO BAYOU EAST, THEY ALSO CAN GREATLY ENHANCE OUR PARKS AND GREEN SPACE FOR RECREATION PURPOSES FOR OUR CITY.
I ALSO WANT TO COMMENT, COMMENT ON WHAT MAKES THIS PROJECT SO SPECIAL.
FOR OVER 20 YEARS, THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HAS SPENT TIME ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO PLAN THIS PROJECT.
THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BAYOU, TO THE SOUTH SIDE, AND TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND TO THE CITY AND COUNTY.
IN 2017, WORK BEGAN ON DETAILED PLANNING.
THE MASTER PLAN WAS SIGNIFICANT ENGAGEMENT FROM ALL PARTIES WAS DEVELOPED.
AND TO TODAY, WE ARE SEEING EXECUTION OF MAJOR PARTS OF THAT PLAN.
THERE ARE NEVER ENOUGH PUBLIC FUNDS TO ADDRESS INFRASTRUCTURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THROUGH PUBLIC, PRIVATE, UH, PARTNERSHIPS.
WE CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL AND ENDURING IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF EVERY HOUSTONIAN.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP VISION FOR BUFFALO BAYOU EAST COME TO FRUITION.
WE'VE HAD MAJOR INVESTMENTS ON THE WEST SIDE, AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'VE HAD MAJOR INVESTMENTS DOWNTOWN.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE GREATER, UH, EAST END AND WHEN IT COMES TO FIFTH WARD, WE HAVE NOT HAD WHAT I CALL TRANSFORMATIONAL INVESTMENT, TRANSFORMATIONAL GIFTS GIVEN TO THE EAST SIDE AND TO THE FIFTH WARD TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
WELL, TODAY THAT HAS CHANGED, BUT IT DIDN'T JUST CHANGE ACCIDENTALLY.
IT, IT DIDN'T JUST CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO JUST QUICKLY PASS BY THIS DAY AS IF IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY BECAUSE IT DOES NOT.
AND IN FACT, UH, THIS IS INDEED HISTORIC.
AND SO RICH AND NANCY, AGAIN, LET ME SAY THANK YOU FOR LETTING ALL OF HOUSTON KNOW THAT ALL OF HOUSTON IS WORTH BEING INVESTED IN SO FAR OUR FAMILIES AND TO THESE KIDS AND TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OUT HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
FROM FIFTH WARD TO EAST END, THIS IS A NEW DAY AND IT ALSO MEANS IT'S A NEW DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
NOT SURE THEY'RE DESERVED, BUT IT'S NICE TO GET 'EM.
UH, AT THE KINDER FOUNDATION, WE HAVE HISTORICALLY CONCENTRATED ON SUPPORTING AND ENABLING WHAT WE CALL TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS.
AND I REALLY CAN'T IMAGINE ANY PROJECT MORE TRANSFORMATIONAL THAN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY.
THE MAYOR HAS EMPHASIZED A LOT OF THIS, BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO STRESS THIS IS BEYOND JUST URBAN GREEN SPACE.
THIS PROJECT WILL CONNECT FIFTH WARD, UH, WITH THE GREATER EAST END.
WE'RE BUILDING TWO NEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, ONE OF 'EM ALMOST WITHIN SIGHT, THE JAFFET CREEK BRIDGE, WHICH WILL CONNECT
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A NEAT LITTLE PARK ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING THE JAFFET CREEK PARK.AND WE'LL HAVE THE GREG STREET BRIDGE, ANOTHER PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE BACK UP THE BAYOU.
IT'LL REINVIGORATE AND EXPAND TONY MARONE PARK, WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND NOT ONLY EXPANDING THE PARK, BUT IT'LL BE A GATHERING PLACE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS.
AND WE'LL PROVIDE REAL ACCESS TO THE BAYOU, UH, FOR ALL OF THEM.
IT'LL PROVIDE BIKE AND HIKE TRAILS ALL THE WAY FROM DOWNTOWN, EVENTUALLY TO THE TURNING BASIN.
AND I THINK THAT'S MAGNIFICENT.
YOU CAN LOOK IN THE BACKGROUND TODAY AND SEE THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE, SEE HOW CLOSE WE ARE.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET, UH, ON YOUR BIKE AND GO ALL THE WAY FROM SHEPHERD STREET, UH, THROUGH BUFFALO BIO PARK AND ALL THE WAY DOWN EVENTUALLY TO THE TURNING BASIN.
AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS PLAN ENVISIONS THAT ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE DEVELOPED IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS THE CULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL LEGACIES OF BUFFALO BIO EAST, WHILE ALSO ENSURING THAT THESE SPACES WILL CONNECT LONGTIME RESIDENTS AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE WATERFRONT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY.
I'LL JUST CONCLUDE BY SAYING THIS, A PROJECT OF THIS SIZE AND COMPLEXITY CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT PARTNERS.
AND IN THAT RESPECT, WE AT THE FOUNDATION ARE VERY FORTUNATE.
BUFFALO BIO PARTNERSHIP LED BY ANN OLSON ARE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN EVERYTHING ALONG BUFFALO BIO.
THEY HAVE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB ON BUFFALO BIO PARK, THEY'RE A SUPERB ORGANIZATION, AND THEY PARTNERED WITH US ON THAT PARK AND THEY CREATED SOMETHING THAT IS UNIQUE AND USED BY RESIDENTS ACROSS THE METROPOLITAN AREA.
AND I KNOW THEY WILL BRING THE SAME LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND ENTHUSIASM TO THIS NEW ENDEAVOR.
SO I'D JUST LIKE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ANN OLSON AND BUFFALO BIO PARTNERSHIP, BUT OUR PARTNERSHIP DOESN'T STOP THERE.
UH, WE'RE ALSO VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A WILLING PARTNER THROUGH THREE ADMINISTRATIONS.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THEM, UH, ON THE DISCOVERY GREEN, ON BUFFALO BIO PARK, ON BIO GREENWAYS, AND ON THE REVITALIZATION OF MEMORIAL PARK.
AND WE KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE EQUALLY ENGAGED AND SUPPORTIVE OF BUFFALO BIO EAST.
AND WE APPRECIATE, AS ALWAYS, A SOLID SUPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP OF MAYOR TURNER.
NOW WITH REGARD TO THE COUNTY, THIS IS OUR FIRST PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, BUT WE'RE ENORMOUSLY PLEASED WITH THE BACKING WE'VE RECEIVED FROM COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND DELIGHTED THAT RODNEY AND ADRIAN ARE HERE TO SHARE THIS PLATFORM WITH US TODAY.
AND OF COURSE, OF COURSE IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE IS ALWAYS READY TO LEND HER SUPPORT TO OUR CIVIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
AND WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
AND WE'RE ALSO GRATIFIED TO HAVE CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA WITH US TODAY.
SHE'S BEEN SO INVOLVED IN THE GREATER EAST END FOR SO MANY YEARS, AND WE RECOGNIZE HER SUPPORT AND WE KNOW THAT THIS ENDEAVOR IS PERSONAL TO HER AND VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE RESIDENTS OF OUR DISTRICT.
SO IN SHORT, WHILE OUR DONATION WILL KICKSTART THIS PROJECT, IT'LL ONLY SUCCEED WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM TO ACHIEVE OUR AMBITIOUS GOALS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, AS THE MAYOR AND RICH SAID, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY TO MAKING VISIONARY PROJECTS LIKE THIS PROJECT A REALITY.
OUR REGION IS BLESSED TO HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC SECTOR LEADER IN THIS AREA, HARRIS COUNTY, AND THE STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY WILL HAVE LASTING IMPACTS FOR YEARS TO COME.
THIS PROJECT COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNTY, INCLUDING JUDGE HIDALGO AND THIS MOST CAPABLE TEAM OF PARKS AND TRAILS CHAMPIONS AND COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS AND ADRIAN GARCIA, YOU BOTH HAVE COMMITTED TO THIS PROJECT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WITH FULL ENERGY AND DEDICATION YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAMS. AND THAT'S BECOME A TRADEMARK OF YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE RESPECTIVELY.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK BOTH OF YOU TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS, ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE I SPENT ALL MY TIME WATCHING WHAT WAS HAPPENING OVER ACROSS THE POND.
NOW, WHEN YOU HEAR SOMEONE SAY ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED, THAT MEANS THAT RICH AND NANCY KINDER ARE AT IT
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AGAIN,WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE THEM.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, UNLIKE SOME OF OUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE POND WHO BUILT MAGNIFICENT EMPIRES, THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS ARE GIVING AWAY THEIR EMPIRE WHILE THEY ARE ALIVE.
95% OF THEIR WEALTH, IT RIVALS ANYTHING ANYBODY HAS DONE IN THE HISTORY OF TEXAS.
CLEARLY, I SAW ARTICLE OVER THE WEEKEND THAT PUT YOU TWO ON PAR WITH JESSE JONES.
WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME? GIVING THEM ANOTHER STANDING OVATION FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN.
YOU ALL THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING.
AND OTHER THAN THE BICYCLE, AND I DIDN'T WANNA MESS UP YOUR CEREMONY, I PUT ONE ON THE BACK OF MY CAR.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW I HAVE A BICYCLE ON MY SHIRT.
I'VE HAD THE GOOD PRIVILEGED MAYOR OF WALKING AND RIDING SOME OF THE GREATEST CITIES IN THE WORLD.
THIS BICYCLE SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT BARCELONA.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, FROM ALL OF MY WRITING, I'VE SEEN NOTHING MORE MAGNIFICENT THAN THE VIEW OF HOUSTON FROM THE BAYOU IN RICHARD NANCY.
NOT JUST WHAT YOU'VE DONE ON BUFFALO BAYOU, ALL OF THESE BAYOU MAGNIFICENT, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE IT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
TAKE THAT FROM A SERIOUS ELDERLY CYCLIST
AND I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE DOING THIS WHILE I'M STILL ON MY BICYCLE
WHEN ON MY TRICYCLE
AND YOU KNOW, SHE'S ALWAYS SYLVIA THE ENERGIZER BUNNY.
SHE SHOWS UP, SHE SHOWS UP ON WHAT WILL BE PART OF AN EMANCIPATION TRAIL OVER AT TEXAS SOUTHERN.
WE HAD THIS ELECTRIC TRICYCLE, THEN SHE POSTED IT.
I GOT CALLS FROM 5-YEAR-OLD COLLEAGUES SAYING, DID SHEILA REALLY RIDE THAT TRICYCLE ALL THE WAY FROM GALVESTON? I SAID, ZIP.
I'M NOT SAYING A WORD FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
AS THE MAYOR SAID, THE FOLKS AT THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HAVE HAD A VISION TO UTILIZE OUR GREATEST NATURAL RESOURCE IN THIS, IN THIS CITY, THESE BAYOU TO BRING US TOGETHER AND IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND OVER THOSE 30 YEARS, WE'VE SEEN BUFFALO BAYOU TRANSFORM FROM A CONCRETE RIVER THAT DIVIDED COMMUNITIES TO A BEAUTIFUL, THRIVING GREEN SPACE THAT CONNECTS US.
MIKE GARR, I SAW YOU AND SOME OF THE OLD TIMERS WHO HAD THESE BOOTLEG TRAILS OUT HERE AND PUT A LOT OF MONEY IN THEM.
BY THE WAY, I WANNA GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
MIKE GARR, FOLKS WHO WERE DOING THIS BEFORE.
ANYBODY, THIS IS AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT.
IT REQUIRES BUY-IN, AS RICH SAID, FROM THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S NO LIMIT, UH, TO WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE FORGET ABOUT COUNTY LINES AND CITY LINES AND FIGURE OUT LINES THAT BRING US TOGETHER AND THAT NOT DIVIDE US.
AT PRECINCT ONE, WE'VE COMMITTED $136 MILLION IN PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE TRAILS AND BIKEWAYS.
THIS INVESTMENT HAS RESULTED IN 38 MILES OF TRAILS AND 64 MILES OF BIKEWAYS, INCLUDING THOSE COMPLETED AND THOSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE'VE LEVERAGED IT WHAT OUR PARTNERS, THE CITY AND MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE REGION TO MAKE PEOPLE PAUSE AND LOOK AT US AND THINK ABOUT BIKING IN HOUSTON.
YOU DAMN RIGHT, BIKING IN HOUSTON.
WE'VE APPROVED A PLAN THAT PRECINCT ONE UP AT THE COUNTY WITH COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE OVER $53 MILLION IN TOLL MONEY TO PAY FOR MAJOR EXPANSION OF OUR BIKE TRAILS.
CONNECTING COMMUNITIES THAT CURRENTLY HAVE LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO SAVE TRAILS OR BIKE PASS.
IT'S MY HOPE THAT WE WILL EVENTUALLY INVEST $600 MILLION INTO THAT INITIATIVE AND WE'LL ADD 200.
236 MILES OF NEW SAFE, INTERCONNECTED BIKE PATHS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
WE ARE NOT GONNA TAKE $600 MILLION FROM THE TOW ROAD.
WE HOPE TO LEVERAGE THAT WITH FEDERAL MONIES AND HOPEFULLY SOME STATE MONIES.
SO WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME ALONG TO INVEST IN THIS BOLD INITIATIVE FROM BUFFALO BAYOU EAST, IT WAS A NO BRAINER IS FITTING THAT PRECINCT ONE WOULD PUT UP $10 MILLION AND $10 MILLION FROM MY COMPADRE.
THAT'S $20 MILLION PLUS HIS PARTS A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE.
WE'LL BUILD THAT JAPI CREEK PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE BRIDGE AND THE GREG STREET PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE BRIDGES THAT WILL CONNECT TO COMMUNITIES THAT FOR FAR TOO LONG HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.
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LAST POINT, RICH.I GOT UP THIS MORNING AND I DID MY LITTLE NORMAL 12 MILE RIDE.
IT'LL BE A LOT COOLER LATER ON IN THE WEEK, BUT I'M GOING TO WASHINGTON.
I WON'T GET TO ENJOY THE BREEZE.
SO YOU HAVE TO GET UP AT SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING WHEN THE SUN COMES UP IN RIOT.
FIRST STOP WAS OVER AT RICE UNIVERSITY AND I COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK ABOUT IN ADDITION TO PARKS AND OTHER GREAT PROJECTS YOU INVESTED IN THAT CENTER AT RICE, THAT FORCES US TO THINK BEYOND THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH DURING OUR TIME IN OFFICE.
AND THEY FORCED US AT THE KINDER INSTITUTE TO TAKE ON TOUGH ISSUES.
THEN I PASSED BY THE KINDER SCHOOL WHERE I WISH MY DAUGHTER HAD GONE.
IT WOULD'VE HELPED HER TO GET INTO THAT SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS.
SHE MADE IT, BUT BARELY, YOU'VE INVESTED SO MUCH OF YOUR RESOURCES AND THE MAKING THIS CITY A BETTER PLACE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT HOUSTON WOULD BE LIKE, WHAT THIS COUNTY WOULD BE LIKE WITHOUT RICH AND NANCY KINDER.
WITH THAT, I'LL BRING UP MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND, UH, TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, IT, SHE'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, BUT, UH, I DO WANT TO GIVE, UH, THIS INCREDIBLE YOUNG LADY A NICE, UH, ROUND OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION BECAUSE, UM, THERE'S PROBABLY NO ONE, UH, THAT I KNOW MAYBE BESIDES THE CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, WHO DON'T KNOW THE MEANING OF THE ANSWER.
SHE KNOWS HOW TO CUT YOU OFF RIGHT BEFORE YOU GET TO KNOW
BUT TO THE BOARD, SEAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL.
UH, MAYOR TURNER AND COMMISSIONER ELLIS HAVE HAVE TOUCHED ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS.
AND, UH, AND I ALSO WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA, UH, BECAUSE WHERE WE'RE AT WAS A PART OF HER VISION.
SHE HELPED TO MAKE THE TONY MARONE, UH, PARK HAPPEN.
AND SO I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA BUILD ON THAT PARTICULAR VISION AS WELL.
BUT AS COMMISSIONER ELLIS HAS TO, HAS TOUCHED ON, UH, LOOK, IT, IT, UH, IT HAS IT, IT HAS TO BE REPEATED OF HOW SIGNIFICANT THINGS CAN BE AND, UH, AND AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY, UH, LIKE THE KINDERS AND, UH, AND RICH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAVE DONE.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY, NANCY, THANK YOU FOR GIVING HIM PERMISSION TO SIGN THE CHECK.
THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS AT MY HOUSE.
BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT WHEN, WHEN THE STARS ALIGN, UH, WITH AN INCREDIBLE PHILANTHROPIST, UH, LIKE THE KINDER FAMILY AND THEN OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, AND THE ADMINISTRATION, AND THEN TO HAVE TWO ADVOCATES WHO REGARDLESS OF HAVING A FRIENDLY ADMINISTRATION, DON'T STOP ASKING AND ADVOCATING FOR THEIR HOMETOWN AND THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS.
SO AGAIN, TO THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THANK YOU.
AND THEN AS, UH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS LIKES TO SAY, UH, WHEN HE WAS ALL ALONE ON ON COURT, HE STILL WAS AN INCREDIBLE ADVOCATE, UH, RAISING ISSUES, UH, FIGHTING FOR EQUITY AND ENSURING THAT EQUITY WAS NOT JUST A SIX LETTER WORD, UH, NOR THAT IT BE THOUGHT OF AS A FOUR LETTER WORD.
UH, BUT REALLY SETTING THE, THE, THE TONE FOR WHEN, UH, THE SUPPORT OF, UH, COUNTY JUDGE LENA HIDALGO AND MYSELF CAME HOW WE COULD BE INTENTIONAL AS MAYOR TURNER SAID, BUT ALSO TRANSFORMATIONAL.
AND, UM, AND TO THE BOARD, UH, I, UH, OF THE GREATER OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
LEMME JUST SAY THIS, UH, AND ANN IN PARTICULAR, UM, WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GALLEGOS AND, AND CISNEROS AND I CAME TO THE BOARD, UH, TO SAY THAT WE OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT AND RESPECT AND LOVE AND ADMIRE ALL THAT THE BBP HAS DONE AND IS DOING, BUT TO ASK THEM TO,
[00:30:02]
JUST TO TAKE A SECOND AND PAUSE TO REFLECT ON JOSE AND THAT REGRETFULLY BE THIS SAME BODY OF WATER, UH, WHERE, UH, HE WAS THROWN IN, UH, AND LOST HIS LIFE, UH, AT THE HANDS OF, UM, POLICE OFFICERS.AND TO SAY THAT HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO YET AGAIN BE INTENTIONAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL.
I, I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT I THINK WE ALL EXPECTED A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
AND I WANT TO THANK MAYOR TURNER FOR LENDING HIS SUPPORT, UH, TO THAT ENDEAVOR AS WELL.
BUT WHAT'S SPECIAL BEYOND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TOUCHED ON, THE MOVEMENT OF THE PARTNERSHIP FURTHER INTO THE EAST END TOUCHING FIFTH WARD, UH, IT'S ENABLING US TO FOREVER BURY, UH, TITLES LIKE THE BLOODY FIFTH.
UM, BUT TO SPEAK TO A HISTORICAL COMMUNITY, UH, THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AND TO THE EAST END, UH, THAT HAS BEEN HOME TO SO MUCH INDUSTRY THAT HELPED TO BUILD THIS TOWN, THIS STATE, AND THIS NATION, THIS TRAIL WILL ALLOW US, UH, TO GO TO BE ON IT AND TOUCH ALL THESE THINGS AND SEE ALL THESE THINGS.
BUT IT'S GONNA BE PRETTY DARN SPECIAL TO SAY THAT IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, THIS TRAIL IS NOW NAMED AFTER A VIETNAM WAR VETERAN WHO IF WE HAD JUST BEEN MUCH MORE ADVANCED BACK THEN, WE WOULD'VE UNDERSTOOD BETTER POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
WE WOULD'VE UNDERSTOOD, UH, ANXIETY, WE WOULD'VE KNOWN ABOUT DEESCALATION, UM, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE WOULD'VE BEEN MUCH MORE BROADER IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH CAPACITY, BUT WE WEREN'T THERE YET.
AND WE'D WERE NOT WORKING TO RECRUIT THE TYPE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
THIS TRAIL WILL FOREVER RESPECT AND HONOR SOMEONE WHOSE LIFE WAS TAKEN OVER 40 YEARS AGO.
AND IT'S JUST NOW BECAUSE OF THE GREATER, I MEAN, 'CAUSE OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIPS, LEADERSHIP AND WILLINGNESS TO INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY THAT HIS LIFE, HIS LEGACY, HIS FAMILY, WILL BE FOREVER RESPECTED AND HONORED.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND I WILL JUST SAY THAT, UH, IN CLOSING, THAT, UM, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF NOT FOR THE KINDER FAMILY.
SO AGAIN, TO RICH AND NANCY, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH ELSE YOU COULD HAVE BEEN DOING WITH A HUNDRED MILLION, BUT YOU CHOSE TO INVEST IT IN THIS HUMBLE, HARDWORKING COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID TO DO.
BUT I WOULD JUST ALSO SAY, NOT TRYING TO DAMPER THE OCCASION, BUT IT MATTERS WHEN YOU HAVE A GOOD TAX RATE.
IT MATTERS WHEN, UH, YOU CAN SUPPORT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
IT MATTERS, UH, WHEN WE'RE ADVANCING A BOND ELECTION THAT WILL HAVE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE.
AND SO I WANT TO JUST ENCOURAGE US ALL, UH, TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT A TAX RATE THAT IS REALLY A TAX DECREASE.
NUMBER ONE, JUST TO BE FACTUAL AND ACCURATE, WE'RE PROPOSING A TAX REDUCTION, UM, BUT A TAX RATE THAT ENABLES US TO BE TO, TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN PROGRESS BECAUSE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T NEED LESS, THEY NEED MORE.
I WANT TO NOW, UM, I WANT TO NOW, UM, GIVE SOME TIME FOR, FOR OUR LEADERSHIP AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UH, WE HAVE IN BENEFIT FROM TWO INCREDIBLE CONGRESSWOMEN WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH.
UM, I THINK ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN TRAIL AND THE WORK THAT CONGRESSMAN CONGRESSWOMAN LEE HAS DONE
[00:35:01]
TO BRING FUNDS FOR THAT, THAT CONNECTION GOES THROUGH A COUNTY BUILDING NO LESS WASN'T EASY THING TO GET AND NAVIGATE.UM, BUT SO CRITICAL AS WE THINK ABOUT THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE EARLIER ABOUT GOING ON A BIKE ALL THE WAY FROM SHEPHERD EVENTUALLY, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE TURNING BASIN CRITICAL LINK, UH, ON A PROJECT THAT'S SO MUCH ABOUT CONNECTIONS AND CONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND CONNECTING FOLKS TO RECREATIONAL BENEFITS, UH, AND THEN CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA AND ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP ON, ON THE EAST END ON NAVIGATION AND ESPANADE AND YOUR COUNTLESS EFFORTS, UH, FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IT'S SO EMBLEMATIC THAT BOTH OF YOU'RE SHARING THIS MOMENT WITH US, BOTH OF YOU'RE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT US, ENHANCE AND OPTIMIZE THESE PROJECTS.
SO I WOULD ASK, UH, BOTH OF YOU IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO COME UP AND GIVE SOME REMARKS.
SCOTT, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
THERE'S SUCH A MOTION IN THIS MOMENT.
I, I FEEL SUCH AN OVERWHELMING SENSE OF FAMILY, UH, AND TO SHOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT CONNECTEDNESS AND SOMETHING ABOUT CARING.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE BLESSED HERE IN HOUSTON, AND I KNOW THAT NANCY AND RON ARE SAYING HOW MUCH MORE, BUT IT'S JUST GONNA BE A LOT MORE.
IF WE HAD SOME WHIPPED CREAM, WE WOULD SEND IT IN YOUR DIRECTION.
THAT'S WHAT IT IS THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT JUST DOING THE NUMBERS, BUT THE FRIENDSHIP.
AND I'M GOING TO INSIST THAT YOU APPLAUD AGAIN FOR RON AND NANCY RICH.
THANK YOU, RICH FOR NOT SAYING YOUR NAME
UH, AND I AM GRATEFUL TO, UM, THE TEAM IN THE CITY.
UH, I'M GRATEFUL, UH, TO THE TEAM AT KINDER.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT YOU NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.
AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE, UH, PASTOR HARVEY CLEMENTS, WHO HAS BEEN A STUPENDOUS BRIGHT LIGHT IN CONNECTING FIFTH WARD TO THE EAST END.
AND I WANT TWO LADIES, I DON'T LOOK, DON'T SEEM TO SEE, UM, JOTA.
THESE ARE TWO LADIES THAT TRULY CONNECT US.
JUST STAND UP SO THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU BOTH A VERY BIG HAND.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
I AM DELIGHTED TO SAY THAT TODAY WITH THE MAYOR, THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY JUDGE, OUR COMMISSIONERS ELLIS, OUR COMMERS GARCIA, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS CISNEROS AND GALLEGOS, OUR PARK DIRECTOR AND MY COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND, CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA, THAT WE ARE CREATING A LIVING BOTANICAL GARDENS.
WHEN YOU SEE WHAT IS GIVEN HERE, WE HEARD ABOUT THE BIKE TRAILS, THE BRIDGES THAT WILL CONNECT US, BUT IN WASHINGTON, THERE'S A BOTANICAL GARDEN CONTAINED IN A BUILDING, AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SITES IN WASHINGTON.
BUT YOU ENTER INTO A BUILDING WITH FOUR WALLS, BEAUTIFUL INSIDE.
BUT ISN'T IT WONDERFUL TO TAKE THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, THE TOTAL OF $310 MILLION AND BE ABLE TO SAY ON THIS DESCRIPTION THAT IT IS CLEARLY THE OPENING OF A HOUSTON BOTANICAL GARDENS.
AND THE CONNECTION OF FIFTH WARD IN THE EAST END IS AN INDICATION OF CONNECTEDNESS.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, I HAVE ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL ON YOUR COMMITMENT TO ENDING FLOODING.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER EFFORT THAT WILL COME ABOUT AS WE WORK ON THIS BEAUTIFUL LIVING BOTANICAL GARDENS.
SO MY COMMITMENT IS, UH, TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUE ON THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT, ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES HISTORY, THE 700 BILLION PLUS IN THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, WHERE A SIZEABLE AMOUNT OF FUNDING WILL COME THROUGH THE 18TH AND THE 29TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, INCLUDING SOME OF THAT, MAKING YOUR AIRPORTS EVEN BETTER.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
AND IT TRULY IS ITS NAME, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF IT THAT HELPS, UH, THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP IS THE CLIMATE CHANGE, THE INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE THAT CAN GO ACROSS THE CITY
[00:40:01]
AND WORK WITH RICH AND NANCY AND THEIR EFFORTS OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE.SO MY FRIENDS, THE CONNECTEDNESS AND THE EMOTION IS THAT WE ARE TOGETHER, WE ARE FRIENDS, AND THAT WE'RE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATE THE FUNDS, NOT FOR US, BUT FOR THE DEPICTION OF THE LITTLE CHILDREN THAT WE SEE.
SO MY CLOSING REMARKS IS THAT WE'LL REMEMBER, UH, JOSE TORRES, WE REMEMBER THAT LIFE AND WE WILL HONOR THAT LIFE.
BUT AS WE HONOR THAT LIFE, WE'LL HONOR THE LIVES GOING FORWARD.
WE'LL HONOR THE INVESTMENT IN CHILDREN OF MANY DIVERSE COLORS AND BACKGROUNDS.
AND WE'LL SAY TO THEM THAT WE WHO HOLD THE REIGNS OF LEADERSHIP NOW HONORED AND GIVEN TO US BY THE PEOPLE, NOT OF OUR OWN POWER, THAT THE REINS OF POWER AND LEADERSHIP ARE ONLY FOR THE HELPING OF THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO COME.
THAT IS, I THINK, THE SWEETEST MOMENT OF THIS DAY, THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN THOSE PRECIOUS CHILDREN FOR PEACE, LONGEVITY, AND PROSPERITY.
WE'RE DOING WITH A MIXTURE OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDS THAT THE WORLD CAN WATCH.
COME SEE IN HOUSTON, OUR LIVING BOTANICAL GARDENS.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY ON, ON THIS SUCH A MEMORABLE HISTORIC DAY.
AS THE MAYOR SAID, IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE A HUNDRED MILLION, ALTHOUGH WE LOVE THE A HUNDRED MILLION, IT'S ABOUT WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT OUR GREAT CITY AND OUR GREAT PHILANTHROPIC, UH, COMMUNITY.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT IT SAYS IN PROVIDING EQUITY, IN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN QUITE FRANKLY IGNORED AND ARE CONSEQUENTLY UNDERSERVED, ARE GETTING ATTENTION.
SO I WANNA THANK RICH AND NANCY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR COMING FURTHER EAST BECAUSE THE WEST HAS BEEN CONQUERED
IT IS TIME TO COME EAST AND INVEST AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S EQUITY.
THAT THERE IS EQUITY, AND THAT WE HAVE WHAT GREEN SPACE IS AND BIKE TRAILS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IT'S ENVISIONED JUST LIKE THE WEST, BUT EVEN BETTER
AND I KNOW WITH A HUNDRED MILLION IN THE LEVERAGING OF ALL THE DOLLARS THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND WE CAN BRING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ALL THAT TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT.
AND I THINK IT WAS, WAS IT YOU RODNEY WHO SAID, OR WAS IT, UH, UH, SYLVESTER, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT WHEN THE FIRST PEOPLE ARRIVED TO, TO, TO THE HOUSTON AREA.
BUT FOR SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, DOCKING OVER THERE IN THE EAST END AND SAYING, GOD, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR FURTHER TRADE.
AND THE SHIP CHANNEL WAS BORN.
IT TOOK VISION, IT TOOK MONEY, AND IT HAPPENED.
SO IT'S GREAT THAT THIS PROJECT CONNECTS THAT VISION.
IT IS KIND OF FOLLOWING, FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH WHAT, EVEN BACK THEN, THE ENVISION FOR OUR AREA.
REMEMBER THE EAST END IS THE ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR OUR REGION AND OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY.
THAT'S WHERE THE PORT OF HOUSTON IS AND THE SHIP CHANNEL AND ALL THE INDUSTRY, THAT'S WHERE THE PLANTS ARE.
I HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS OF ANY DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY.
SO WE NEED TO INVEST IN THOSE WORKERS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE WHAT'S THE BEST EQUALIZER OF ALL GREEN SPACE THAT'S FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU GO TO ANY PARK IN THIS CITY AND IT'S FULL OF FAMILY'S PICNICKING HAVING FUN.
I KNOW I, UM, I REDID, UH, SYLVAN BEACH PARK.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT CITY OF HOUSTON MAYOR.
UH, BUT I WENT THERE RECENTLY.
THEY LITERALLY HAVE TO CLOSE THE GATES AND SAY, NO MORE PEOPLE, BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE GATHERING TOGETHER IN OPEN GREEN SPACES.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, UM, I KNOW NANCY WRITES THE CHECKS.
SHE ALSO MAKES THOSE PHONE CALLS.
I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A DAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE THAT WHEN YOU, SOMEBODY SAID NANCY'S ON THE LINE, THEY MEANT NANCY REAGAN.
AND YOU DIDN'T SAY NO TO NANCY REAGAN.
WELL, IN OUR BUSINESS, SHE LIVES IN MINE.
WHEN WE HEAR NANCY'S ON THE THE LINE, WE KNOW THAT'S
[00:45:01]
NANCY PELOSI.AND YOU DON'T SAY NO TO NANCY PELOSI
WHEN THEY SAY NANCY'S ON THE LINE, WE KNOW IT'S NANCY, KENDRA.
I, I TOLD HER EARLIER, I THINK SHE'S BEEN CALLING ME ABOUT PROJECTS SINCE I WAS CITY CONTROLLER.
SHE'S BEEN A PART OF, OF THE NETWORK, IF YOU WILL, THROUGHOUT MY CAREER.
AND RICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE SUPPORTING AND DOING EVERYTHING TOGETHER WITH HER FOR THE FOUNDATION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
UH, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS A HUNDRED MILLION.
I KNOW I ASKED, WE HAVE WHAT THEY NOW CALL COMMUNITY PROJECTS, NOT EARMARKS.
WE DIDN'T QUITE GET IT ALL, BUT I'M GONNA KEEP WORKING AT IT TILL WE GET IT BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THING, ALL THESE THINGS ARE NOT JUST SOMETHING ON A BANNER, BUT THEY'VE BECOME REALITY.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA BACK CLEAN UP HERE AND DO A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.
I'M SENSITIVE TO, UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE OUTSIDE THE TENT.
UH, IT'S A LITTLE WARM OUT THERE.
BUT, BUT THERE'S SOME REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT, THAT WE NEED TO, UH, WE NEED TO DISCUSS AND, AND THANK SOME REALLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE WHO'VE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS.
UM, SO WE ARE, WE ARE TRULY INDEBTED TO THE HUNDREDS OF HOURS THAT WENT INTO PUTTING THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HEAR P THREES, YOU HEAR IT ALL THE TIME.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S REALLY EASY, RIGHT? WELL, IT, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING THAN THAT, BUT IT'S MADE EASIER BY DEDICATED FOLKS WHO CARE ABOUT WHY WE'RE DOING IT AND THE REASONS BEHIND IT AND WHO PUT THEIR HARD WORK EFFORT AND TOLL AND EFFORTS INTO THAT.
AND SO I WANNA START, UH, WITH ANDY KIN AND BRIAN CRIMMONS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP ON THIS PROJECT.
AND IT'S NOT YOUR FIRST RODEO AND, AND, AND YOU CONTINUE TO, TO DELIVER BIGGER AND BIGGER.
UM, KENNETH ALLEN, LUCY, LUCY CORREA PARTS DEPARTMENT, INCREDIBLE PARTNERS.
I SEE JESSE BACK THERE AT THE COUNTY.
THE ENTIRE COUNTY TEAM, THE STAFF OF BOTH COMMISSIONERS, VERY, YOU KNOW, WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS AND WE'RE GRATEFUL.
I HAVE TO, I'M A LAWYER, SO I GOTTA PUT IN THE LEGAL TEAM.
WE HAD TO DOCUMENT THIS THING
UH, I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, LEGAL GROUPS WORK REALLY WELL AND I'VE SEEN 'EM NOT WORK SO WELL.
THIS GROUP WAS INCREDIBLE AND VERY, VERY HARDWORKING AND REPRESENTING THEIR INTERESTS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, WE GOT THIS THING DONE.
UH, AND THEN I, I, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED, BUT WE HAVE TO THANK OUR FEARLESS LEADER, ANN OLSON, WHO'S WHOSE, WHOSE INCREDIBLE GRIT DETERMINATION, UM, GOT US HERE.
UM, AND, AND MY DEDICATED BOARD, IT'S NOT MY BOARD.
I TELL ANNE ALL THE TIME, CHAIR IS JUST FURNITURE.
BUT OUR OUR BOARD IS A HARDWORKING BOARD AND THEY DO INCREDIBLE WORK.
AND THEN, AND THEN OUR ENTIRE TEAM AT VVP, OUR, OUR, OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM, OUR STAFF, UH, THE DEDICATED FOLKS TO MAINTAIN THE PARKS THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY, THE CITY, THE KINDERS ARE ENTRUSTING THE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS PROJECT OVER $300 MILLION OF A PARK PROJECT.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE OUT IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW TO THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND IT'S BECAUSE ANN'S LEADERSHIP AND THEIR DEDICATION AND WE GET A LOT OUT OF A SMALL TEAM AND, AND THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, MAN, WHO, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN DELIVERS AND, AND WORKS HARDER THAN ANYBODY, I GAVE HIM A LEGAL DEGREE IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, THE, THE LAST THING THAT I I DO NEED TO MENTION IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF FUNDERS, UH, IN THE ENDOWMENTS IN THE CITY, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR EFFORTS.
THE BROWN FOUNDATION, THE THE FOUNDERING FOUNDATION, THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, UH, MIKE GARVER, WHO'S ALREADY BEEN RECOGNIZED IN HIS FAMILY, INCREDIBLE SUPPORTERS.
WE AT BBP HAVE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
UH, WE HAVE TO RAISE MONEY TO FULFILL THIS PROJECT TO MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT ON TIME.
UH, AND, UH, AND IF IT'S OVER BUDGET, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL RAISE THE REST TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
OKAY? UM, SO WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING OUT TO, UH, THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY AND THE CREDIBLE GENEROSITY OF HOUSTONIANS TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER THESE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS.
SO IN, IN CLOSING, LET ME SAY THAT BVP IS
[00:50:01]
HUMBLED AND HONORED THAT THE KINDER FOUNDATION IS ENTRUSTING US TO STEWARD THIS HISTORIC GIFT.WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY FOR CONTRIBUTING THEIR GENEROUS FUNDING COMMITMENTS TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT AND OPTIMIZE IT.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR BOTH OF OUR CONGRESSWOMEN WOMEN WHO WILL BE ADDING EVEN MORE FUNDS TO HELP US MAKE THIS A REALITY.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE EAST END AND THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITIES FOR HELPING US STEWARD THEIR VISION FROM A RENDERING TO REALITY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING YOU PHOTOS PLEASE.