* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "40th Anniversary of SPARK"] [00:00:24] THANK YOU FOR COMING. THIS IS AN AMAZING EVENT. ALL OF Y'ALL MEAN SO MUCH TO SPARK. UM, WHETHER YOU RECEIVE A CHECK OR WE RECEIVE A CHECK FROM YOU, OR YOU ARE A FRIEND, OR YOU ARE AN ARTIST, OR WHATEVER, Y'ALL MEAN SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL TO US. AND SO, UM, I WANT TO THANK THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE HERE. WE HAVE SOME, UM, SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, SALLY ALCORN, CARLOS CISNEROS, DAVE MARTIN, UM, AMY PECK I KNOW IS HERE. UM, ANYBODY ELSE I MISSED KIM OG, I JUST SAW COME IN. SO KIM OG HAS THE SAME INITIALS AS I DO KO AND SO, AND ALSO OUR BIRTHDAYS ARE THE SAME NEXT WEEK, SO WE GOT TO BE GOOD FRIENDS WHEN SHE WAS WITH THE ANTI-GANG GROUP. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING, KIM. THANK YOU. AND SO, UM, MAYOR TURNER, YOU'RE GOING TO KICK IT OFF OUR BIG BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THAT ARE THAT ARE HERE AND WE'LL GET READY FOR THE PROGRAM. THANK YOU, KATHLEEN. AND LOOK, SHE'S BEEN SUCH A LEADER OF THE SPARKS PROGRAM OVER 40 YEARS, SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO KATHLEEN OSBY. LOOK, GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE. UH, I'M DELIGHTED TO START OFF BY, TO ANNOUNCE A CATALYST INVESTMENT OF $8 MILLION BY HOUSTON ENDOWMENT. GIVE IT UP TO HOUSTON ENDOWMENT AND THANK YOU AND THE KINDER FOUNDATION. GIVE IT UP OUT TO THE KINDER FOUNDATION, RICHARD, NANCY KINDER AND THE FOUNDATION AND THE BROWN FOUNDATION. GIVE IT UP TO THE BROWN FOUNDATION TO THE CITY SPARK SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS FOR QUALIFYING SCHOOLS. AND LET ME JUST SAY, I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE HAPPENING WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF KATHLEEN. SO GIVE IT UP ONE MORE TIME TO KATHLEEN. ALL AGAIN, PARKS ARE VERY, SO, VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY. THEY SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH, THE ECONOMY, THE ENVIRONMENT, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY, COHESION, FAMILY, KIDS, UH, YOU NAME IT. AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT PARKS ARE THE HEART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. MEMORIAL PARK, EMANCIPATION PARK, HERMAN PARK, DISCOVERY GREEN ARE MAJOR DESTINATIONS IN HOUSTON'S URBAN CORE THAT ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND FROM EVERY ZIP CODE IN OUR CITY AND BEYOND. BUT WE ALSO WANT TO SERVE ALL CITIZENS AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD OF OUR CITY WITH QUALITY PARKS AND GREEN SPACE. THE SPARK PROGRAM IS AT AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH 18 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND FOUR CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY TO BRING PARKS TO COMMUNITIES. OFTEN THOSE WITH THE GREATEST NEED FOR MORE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. THIS ALIGNS WITH MANY INITIATIVES WITH OUR HOUSTON PARKS RECREATION DEPARTMENT, LIKE THE SPARK SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM, AND, AND 50 50 PARK PARTNERS WITH THE GOAL OF UPLIFTING NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS IN UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS. THE HOUSTON PARKS MASTER PLAN ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2015 CALLS FOR ALL CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO BE WITHIN A HALF MILE OR A 10 MINUTE WALK OF A PARK OR A GREEN SPACE. AND ACCORDING TO THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND PARK SCORE ANALYSIS, WHICH RATES THE 100 LARGEST CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CURRENTLY SERVES 61% OF RESIDENTS UP FROM 48% IN 2016 WITH A PARK, A GREEN SPACE WITHIN A HALF MILE OR A 10 MINUTE WALK. AND THIS, I'M SURE IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE PROGRAMS JESS MENTIONED [00:05:01] AND DESERVES ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THIS NEW $8 MILLION INVESTMENT IN PARKS, PARKS IN IDENTIFIED AREAS OF NEED WILL TARGET THOSE AREAS THAT LACK PARKS AND GREEN SPACE. AND WE'LL GO A LONG WAY IN CREATING MORE PARKS AND GREEN SPACE FOR HOUSTONIANS THAT WILL MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS STRONGER AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE TODAY AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND SO TODAY, UH, WHAT A FITTING WAY TO KIND OF GET READY TO GO INTO THE, TO THE FALL, UH, AND WITH A FITTING WAY TO UPLIFT ALL COMMUNITIES, ALL FAMILIES, ALL KIDS, AND RECOGNIZE THAT PARKS ARE NOT JUST GOOD FOR HEALTH PARKS ARE GOOD FOR FAMILY COHESION AND GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. SO ONCE AGAIN, LET ME THANK EVERYBODY. LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. IF YOU A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, RAISE YOUR HAND. IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, RAISE YOUR HAND. COMMISSIONER BRIANNE, I SAW YOU ON TELEVISION, AND AGAIN, AND IF YOU ARE A LOVER OF PARKS, RAISE YOUR HAND. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU. AND NOW THAT YOU'VE HAD KANE'S, ENJOY THE REST OF THE PROGRAM, . AND NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE, UH, ANNE STERNS OF THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT AND THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SOME TRANSFORMATIONAL THINGS. THIS IS MY SECOND TIME THIS WEEK IN THE LAST TWO DAYS IN STANDING NEXT TO, UH, ANNE STERNS. SHE WAS WITH US AT CITY HALL ON YESTERDAY AND SHE, NOW SHE'S RIGHT HERE, THE LIBRARY WITH US TODAY. GIVE IT UP TO ANNE STERN OF THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT. THANK YOU ALL. I MAY USE THE PREROGATIVE OF THE PODIUM FOR A SECOND JUST TO SAY, I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE IT UP FOR OUR MAYOR BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE MANY MORE CHANCES TO DO THAT. THANK YOU EVERYONE. WE'RE THRILLED TO BE HERE. HOUSTON ENDOWMENT HAS SUPPORTED SPARK SINCE 1993. IT'S BEEN 30 YEARS AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO CONTINUE THAT LEGACY TODAY. HOUSTON ENDOWMENT IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO PARK EQUITY, TO ENSURING THAT EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN HOUSTON HAS ACCESS TO QUALITY PARKS AND GREEN SPACES. AND WHY DO WE THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT? UM, THE MAYOR TOUCHED ON IT. PARKS ARE NOT JUST NICE TO HAVE. THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO A THRIVING COMMUNITY. THEY ARE ESSENTIAL. IF HOUSTON IS TO BE A WORLD-CLASS CITY, WE WANT ALL RESIDENTS TO HAVE THAT ACCESS TO A PARK. BUT MUCH MORE THAN THAT, WE WANT ALL RESIDENTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO A HIGH QUALITY PARK AND A PARK THAT IS CLOSE TO THEM. THAT'S WHAT SPARK DOES. THE HIGH QUALITY PARKS THAT SPARK CREATES PROVIDES SO MANY BENEFITS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. PLACES OF CONNECTION WITH NEIGHBORS TOGETHER, PROMOTION OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER AND NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE. I'M SURE I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT ALMOST EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS HAD THE JOY, UM, OF BEING IN THE PARK WITH, WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS. WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE LITTLE, UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SPARK PARK WAS REALLY A LIFESAVER. IT WAS, UM, A PLACE FOR KIDS TO RUN OFF STEAM AFTER SCHOOL OR ON WEEKENDS. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE WE ACTUALLY MET OUR NEIGHBORS AND GOT TO KNOW THEM. AND IT BECAME A RITUAL AS A FAMILY THAT HELPED CONNECT US. SO BY TURNING SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS INTO NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, SPARK IS GIVING MORE HOUSTON FAMILIES THAT OPPORTUNITY, THAT INVALUABLE GIFT, A PLACE TO EXPLORE, TO PLAY, TO ENJOY TIME OUTSIDE, CLOSE TO HOME AFTER SCHOOL, ON WEEKENDS, ON HOLIDAYS. THAT'S SPARK. THE PROGRAM IS INNOVATIVE, COST EFFECTIVE. I THINK THERE IS ONE AND A HALF STAFF MEMBERS DOING ALL THIS WORK. UM, AND INCLUSIVE. IT IS REALLY A TRUE COMMUNITY EFFORT. IT INVOLVES THE SCHOOL AND THE LOCAL RESIDENTS IN EVERY STEP OF PLANNING AND DESIGNING THESE PARKS, UM, WHICH GIVES THEM SUCH A UNIQUE CHARACTER. AS YOU VISIT DIFFERENT ONES, THEY FEEL DIFFERENT. THEY REALLY REFLECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE DESIRES OF THE, OF, OF THE RESIDENTS OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, AND, AND THE RESEARCH SUPPORTS THIS. UM, AS THE MAYOR SAID IN 2014, WE COMMISSIONED THIS TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND TO EVALUATE SPARKS IMPACT. NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE STUDY FOUND THAT SPARK PARKS ARE HEAVILY USED, HIGHLY VALUED, WELL MAINTAINED, CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY TO PARK EQUITY [00:10:01] TO THOSE NUMBERS ACROSS HOUSTON. PEOPLE LOVE THEIR SPARK PARKS. THAT STUDY ALSO IDENTIFIED PARK DESERTS, COMMUNITIES AND PLACES WHERE, UM, NEW PARKS COULD BENEFIT PEOPLE. AND AS A RESULT, THE PHASE ONE AND TWO THAT FOLLOWED, UM, IN THE PARKS DESERT INITIATIVE CREATED 60 NEW SPARK PARKS AND SPARS, UM, OF EXISTING PARKS. WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THIS PHASE THREE, WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY, WILL FURTHER TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES, GIVE MORE HOUSTONIANS ACCESS TO BEAUTIFUL FUNCTIONAL PARKS, RIGHT WHERE THEY LIVE IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SPARK. THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS, KINDER FOUNDATION, BROWN FOUNDATION FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN FURTHERING THIS TRANSFORMATIVE WORK AND FOR THIS CONTINUED COMMITMENT OF OUR CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL WHO HAVE SUPPORTED SPARK, I'M HAPPY TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, GUY HACKETT. HE IS THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PARKS AND CIVIC PROJECTS AT KINDER FOUNDATION AND A GREAT PARTNER. THANKS. WELL, THANK YOU ANNE. IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE HERE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE WITH SUCH GOOD FRIENDS MAYOR TURNER, KATHLEEN, MARK, ANN ANN, OF COURSE, NANCY AND RICH AND EVERYONE ELSE HERE. UH, IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE. UM, I I LOVE BEING AT THIS CELEBRATION FIRST AND FOREMOST BECAUSE I JUST LOVE SPARK. UH, IT'S AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE? IT IMPROVES THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR SCHOOLS, PLUS THE LIVES OF THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES ALL WHILE NOT BURDENING OUR CITY'S TOO TIGHT BUDGET. THESE BENEFITS AND THE COMPELLING RESEARCH ANN JUST MENTIONED THAT DEMONSTRATED HOW HIGHLY OUR COMMUNITIES VALUE THEIR SPARK PARKS ARE THE REASONS WHY THE KINDER FOUNDATION HAS SUPPORTED SPARK'S PARK DESERT INITIATIVE FROM THE BEGINNING. MAYOR TURNER MENTIONED MAJOR NEW FUNDING ON THIS, THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPARK. AND ALL OF MY NEW FRIENDS, ALL THESE WONDERFUL SCHOOL CHILDREN HERE HAVE PROBABLY ALREADY DONE THE MATH IN THEIR HEADS. THAT'S TO THEY'VE AND FIGURED OUT THAT THAT'S TO FUND 40 MORE NEW SPARKS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON. SPARKS, SPARK'S VERY SUCCESSFUL PARK DESERT MODEL WILL BE USED TO CREATE 20 NEW SPARKS AND TO REPARK OR REFRESH 20 EARLIER SPARK PARKS, ALL WHERE PARKS ARE NEEDED MOST THROUGHOUT HOUSTON. AND ALL OF THIS WORK WILL OCCUR IN FOUR YEARS. SO I THINK YOU NOW GET THE IDEA 40 SCHOOLS AND FOUR YEARS TO CELEBRATE SPARK'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY. THAT IS PRETTY DARN IMPRESSIVE AND EXCITING. NANCY AND RICH KINDER ARE HERE WITH US TODAY AND I KNOW THEY ARE EXCITED AND PROUD TO ONCE AGAIN BE SUPPORTING SPARK ALONG WITH HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, BROWN FOUNDATION AND MANY, MANY OTHER DONORS. WE ALL LOVE THAT. SPARK BRINGS TOGETHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS, SCHOOLS CAMPUS LEADERSHIP, VERY IMPORTANTLY THE STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE GREAT OUTDOOR SPACE FOR HOUSTON SCHOOL KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. NANCY AND RICH ALSO LOVE THE ASSURANCE THAT THESE SPARK PARKS WILL BE MAINTAINED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BE OPEN AFTER SCHOOL HOURS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY. AND EVERY SPARK IS ANN JUST MENTIONED IS UNIQUE. EACH SCHOOL NOT ONLY CONTRIBUTES FUNDING TO THE PARK, BUT ALSO PARTICIPATES IN ITS DESIGN AND ITS ARTWORKS. SO THE RESULTING PARK ADDRESSES NOT ONLY THEIR NEEDS, BUT ALSO SHOWCASES THEIR CREATIVITY. AND SEEING THE WONDERFUL AND UNIQUE DESIGNS AND ART THAT VARY FROM PARK TO PARK IS SIMPLY INSPIRING. IT IS GREAT TO SEE SO MANY STUDENTS HERE TODAY WHO ARE ENJOYING THEIR SPARK PARKS AND KIDS. I HAVE BEEN TO YOUR SCHOOLS AND LOVE WHAT YOU HAVE HELPED CREATE. AND FOR EVERYONE HERE MAKE IT A POINT TO ATTEND A CELEBRATION DURING SPARK WEEK. THEY ARE LIKE NO OTHER RIBBON CUTTINGS YOU'LL EVER EXPERIENCE. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SCHOOL KIDS. YOU WILL LEAVE, UM, INSPIRED. YOU WILL, YOU WILL LEAVE WITH WIND IN YOUR SAILS AND HOPE IN YOUR HEARTS. SO IN CLOSING, THE KINDER FOUNDATION IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING GREEN SPACE THROUGHOUT HOUSTON AND WE HAVE NO BETTER PARTNER IN THAT WORK THAN SPARK. AND NOW I WOULD, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE A COUNTY LEADER WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED HER COMMITMENT TO PARKS IN HER SHORT ONE YEAR IN OFFICE OR LESS THAN ONE YEAR IN OFFICE COUNTY. COMMISSIONER LESLIE BRIANS. [00:15:13] GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I'M SO THRILLED TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE THIS 40TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE PLAN FOR THE NEXT FOUR 40 YEARS AHEAD. AND LET US NOT ONLY WISH THE 40TH CELEBRATION AND ANNIVERSARY OF SPARK PARK, BUT HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO YOU KATHLEEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR SERVICE. AND THANK YOU TO THE SPARK PARK BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, THE INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY AND LEADERSHIP OF THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT BROWN FOUNDATION, THE KINDER FOUNDATION, THE KINDERS THEMSELVES WHO ARE HERE, AND OUR AMAZING MAYOR. WE'RE GONNA ENJOY EVERY LAST DAY WITH YOU AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND TO OUR CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE, TO OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND OTHER LEADERS WHO ARE HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT. I'M HERE TODAY MORE THAN AS YOUR HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER. I'M HERE AS A MOM OF THREE LITTLE GIRLS WHO HAS SPENT SO MUCH TIME AT SPARK PARKS AND THEY REALLY ARE TRANSFORMATIVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD IN OUR COMMITMENT TO PARK EQUITY. I'M HERE AS A FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER AND MY HEART IS FULL. SEEING OUR STUDENTS HERE TODAY, LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THE STUDENTS. YOU ARE OUR WHY AND YOU ARE OUR FUTURE AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO YOU. AND THIS IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. PARKS AND BEYOND MY STUDENTS, THEY COULD NOT WAIT FOR THE TIME THEY GOT TO GO OUT TO THEIR PARK. AND ANYONE HERE WHO'S A TEACHER, WE KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT? THE PHYSICAL BENEFITS, THE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS AND THAT BUILDING OF COMMUNITY. BUT I'M ALSO HERE AS SOMEBODY WHO GREW UP IN SOUTH TEXAS ON THE BORDER WHO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING TO GROW UP A BLOCK AWAY FROM A PARK. AND SO MANY OF THE BEST MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD WERE AT THAT PARK BUILDING COMMUNITY WITH MY NEIGHBORS, PLAYING CATCH WITH MY PARENTS SACK RACES. JUST EVERYTHING THAT WE DID IN THAT PARK TOGETHER AS A NEIGHBORHOOD. AND NOW AS ONE OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS, THE WHOLE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WAS VERY PROUD TO HONOR KATHLEEN AND THE SPARK PARKS TEAM AND LEGACY RECENTLY. SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. AND PRECINCT FOUR IS DEEPLY, DEEPLY COMMITTED TO PARKS. WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A VERY LARGE INVESTMENT IN MANY PARKS ACROSS THE PRECINCT, BUT ONE FACET OF THAT IS THE COMMITMENT TO SPARK PARKS. AND WE ARE THRILLED WITHIN THE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE INVESTING ANOTHER 550,000. I WAS THRILLED, THRILLED TO BE GIVEN THE GOOD NEWS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET A FEDERAL GRANT FOR 750,000 TO AUGMENT THAT PRECINCT INVESTMENT. SO THANK YOU TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT INVESTMENT. AND WE HAVE 48 SPARK PARKS IN PRECINCT FOUR THAT REALLY ARE BUILDING THAT COMMUNITY. AND SO AS WE LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM TODAY, AND ESPECIALLY FOCUSING ON OUR CHILDREN, OUR WHY LET US RENEW THAT COMMITMENT TO EXPANDING GREEN SPACE, TO PROTECTING AND PRESERVING OUR ENVIRONMENT, TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE IT IS INCLUSIVE FOR ALL AGES AND ALL ABILITIES. AND WE'VE HEARD THAT ONE IN THREE US RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE A PARK OR GREEN SPACE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK. WE'VE HEARD OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE MADE IN THIS REGION TO GET TO 61% OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK. BUT WHAT I LOVE ABOUT HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY IS WE'RE EXTREMELY BOLD. I BELIEVE THAT THE VISION, THE LEADERSHIP, THE GENEROSITY, AND THE TENACITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT 61% AND LET'S HAVE A BOLD GOAL OF A HUNDRED PERCENT. IMAGINE IF WE COULD HAVE EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY BE A 10 MINUTE WALK AWAY FROM A GREEN SPACE. I BELIEVE WE CAN ACHIEVE IT. AND [00:20:01] I AM HERE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY, MANY MORE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT OUR CHILDREN DESERVE. AND I ECHO MAYOR TURNER, ALL OF OUR CHILDREN DESERVE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE, ALL OF OUR FAMILIES. AND IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR THE LEADERS IN THIS ROOM TO DELIVER ON THAT BECAUSE WE MUST AND WE CAN AND WE WILL. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO SPARK BARK ON 40 YEARS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT 40 AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, KATHLEEN, TO YOU ESPECIALLY. HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? I HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING RAGING KANE. WELL, NO. OKAY. OKAY. KATHLEEN TOLD ME I HAD TO BE SHORT, SO I'LL BE REALLY SHORT. UH, I AM THE SPARK BOARD CHAIR THIS YEAR AND FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, UM, IT IS MY PLEASURE ON BEHALF OF THE SPARK BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO EXTEND OUR TREMENDOUS THANKS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, KINDER FOUNDATION, BROWN FOUNDATION, UM, AND HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOR THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I THINK IN THIS ROOM, SPARK WAS FOUNDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELEANOR TINSLEY IN 1983. SINCE THAT TIME, THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BUILT 230 PARKS. CURRENTLY WE HAVE ACTIVE PARKS, UH, OF 158 SMART PARKS IN 18 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND FOUR CHARTER SCHOOLS. UM, THESE ARE BUILDING A SPARK PARK IS A VERY MUCH A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP. WE WORK WITH SUPERINTENDENTS, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND THE COMMUNITY. SO IT IS A FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC IDEA BY ELEANOR TINSLEY AND THE FUTURE, AS GUY ALLUDED TO, IS VERY, VERY BRIGHT FOR SPARK. UM, WITH THE GENEROUS FUNDING OF HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, KINDER FOUNDATION, BROWN FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS OTHER FOUNDATIONS AND HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR, WE WILL BUILD 40 MORE PARKS IN FOUR YEARS. COME ON. YES, IT'S AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT, BUT I AM PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE THE FIRST GROUP OF 18 SCHOOLS ALREADY SELECTED FROM ALL OVER HOUSTON, FORT BEND, AILEY, PASADENA, CY-FAIR SPRING, SPRING BRANCH, HISD. UM, SO JUST STOP BY IN THE FOYER AND LOOK AT THE MAP, WHICH WILL SHOW YOU THE 18 FIRST, 18 TO 40. SO BEFORE I HAND OVER THE PODIUM TO OUR FINAL SPEAKER, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THE SPARK STAFF. SO WE ARE VERY, VERY, VERY LEAN. SO ALL OF THE SPARK STAFF ARE HERE TODAY. WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE. SO FIRST, ELIZABETH HOWLEY ELIZABETH WAY, SHE'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KATHLEEN OBE. GIVE ME ONE SECOND, KATHLEEN. NOW KATHLEEN HAS BEEN WITH SPARK BEFORE SPARK WAS FOUNDED. OKAY. . SHE IS LITERALLY THE HEART AND SOUL OF THIS ORGANIZATION. NOW, WITHOUT, WITHOUT HER I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD BE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN KATHLEEN. AND SHE IS OUR FINAL SPEAKER. THANK YOU, MARK. UM, SO OUR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ARE SUSAN SAMPLE. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE. THOMAS HARIN. THOMAS, RAISE YOUR HAND. MICHELLE FRAGA WAS BACK AT THE NAME TAGS AND SUNG. WHO WORKS WITH YOU? COMMISSIONER BRIANIS. CHRIS GONZALEZ. EVANS ATWELL EVANS. RAISE YOUR HAND. CARLA WYATT IS, UM, THE NEW COUNTY TREASURER AND SHE HAD A MEETING IN BROWNSVILLE TODAY. UH, MASSOU. DION. MASSOU, WHERE ARE YOU? MASSOU. THANK YOU. ADELLA ARMAND WAS BACK AT THE, UM, [00:25:01] NAME TAGS. I WANNA THANK THE, UH, MAYOR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM. SUSAN CHRISTIAN AND YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. UM, Y'ALL HAVE AN AMA MAYOR, YOU HAVE AN AMAZING STAFF IN THEM. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THEY DO. AND UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE DON'T, WE DON'T DO THESE EVENTS, AND IT WAS VERY EVIDENT WHEN WE STARTED WORKING THAT WE NEEDED HELP. AND SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, YOU, YOU SAW ELIZABETH WAVE AND UM, WE ARE THE TWO IN THE OFFICE AND SO IF YOU CALL, YOU WILL PROBABLY GET ONE OF US. AND SO, UM, THANK YOU ELIZABETH. UM, YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS. UM, YOU DO A LOT OF WORK TO GET OUR FUNDING AND UM, I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH. NOW LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT Y'ALL TO MEET THE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE. SO FIRST OF ALL, CORNELIUS, WHERE ARE YOU? OKAY, SO STAND UP CORNELIUS AND I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THE PARENTS AT CORNELIUS MADE ALL THE FLOWERS THAT YOU SEE AT THE TABLE. OKAY? PORT HOUSTON, Y'ALL STAND UP. SO EVERYONE HAS A NEW CALENDAR, 2024 CALENDAR AT THE TABLE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, YOU'LL GET ONE WHEN YOU GO OUT. AND SO THERE IS A PICTURE, A MURAL AND I DON'T KNOW, I DIDN'T SEE JOSE COME IN. OH, THERE STAND UP JOSE. SO HE WAS THE MURALIST. THIS IS UM, JUNE. AND SO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PICTURED IN THE MURAL ARE HERE TODAY. SO YOU MIGHT WANNA GET THEIR AUTOGRAPHS AND, AND THE LADY THAT IS STANDING BY THE PRINCIPAL, HER PICTURES RIGHT HERE, SHE WENT TO PORT HOUSTON, HER KIDS WENT TO PORT HOUSTON, SHE NOW WORKS AT PORT HOUSTON. AND SO WE'RE SO GLAD TO UM, HAVE YOU IN OUR CALENDAR. SO DAVILA, WHERE ARE YOU? DAVILA STAND UP. SO THE STUDENTS HERE, SOME OF THEM ARE ON THE COVER OF THE NEW CALENDAR, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO MEET THEM. THANK YOU FOR COMING. TRAVIS ELEMENTARY RIGHT HERE. THE SPARK PARK IS HOME OF THE TRAVIS SORA, ONE OF OUR, AND CARLOS IS NERO. UM, NOW CARLOS IS NEROS. YOU ARE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT CAME TO SPARK AND SAID THAT YOU WANTED TO DO SOMETHING AT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, WHICH WAS TRAVIS. AND YOU WORKED FOR, YOU WORKED FOR SPARK, YOU WERE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. NOW YOU'RE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. AND YOU WHAT SPARK BOARD YOU WERE ON THE SPARK BOARD. YOU WERE. AND SO ANYWAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LONGTIME COMMITMENT TO SPARK. THANK YOU TRAVIS. AND I THINK Y'ALL ARE ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS OLD. ARE YOU ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS OLD? THE SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL IS ALMOST 100 YEARS OLD, RIGHT? OKAY. . OKAY. POE ELEMENTARY. POE. SO MR. ALANIS IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL. UM, ONE OF THE STUDENTS HAPPENS TO BE SUSAN CHRISTIAN'S SON. SO THANK YOU ETHAN FOR COMING AND HIS TEACHER AND HIS CLASSMATE. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. Y'ALL ARE ALSO, ARE YOU A HUNDRED YEARS OLD OR NINE? 9 95 YEARS OLD. THE SCHOOL IS 95 YEARS OLD. THANK YOU POE. OKAY, LET'S TURN OVER HERE. HEARN ELEMENTARY. HEARN STAND UP. HEARN ELEMENTARY IS IN A LEAF. ISD UM, THE ART TEACHER IS HERE, THE PRINCIPAL IS HERE AND SOME STUDENTS AND THEY ARE ALSO IN THE CALENDAR. WHICH MONTH? [00:30:01] I CAN'T. AUGUST. AUGUST. OKAY, SO TURN TO AND, AND THE ART AND THE ART TEACHER, YOUR PICTURE SHOULD BE IN THERE, RIGHT? YES. OKAY, SO, UM, THEY, LET'S SEE, WHAT IS YOUR MASCOT? THE HU HUSKY. THE HUSKY. AND SO YOU'LL SEE PICTURES OF THE HUSKY AND THEY WORKED WITH UM, ARTIST MARSHA DARCY OUTLAW, WHO IS STANDING OR SITTING RIGHT OVER HERE. UM, MARSHA ALSO DID THE ARTWORK OUT IN THE, UM, PLAZA OF THE LIBRARY. SO YOU CAN SEE IT IF YOU WALK THAT WAY. SO THANK YOU HEARN FOR COMING. Y'ALL ARE GOING TO BE RECIPIENTS OF SOME OF THE UM, COMMISSIONER, THEY'RE GOING TO BE RECIPIENTS YOU LIVE IN, IN HER DISTRICT, . AND SO, UM, THANK YOU. THEY'RE GONNA BE GETTING SOME FUNDING. OKAY. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, JENSEN STAND UP. JENSEN IS IN PASADENA. ISD Y'ALL HAVE BEEN IN THE CALENDAR THIS YEAR, I THINK IT WAS. AND LAST YEAR. WELL IT'S 2023. YES. YEAH, YOU'RE THIS 2023 CALENDAR OR OUR LAST YEAR'S CALENDAR. OKAY. 2023. YES. NOT THE ONE I KNOW. OKAY, SO, UM, BUT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN IN THE CALENDAR. YOU HAVE A GREAT MURAL AND UM, WE'RE SO PROUD OF ALL THE SCHOOLS IN PASADENA. ISD THANK YOU FOR COMING. SO THAT'S IT. HAVE, UM, LET'S SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY. YOU WANNA DO THAT? OKAY. SO KIDS, CAN Y'ALL STAND UP AND LEAD US? AND THEN I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE SURE IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN CHICKEN AND THERE'S STILL CHICKEN OUT THERE, PLEASE GET SOME AND THEN, OH, NO MORE CHICKEN, NO MORE . OKAY, BUT WE HAVE CAKE AND SO Y'ALL BE SURE AND GET SOME CAKE. IT WAS DONE BY, UM, THE DESSERT GALLERY. UM, SARAH BROOK IS A, A VERY LONG TIME FRIEND OF SPARK AND OUR FAMILY AND SO BE SURE YOU GET SOME DELICIOUS CAKE. SO KIDDOS STAND UP AND WE'LL SING. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. OKAY, SO YOU COME HERE, DO YOU HAVE A GOOD VOICE? OKAY. CAN YOU HELP US LEAVE? OKAY. READY? HAPPY BIRTHDAY. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.