[Houston Parks Board Luncheon]
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WELCOME TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD ANNUAL LUNCHEON ON THIS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL DAY.
WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT YOU ARE ALL HERE AND THAT YOU ALL SHARE IN OUR PASSION FOR PARKS AND TRAILS, FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS.
I'M KRISTEN BLOMQUIST AND I'M SO HONORED TO SHARE THE STAGE WITH MY CO-CHAIR SIS JOHNSON WITH OUR INCREDIBLE HUSBANDS IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP.
I KNOW IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT WITHOUT YOU, NONE OF WHAT WE DO COULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU.
WE COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN ON AN AUDACIOUS BY YOU GREENWAY'S EFFORT TO CREATE A 150 MILE NETWORK OF GREENWAYS AND TRAILS.
OUR, OUR BAYOU GREENWAYS, GET PEOPLE OUTDOORS AND CONNECT COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND OUR SYSTEM IN THE COMING YEARS.
AND NOT JUST EAST TO WEST, BUT NORTH TO SOUTH.
SO IT CAN BE A NETWORK FOR ALL THAT WANT TO ENJOY THE ENTIRE CITY.
WITHOUT YOU, WE COULD NOT HAVE REVITALIZED AND COMPLETED 22 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AS PART OF MAYOR TURNER'S 50 50 PARKS PARTNERSHIP.
YES, IN A SHORT TIMELINE,
AND WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE WORK TO DO AS A MOTHER OF THREE, BRINGING JOY AND LAUGHTER TO EVERY CHILD AND FAMILY IN THE GREATER HOUSTON REGION IS A BIG REASON WHY I JOINED THE PARKS BOARD.
PARKS BREAKDOWN, ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS THAT SEPARATE COMMUNITIES AND BRING US TOGETHER.
AND THAT IS A EXACTLY WHAT YOU HELP US TO DO.
WE BRING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.
WITHOUT YOU, WE COULD NOT HAVE A GRAND BUT ATTAINABLE VISION TO CREATE REGIONAL PARKS THAT DRAW VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY.
JUST AS DISCOVERY GREEN BRINGS PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, OUR REGIONAL PARKS WILL NOT ONLY BE A HUB FOR COMMUNITIES TO GATHER AND BE OUTDOORS, BUT THEY WILL ALSO BE DESIGNED WITH FLOOD MITIGATION AND RESILIENCY IN MIND.
AND WE ALL KNOW THE HEALTH BENEFITS THAT BEING OUTDOORS CAN BRING TO COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S PROVEN IN SOME WAYS TO BE THE BEST PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE.
ALL HOUSTONIANS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO PARKS AND TRAILS AND GREEN SPACE IN THIS CONCRETE METROPOLIS THAT WE LIVE IN.
AND IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN WITH EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND QUALITY IN MIND.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
SOME OF YOU KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH PARKS FOR QUITE A WHILE FROM MY ORIGINAL INVOLVEMENT WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK FLEMING PARK DECADES AGO TO MY RECENT WORK ON THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD STRATEGIC PLAN.
I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT PARKS, BUT I HAD NEVER ANSWERED THE QUESTION WHY UNTIL A YEAR AGO WHEN ASKED AT A NATIONAL CONFERENCE, WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT PARKS? THE ANSWER THAT I BLURTED OUT WITHOUT EVEN THINKING WAS THAT HOUSTON NEEDED SO MUCH BEAUTIFYING.
YES, THERE WERE TREES AND GRASS AND FLOWERS, BUT THE BILLBOARDS AND CONCRETE AND TRAFFIC OFTEN OVERSHADOWED THE GREEN SPACE.
HAPPILY, OVER THE YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A GRAND TRANSFORMATION AND HOUSTON IS FAR, FAR MORE BEAUTIFUL THANKS TO THE WORK OF MANY OF YOU HERE AND MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY.
WHILE BEAUTIFICATION IS IMPORTANT, WHAT I'VE LEARNED BY DOING THIS WORK IS THAT OUR PARKS DO SO MUCH MORE THAN SOOTHE THE EYES AND THE SOUL.
THEIR TREES PROVIDE SHADE AND PROMOTE CLEAN AIR.
THE NATIVE PLANTS PROVIDE HABITAT FOR BIRDS AND INSECTS.
[00:05:01]
AND IN OUR FAIR, FLOATABLE CITY, THE GREEN SPACE ALONG OUR BAYOU PROVIDES A PLACE FOR SOME OF THE WATER.WHEN THE DELUGES COME, WE CANNOT, HOWEVER REST ON OUR LAURELS, MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE TO REALIZE OUR VISION OF AN INTERCONNECTED NETWORK OF PARKS, TRAILS, AND GREEN SPACE FOR A MORE RESILIENT AND EQUITABLE HOUSTON REGION.
BUT I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE.
YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS LUNCHEON IS VITAL TO MAKING THIS VISION A REALITY.
AND WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE RAISED MORE THAN $700,000.
AND THANK YOU ALSO TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD STAFF.
I'M NOT GONNA CALL NAMES, BUT EVERYONE HAS PITCHED IN TO MAKE THIS EVENT WHAT IT IS.
I ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR PREMIER SPONSORS, CENTER POINT ENERGY AND THE HILDEBRAND FUND.
WE ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS FINALLY EX, TO EXPRESS OUR DEEP APPRECIATION TO OUR PARTNERS AT HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, AND THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU, SORRY GUYS.
AND WE'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UM, CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY OFFICIALS WHO HAVE JOINED US TODAY.
SO PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL THE END.
THE HONORABLE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
OKAY,
MARY NAN HUFFMAN, TARSHA JACKSON, ABBY CAYMAN, AMY PECK, LETITIA PLUMMER, DAVID ROBINSON, TIFFANY THOMAS, AND ALSO, UM, STATE SENATOR ALVARADO, STATE REPRESENTATIVES, JOHN ROSENTHAL AND ARMANDO WALLY HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENIFEE, HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY KIM OG.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK HOUSTON FIRST FOR LETTING US HOST THIS GORGEOUS EVENT.
AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO DAVID MINTZBERG, CHAIRMAN OF HOUSTON.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL, UH, AS FAR AS LETTING YOU, UH, HOST US.
WE'RE, WE'RE DELIGHTED AND HONORED TO HAVE EVERYBODY HERE TODAY AS CHAIR OF HOUSTON.
FIRST, IT'S MY HONOR TO WELCOME YOU TO ANITA HOUSTON AND OUR CONVENTION DISTRICT CAMPUS HOUSTON FIRST MARKETS IS CAMPUS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOUSTON IS A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION FOR CONVENTIONS, MAJOR EVENTS SUCH AS THE RECENTLY AWARDED REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION IN 2028 AND TOURISM.
AND OF COURSE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ASSETS WE PROMOTE IN OUR DYNAMIC CITY IS OUR ABUNDANCE OF GREEN SPACE.
WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT PARKS ARE TO OUR IDENTITY AND THE INCREDIBLE AMENITIES THEY PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
I WISH THAT LINE WAS MINE, HOWEVER, IT CAME THIS PAST SATURDAY FROM A PARK RANGER IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
AND HOW WONDERFUL AND COINCIDENTAL TO ME THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICES, CHUCK SAMS IS OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER TODAY.
THIS PAST WEEKEND, LAINEY AND I WERE IN SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK AND WE WERE ON SEVERAL TOURS LED BY PARK RANGERS.
WE CONCLUDED OUR WEEKEND WITH A FALL TOUR OF THE WHITE HOUSE GARDENS, ALSO MAINTAINED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
ONE OF THE RANGERS AT SHENANDOAH SAID HE WAS COMING TO HOUSTON FOR A DAY AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND ASKED WHAT SHOULD HE SEE? LAINEY
[00:10:01]
AND I IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED AND TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THE HOUSTON PARK SYSTEM, WHICH WE ENJOY FREQUENTLY, AND WE EMPHASIZED, THANK YOU KRISTEN, FOR TELLING ME NOT JUST THE BIOG GREENWAYS, BUT THE 150 MILE BIOG GREENWAYS.THE RANGER WAS ECSTATIC TO HEAR ABOUT OUR HOUSTON PARKS.
HE REMARKED, AND I'LL CLOSE WITH ANOTHER LINE THAT I WISH WERE MINE, BUT IS HIS PARKS ARE ABOUT RECREATION AND RECREATION.
NOW, THAT'S A SAYING THAT'S GONNA STAY WITH ME FOR A LONG TIME.
THANK YOU SIS, BETH BARON AND ALL OF THE PARK SUPPORTERS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING HERE TODAY, BUT UM, I WANT TO GET OUR PROGRAM BACK RUNNING, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO JUST SAY RE REINTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'M BARON WALLACE, I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE PARKS BOARD.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
UH, BEFORE I GET INTO ANYTHING PREPARED, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY BAYOU WALKING BUDDY, LISA WALLACE OVER THERE.
SO LOOK, AS WE SIT HERE, THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF GO BACK IN TIME AND UNDERSTAND HOW THIS GREEN MOVEMENT BEGAN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST WHAT WE DO, IT'S WHAT A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE DONE.
SO FOR ME, THAT GOES BACK ABOUT 20 YEARS.
I THINK YOU CAN PICK A DIFFERENT TIMEFRAME, BUT FOR ME IT'S ABOUT 20 YEARS AROUND CIRCA 2001.
MANY OF US IN HERE, REMEMBER THE QUALITY OF LIFE COALITION, ANN L DICK WEEKLY AND MANY OTHERS SORT OF STARTED A PROCESS OF PEOPLE REALLY RETHINKING AND RE-IMAGINING.
CIRCA 2005 LOOKED BEHIND US, DISCOVERY GREEN, WHEN PEOPLE START REIMAGINING OUR DOWNTOWN RICH AND NANCY KINDER, THE BROWN FOUNDATION, HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, BUT IMPORTANTLY GUY HACKS THAT.
AND THEN LATER BARRY MANDEL ALL DOING SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY, MEMORIAL PARK CONSERVANCY, SHELLY ARNOLD AND HER AWARD DURING STO AND PHOEBE WITH HERMAN PARK, BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP, AND OLSON AND HER BOARD.
THERE ARE PEOPLE BEHIND ALL OF THESE MOVEMENTS.
YOU ARE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THIS MOVEMENT AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO TELL THOSE STORIES SO WE CAN CONTINUE THAT, RIGHT.
WHERE DOES HOUSTON PARKS BOARD FIT INTO THAT? WELL, I'M HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT WE'VE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.
WE'RE ALMOST A 50-YEAR-OLD ORGANIZATION.
AND 11 YEARS AGO WHEN HOUSTONIANS APPROVED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD A NETWORK OF GREENWAYS AND NOT COURSING THROUGH OUR NINE VALUES, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD TOOK ON THE MISSION OF RAISING ANOTHER 125 20 MILLION TO MAKE THE BAYOU GREENWAYS A REALITY.
IN FACT, THE HOUSTON PARK SPORT RAISED 125 MILLION FROM OUR LEAD GIFT OF 50 MILLION FROM THE KINDER FOUNDATION TO EVERY A HUNDRED DOLLARS GIFT MADE BY INDIVIDUAL PARK LOVERS.
WE HAVE WORKED TO MAKE A TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT OF OVER 150 MILES OF GREEN WHALE GREENWAYS AND TRAILS.
SO INDEED, AND I WANTED PEOPLE TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT WE HAVE TRANSFORMED THE CITY, THAT PEOPLE HAVE TRANSFORMED THIS CITY, AND THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME THAT ALL OF US ARE GONNA HAVE TO PICK UP THAT BATON AND HELP TRANSFORM OUR CITY.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES HOUSTON WORK.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES HOUSTON A GREAT CITY.
THE PARKS BOARD TRIES TO DO ITS PART.
WE'RE A PROTECTOR OF GREEN SPACE.
WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM THAT OVER HAS OVERSEEN EVERY ASPECT OF BAYOU GREENWAYS.
IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESTMENTS OF GREEN SPA, GREEN SPACE EQUITY IN OUR HISTORY.
SO FROM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LAND ACQUISITION, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION TO OUR CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE, WE'RE ALL PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE THERE AND WE'VE WORKED ACROSS THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S FROM GULF GATE TO MEYERLAND NORTH SHORE, TO INWOOD, TO ALDE, WE'VE WORKED IN ALL AREAS OF THE CITY TO REBUILD OR TO BUILD A GREEN WAVE NETWORK.
SO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROVIDES ACCESS TO MOST NEIGHBOR, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES IN HOUSTON.
WE'VE ADDED 900 ACRES OF NEW PARKLAND AS PART OF THIS PROCESS AND OVER PROVIDED PUBLIC ACCESS TO 3000 ACRES ALONG THE BAYOU.
AND AS PART OF THAT WE'VE RESTORED NATURAL HABITAT AND WE'VE INTRODUCED HOUSTONIANS TO A, TO THEIR COLLECTIVE BACKYARD.
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I SAID, I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO A BAYOU AND I SAID I REDISCOVERED IT SORT OF THROUGH, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT'S NOW STILL A PART OF OUR DNA.WE USE IT PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.
SO TODAY WE HAVE 141 MILES OF BAYOU GREENWAYS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WITHIN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER NINE MILES, 1 41 PLUS 9, 1 50.
WE'VE HAD OVER 8 MILLION VISITS TO THE BAYOU GREENWAYS EACH YEAR.
WE'VE, YOU KNOW, INSTALLED METRICS AND COUNTERS TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE USAGE.
AND SO WE'RE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY THAT WE BUILT THESE, BUT THEY'RE BEING USED BY ESTONIANS EVERY DAY.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER, ANOTHER, UH, SET OF PROJECTS THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
KRISTEN MENTIONED THE 50 50 PARK INITIATIVE.
IT WAS INITIATED BY OUR MAYOR, MAYOR TURNER, AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP.
THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OVER 30 CORPORATE AND PRIVATE DONORS INCLUDING HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, THE PORT OF HOUSTON, AND PERRY HOMES AND MANY, MANY OTHERS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.
THESE ARE THE PARKS THAT PEOPLE USE REGULARLY, THAT FAMILIES CAN WALK TO.
THEY'RE OFTEN WITHIN A FIVE OR 10 MINUTE WALK FROM THEIR HOUSE.
AND WHAT MAKES THE PROGRAM UNIQUE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT GOING AND REPLICATING A PARK RENOVATION IN EVERY COMMUNITY.
IT'S ABOUT GOING IN AND ASKING THE COMMUNITY WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US.
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MAYOR TURNER H PART AND ALL OF THE PARTNERS.
LET'S GIVE THE RESIDENTS WHAT THEY NEED.
SO BEEN VERY PROUD OF THE STAFF OF THE HOUSTON PARK SPORT THAT HAVE GONE OUT, WHETHER IT'S IN MULTI-LANGUAGES, WE GO OUT AND WE HAVE MEETINGS EVERY NIGHT.
WE HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS WHEN WE HAD TO DO THAT, BUT WE DO GET INPUT.
SO WE'RE PUTTING IN PARKS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE THINK WE NEED TO DO.
WE'VE WORKED IN ALE, FIFTH WARD, MAGNOLIA PARK, SUNNYSIDE, ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE ATTENDED, ATTENDED OUR, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS AND HAVE DECIDED WHAT RENOVATIONS GO IN THEIR PARKS.
AND LUCKILY WE'VE HAD 11 RIBBON CUTTINGS SCHEDULED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WITH MANY TO GO.
AND WE WILL HAVE 22 PARKS DONE BY YES, MAYOR, DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.
SO JUST TO KIND OF CONCLUDE SOME THINGS, YOU KNOW, OUR ORGANIZATION IS FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE.
IT'S NOT JUST THE PAST WITH THE GREENWAYS.
AND OVER THE LAST NINE MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN DEEPLY ENGAGED IN A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AND IN SEPTEMBER OUR BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY IMPROVED THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE BAYOU GREENWAYS NETWORK AND ENHANCE THE BAYOU GREENWAYS EXPERIENCE WITH AMENITIES TO STRENGTHEN THE SENSE OF PLACE, ART, CULTURAL ARTIFACTS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS IS PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE WILL INVEST EQUITABLY IN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND IMPROVE THE CONNECTIONS TO OUR REGIONAL PARKS.
HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK INTO THREE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WITH THE SUPPORT OF HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR, WE ARE EXCITED TO BE MOVING FORWARD WITH COMMISSIONER BRIANIS AND HER TEAM ON A CONNECTION EXTENDING FROM BUFFALO BAYOU WEST FROM SHEPHERD DRIVE TO MEMORIAL PARK.
THIS IS GONNA BE A MAJOR STEP IN HAVING A SAFE PASSAGE BETWEEN BUFFALO BAYOU PARK AND MEMORIAL PARK.
TWO OF THE MOST USED PARKS BY EVERYONE IN OUR REGION.
SO WE'RE REALLY PLEASED AND PROUD OF THAT.
SECONDLY, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON ADDITIONAL TRAIL CONNECTIONS.
MOST OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR AND IF YOU LOOKED AT THE BANDANA, YOU KNOW, THE PARKS FLOW WEST TO EAST.
WE NEED TO WORK ON CONNECTIONS NORTH TO SOUTH SO PEOPLE CAN ACCESS ALL OF CONNECTIONS.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THESE CONNECTIONS.
AND THREE ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY IN INWOOD SPRING BRANCH AND IN SHARPSTOWN.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO CREATE REGIONAL PARKS.
SO A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE WILL BE COMING OUR WAY SOON.
WE HAVE A HUNDRED ACRE PARK IN SUNNYSIDE CALLED THE HILL AT SIMS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMISSIONER ELLIS HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE WITH SUPPORT FROM HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A MULTI-BENEFIT PARK.
IT'S GONNA BE COMBINING FLOOD MITIGATION, RECREATIONAL EL ELEMENTS, AND WE'LL ADD RESILIENCE AND BEAUTY TO OUR CITY.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THESE.
SO IT IS OUR MISSION JUST TO BE CLEAR, TO PROVIDE THESE EXPERIENCES TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY TO TRY TO MAKE AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF PARKLAND AROUND THE CITY.
SO BETH, THE MAYOR, MAYBE I'M GONNA CONCLUDE, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST COME UP.
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IS PERHAPS, I THINK IT'S TRUE.THE LAST, UH, AS MAYOR, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SAID, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR'S BEEN A STRONG CHAMPION FOR PARKS AND GREEN SPACE SINCE HE CAME INTO OFFICE AND REALLY BEFORE THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THE TRUE VALUE AND THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN MAKING HOUSTON A BETTER AND MORE RESILIENT PLACE.
AND HE UNDERSTANDS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG PART OF HOW WE'VE GONE ABOUT THE 50 50 PARKS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED WORKING WITH HIM.
WE'VE HAD MANY, MANY RIBBON CUTTINGS, WE ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT TIME.
AND THE MAYOR REALLY, I THINK, PERSONALLY ENJOYS ALL OF THESE RIBBON CUTTINGS AND MEETING THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.
SO WE'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A PHOTOGRAPH, I THINK.
IS IT UP ON THE SCREEN? THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.
SO I, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE, I KNOW THIS WAS THIS SUMMER, BUT UH, WE HAD TO INAUGURATE, UH, A FUTSAL COURTS AND THE MAYOR DECIDED HE WAS GONNA BE THE FIRST ONE TO HIT A GOAL.
I THINK YOU MADE IT AT LEAST, I'M GONNA SAY YOU MADE IT
WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING, MAYOR.
THAT LITTLE MOMENT OF YEAH, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE, I WE NEED TO DO A PHOTOGRAPHER.
QUITE FRANKLY, I, I JUST CAME UP TO GIVE MY REMARKS
UH, IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF THE HOUSTON, UH, PARKS BOARD ANNUAL LUNCHEON.
UH, CHUCK, CHUCK SAMS THE NATIONAL PARKS DIRECTOR, UH, WELCOME.
UM, AND HE CERTAINLY PICKED A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, IT'S LIKE THIS, UH, EVERY DAY.
UM, I WAS WITH THE HOUSTON, UH, PARKS BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS YESTERDAY EVENING AT THE HOME OF RICE UNIVERSITY, PRESIDENT REGGIE AND PAULA DE ROACH.
AND THEY WERE VERY GRACIOUS IN OPENING UP THEIR HOME.
AND WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO MAKING HU HOUSTON PARK SOME OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, MY SPECIAL THANKS ALSO GOES OUT TO OUR LUNCHEON CO-CHAIRS, CHRISTIAN AND AARON BLOOMQUIST AND C HASTY JOHNSON.
AND AS MAYOR OF THE NATION'S FOURTH LARGEST CITY, UH, AND MOST DIVERSE, OUR PARK SYSTEM IS MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE.
UH, FOR ME, UH, PARKS ARE INDICATIVE OF THE HEALTH AND RESILIENCY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND A PLACE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO THRIVE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR CHILDREN.
AND THEN WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT, LET'S SAY 15 YEARS AGO, UM, UM, BURIED THAT YOU COULD BE DOWNTOWN HOSTING AN EVENT LIKE THIS AND THEN IN FRONT OF YOU, UH, DISCOVERY GREEN IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
IT JUST CHANGES THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE.
UH, EACH OF YOU PLAYS A ROLE IN OUR CITY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN GREEN SPACE EQUITY, AND I APPLAUD THE EFFORTS AND COLLABORATION WITH OUR HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS ENJOY AND HAVE ACCESS TO A THRIVING PARK AND OUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
UH, DIRECTOR KEN AND ALLEN REPRESENTING HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, UH, TO HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UH, THE COUNTY, UH, ALL OF THE PORT TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
AND LOOKING AT THE AUDIENCE HERE TODAY, I CAN CERTAINLY SEE THE LEADERSHIP, THE VISION, THE COMMITMENT OF SO MANY OF OUR GENEROUS PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, THE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS AND WORK THAT HOUSTON PARKS BOARD HAS UNDERTAKEN.
UH, THOSE WORKS ARE DUE TO THE LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS OF INSIGHTFUL AND STRATEGIC THINKING OF INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
UH, CERTAINLY WE PARTICULARLY WANT TO THANK NANCY AND RICH KINDER AND THE KINDER FOUNDATION REPRESENTED HERE TODAY BY GUY ACK AND GARY DUDLEY,
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THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, PARTICULARLY IN STERN AND LONG CHU, UH, AND ALSO MANY, MANY OTHERS.THE TRANSFORMATIONAL WORK BEING DONE IN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ACROSS THE CITY RIGHT NOW, IT'S POSSIBLE THANKS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND SUPPORT.
NOW I'M GONNA DEVIATE A LITTLE BIT FROM WHAT I PREPARED, AND THAT IS, YES, THIS YEAR, UH, WE'LL DO 22 OF UH, PARKS OF THE 50 50 INITIATIVE IN ONE YEAR LONG, RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THAT'S A LARGE PART DUE TO COLLABORATION OF SO MANY, MANY OTHERS.
AND THAT'S A TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENT.
AND UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION, UH, UH, WE'VE SPENT MORE ON PARKS.
UH, BUT I WILL TELL YOU IN ORDER, UH, TO ENVISION, TO ORDER TO GET WHERE WE REALLY WANT TO GO, UH, THE MODEL IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS GOING TO BE CHANGED.
I HAVE TWO AND A HALF MONTHS TO GO AND, UH, BUT LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
AND I GUESS WHEN YOU GET READY TO LEAVE, YOU CAN CERTAINLY BE BOLD AND DARING.
AND I WILL AGREE THE CITY NEEDS TO DO MORE, BUT THE PEOPLE ALSO HAVE TO WANT MORE.
AND IF YOU WANT THE CITY TO DO MORE, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE MODEL BY WHICH THE CITY OPERATES.
IN 2004, THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY IMPOSED A REVENUE CAP ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
YOU MODIFIED IT IN 2006 FOR POLICE AND FIRE, BUT YOU DIDN'T MODIFY IT FOR ANYBODY ELSE.
AND UP UNTIL 2015 WE FELL UNDER THAT REVENUE CAMP.
NOW LET ME UNDERSCORE, NO OTHER CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS FALLS UNDERNEATH THAT REVENUE CAMP.
AND NOW THERE ARE TWO REVENUE CAMPS, ONE IMPOSED BY THE STATE ON EVERY CITY, AND ONE IMPOSED BY THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, ON THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY.
AND THE REVENUE CAMP THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY HAS IMPOSED IS MORE STRINGENT THAN THE STATE'S REVENUE CAP.
AND FROM 2015 UP UNTIL THE CURRENT MOMENT, IF THE TURN STACK TAX RATE HAD REMAINED THE SAME, NOT GONE UP, JUST REMAINED THE SAME, THE CITY WOULD'VE HAD ACCESS TO ABOUT $1.7 BILLION.
MORE PEOPLE COMING INTO THE CITY, MORE POLICE AND FIRE NEEDED MORE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED, WATER MAINS BREAKING.
THERE ARE TREMENDOUS NEEDS IN A GROWING CITY.
WE ARE IMPROVING 22 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, BUT THERE ARE 380 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS IN THIS CITY.
IF YOU WANT THE CITY TO DO MORE, YOU HAVE TO RELEASE US FROM WHAT IS PLACING A STRANGLEHOLD ON OUR CITY.
AND IF YOU WANT TO BE, IF YOU WANT THE CITY TO BE COMPETITIVE TO AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO AND DALLAS AND WHAT THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR PARKS, DON'T TIE THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S HANDS WHEN THE OTHER CITIES ARE NOT TIED BY THOSE SAME CONSTRAINTS.
THAT'S ASKING WAY TOO MUCH FROM WHOEVER MAY BE YOUR MAYOR, FROM WHOEVER MAY BE YOUR CITY COUNCIL PERSONS.
THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY CANNOT IMPOSE A REVENUE CAP ON THE CITY AND EXPECT US TO DO THE SAME THING THAT OTHER CITIES DO.
THAT'S UNFAIR AND YOU CAN'T GET THERE.
AND SO IF YOU TIE THE HAND THAT MEANS WHAT DO WE DO? WE ASK THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY,
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THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES, THE PORT AND OTHERS TO STRIVE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.THIS CITY HAS DONE EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, EVEN UNDER THOSE CONSTRAINTS.
BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE WHERE WE WOULD BE IF WE WERE PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES OF AUSTIN, DALLAS AND SAN ANTONIO? AND SO MY PARTING WORDS WOULD BE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR CHILDREN, LET'S CREATE A FAIR PLAYING FIELD.
AND IF YOU GIVE US A FAIR PLAYING FIELD, ARLINGTON, DALLAS, FORTH WORTH, AND I PICKED THOSE THREE CITIES IN PARTICULAR, SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN, THEY SIMPLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS CAPABLE OF DOING WHEN YOU PARTNER WITH THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY.
LASTLY, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A GOAL.
WE'VE, THEY'VE, THEY'VE REACHED OVER $700,000 FOR THIS EVENT, BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM WHO LOVED THEIR MAYOR ENOUGH
AND IF YOU DO THAT, THE PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT WILL BE OUR CHILDREN, OUR PARKS, AND OUR GREEN SPACE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE YOUR MAYOR.
BUT THE BEST FOR THIS CITY HAS YET TO COME.
I AM BETH WHITE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR FOR THOSE AMAZING REMARKS.
BUT ALSO JUST THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY AND FOR ALWAYS GIVING YOUR BEST TO HOUSTON AND HOUSTON'S PARKS.
SO I AM INCREDIBLY DELIGHTED TO HAVE CHUCK SAMS JOIN US TODAY.
DIRECTOR SAMS IS THE 19TH NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DIRECTOR AND THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN TO SERVE IN THAT POST.
FOR 30 YEARS, SAMS HAS WORKED IN TRIBAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT AND IN THE NON-PROFIT, NATURAL RESOURCE AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT FIELD WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STRONG STEWARDSHIP FOR LAND PRESERVATION FOR THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
SAMS IS ALSO A VETERAN OF THE US NAVY WHERE HE SERVED AS AN INTELLIGENCE SPECIALIST.
I FIRST MET DIRECTOR SAMS, OR I CALL HIM CHUCK, UM, WHEN WE WERE COLLEAGUES AT THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND WHEN CHUCK WAS RECRUITED TO CREATE THE FIRST NATIVE AND TRIBAL LANDS PROGRAM FOR THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND.
AND I WAS REALLY FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH HIM AGAIN MORE RECENTLY WHEN I WAS CHAIRING THE NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION, THE FEDERAL PLANNING AGENCY FOR UM, THE NATION'S CAPITAL DISTRICT REGION.
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IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN AND TO HAVE YOU HERE IN HOUSTON.SO, UM, I WANT TO START ON A VERY PERSONAL NOTE AND UH, SIS JOHNSON, OUR CO-CHAIR TODAY REALLY MADE ME THINK ABOUT THIS AND POSES THE SAME QUESTION TO YOU THAT WAS POSED TO SIS, YOU KNOW, GIVEN WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH YOUR CAREER AND YOUR DEVOTION TO LAND CONSERVATION, WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND YOU THAT WHY PARKS AND LAND CONSERVATION ARE SO IMPORTANT TO YOU? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES, MY INDIAN NAME IS MOCKINGBIRD WITH BIG HEART AND I COME FROM THE PLACE OF THE BIG SPRINGS ON THE UMATILLA INDIAN RESERVATION AND THAT'S THE UMATILLA LANGUAGE WITH A SLIGHT NEZ PER ACCENT.
AND THAT TRADITIONAL GREETING TO MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN FACT, IN TEXAS, UH, DR. ALLEN SAMS, THE PROVOST AT TEXAS A AND M AND I ARE DISTANT RELATED COUSINS.
AND I RAN INTO HIM AT ANOTHER FUNCTION YEARS AGO AND HE RAN RIGHT UP TO ME AND HE GOES, AH, MY LAST NAME IS SAMS, ARE WE RELATED? AND I SAID, MORE THAN LIKELY IS YOUR 10TH GREAT GRANDFATHER HENRIK SAMS. AND HE GOES, YES.
AND THEN HE GOES, AM I ALSO AMERICAN INDIAN? NO
YOU'RE THE ONE WITHOUT ANY INDIAN.
SO THAT BEING SAID, THAT IS WHERE MY LAND ETHIC COMES FROM, IS, UH, MY PLACE ON THE UMATILLA INDIAN RESERVATION.
AND UNDER UNDERSTANDING WHO I AM AS A HUMAN BEING, WE HAVE A WORD, UH, AMONG MY PEOPLE, IT'S CALLED
WE ALSO INTERPRETED AS THE LAW.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE CREATED AS HUMAN BEINGS, THAT OUR SKIN COMES FROM ELK, MY EYESIGHT COMES FROM EAGLE, MY HEARING COMES FROM THE OWL.
MY NERVOUS SYSTEM AND MY BLOOD SYSTEM COMES FROM THE PLANT PEOPLE.
THESE WERE THE THINGS THAT MADE US WHO WE WERE AS HUMANS.
ONE OF THE FINAL GIFTS WE RECEIVED FROM THE TRIBES ON THE COLUMBIA PLATEAU WAS THE SALMON.
THE SALMON GAVE UP OF HIS VOICE COMPLETELY, WHICH ALLOWED US TO HAVE A COMMON LANGUAGE, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE CHINOOK JARGON IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN.
AND THEN HE GAVE UP HIS, HIS BODY COMPLETELY IN ORDER THAT WE COULD NOURISH OURSELVES.
BUT SALMON MADE SURE THAT THERE WAS A PROMISE KEPT, A COVENANT KEPT, THAT WE AS HUMAN BEINGS WOULD BE THE STEWARDS OF FLORA AND FAUNA, THAT WE WOULD BE THE STEWARDS OF THE AIR, LAND AND WATER THAT IS INLY TAUGHT TO ME AS A CHILD FROM MY LATE GRANDFATHER, CHARLES F SAM SR.
AND IT'S THE SAME ETHOS THAT I'M TEACHING MY OWN CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE THINGS, THESE LANDS, AND THAT WE MUST BE ABLE TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THEM, NOT JUST FOR OURSELVES, BUT FOR SEVEN GENERATIONS DOWN THE ROAD.
AND SO THAT ETHOS HAS CARRIED ME ALL THE WAY THROUGH OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE INTELLIGENCE WORK
SO I THINK EVERYONE IS CURIOUS TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE WORK WE DO IN THE LOCAL PARK ARENA WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, AND THINKING ABOUT WHY URBAN AREAS ARE IMPORTANT ALONGSIDE NATIONAL TREASURES LIKE YOSEMITE, UM, GRAND CANYON, YELLOWSTONE.
UM, TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT CONNECTION MEANS TO YOU.
WELL, THIS MORNING IT WAS MADE VERY CLEAR THE RIBBONS AND THE BAYOU THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN THE HOUSTON AREA, THE INTERCONNECTION OF FLORA AND FAUNA AND PEOPLE TOGETHER.
AND THAT INTEGRATION IS SO IMPORTANT AND WAS, YOU HEARD EARLIER ABOUT RECREATING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUTSIDE AND REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AS A HUMAN BEING, BREATHING IN THE AIR, SEEING THE WATER FLOW DOWN, EVEN IF IT IS A CHANNELIZED WATER SYSTEM.
BUT SEEING THAT LIFE GIVING WATER MOVE ON DOWN THE ROAD.
WE AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HAVE 425 NATIONAL PARKS, 85 MILLION ACRES OF LAND, 88,000 MILES OF TRAIL THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING.
WE WORK WITH STAKES AND COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES.
MUNICIPALITIES ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE HUBS WHERE MOST AMERICANS LIVE, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE AN INTEGRATED PARK SYSTEM THAT IS SEAMLESS, WHETHER IT IS A CITY PARK OR A NATIONAL PARK CONNECTED TOGETHER SO THAT FOLKS AND AMERICANS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE SYSTEMS TO THEMSELVES AND TO EACH OTHER AND THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS WE HAVE AND THE DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PARK SYSTEM BECAUSE IT IS THAT DIVERSITY THAT MAKES US A MUCH STRONGER UNION.
WELL, YOUR PARKS HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN WELL LOVED.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD 310 MILLION VISITORS LAST YEAR SETTING NEW RECORDS FOR, UM, ATTENDANCE AND
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OBVIOUSLY THIS KIND OF POPULARITY TAXES, OUR ABILITY TO DO MAINTENANCE.AND I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING MORE PUBLIC FUNDING FOR PARKS AND THE MAYOR SPOKE SO ELOQUENTLY ABOUT THAT NEED FOR CONTINUED PUBLIC INVESTMENT.
SO COULD YOU TELL US, UM, GIVE US SOME TIPS, GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR INSIGHT ON HOW YOU'VE SECURED FUNDING FROM THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AND WHAT ARGUMENTS YOU MADE FOR PARKS? YOU KNOW, I, WHAT THE MAYOR IS SAYING RESONATES WITH ME, ESPECIALLY COMING INTO, I'VE SPENT THE MAJORITY OF MY CAREER, UH, EITHER IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, BUT WHEN I WORKED FOR BOTH STATE AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENT, IT WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO DO MORE WITH LESS.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME COMING INTO A POSITION WHERE I GOT TO DO MORE WITH MORE, THE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT THAT WAS PASSED IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION PROVIDES US $1.3 BILLION A YEAR FOR US TO TACKLE THE INFRASTRUCTURE BACKLOG THAT WE HAVE IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
NOW, WHEN I CAME IN, IT WAS ESTIMATED AT 11.2 BILLION, IT'S NOW $22.3 BILLION.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S OVER A, FOR NEARLY $400 BILLION IN ASSETS THAT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT MONEY OUT ON THE GROUND TO REALLY HELP US RETHINK AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE CLIMATE RESILIENCY IS IN PLACE AS WE BUILD OUT THESE NEW INFRASTRUCTURES TO REPLACE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
HOW WE'RE ENSURING THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE A DA BECAUSE MANY OF OUR PARKS WERE BUILT BEFORE THE A DA WAS PASSED.
AND SO ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY IS THERE TO MORE AMERICANS AND LOOKING HOW DO WE WORK IN UNDER UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS GOTTEN ACCESS TO THAT.
SO THE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT WAS THE FIRST AND FOREMOST FUNDING THAT WE'VE BEEN PLACING ON THE GROUND THROUGHOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.
WE'VE HIT ALL 50 STATES AND WE'RE ALMOST HIT EVERY US TERRITORY IN GETTING THAT MONEY OUT THE DOOR IN THIS ADMINISTRATION.
THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT WAS A COMPLETE GAME CHANGER FOR US BECAUSE OF THAT RISE OF 310 MILLION PEOPLE AND AMERICANS FINDING THEIR PLACE IN THE NATIONAL PARKS DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHICH WE WANT AMERICANS TO COME INTO.
WE FIRST HEARD OF AMERICANS LOVING THEIR PARKS TO DEATH IN 1978 AND IT'S A TRUE THING, BUT IT'S NOT A BAD PROBLEM TO HAVE.
IT'S A PROBLEM THOUGH THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT.
THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT HAS ALLOWED US TO HIRE AND WILL OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, 5,000 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES TO REALLY WORK IN PARKS TO HELP TO ENSURE THEY MAINTAIN THOSE, BUT ALSO TO WORK WITH THE AMERICANS AS THEY COME IN TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IN THAT STEWARDSHIP IS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO TEACH SO THAT WE HAVE THESE PLACES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAWS HAS PROVIDED US MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO TACKLE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ROADS AND BRIDGES.
I HAVE OVER 5,000 ROADWAYS AND BRIDGES ACROSS THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT THAT MONEY ON THE GROUND WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAYS ADMINISTRATION TO REALLY TACKLE THOSE ISSUES TO ENSURE THAT THE ROADWAYS ARE OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE FOR AMERICANS TO ENJOY THE PARKS.
SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY? I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR KEY POLICY INITIATIVES WHEN YOU, UH, ARRIVED AT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND WE WERE TALKING TODAY HOW IMPORTANT THE A DA ACT WAS, BUT HOW WE NEED TO DO MORE.
SO TELL US WHAT SOME OF YOUR TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN AND HOW ARE YOU BEGINNING TO CHANGE THAT? AS I SAID, VERY EARLY ON, MOST OF OUR PARKS WERE BUILT BEFORE THE A DA WAS PASSED AND MOST RECENTLY THE WHITE HOUSE, UH, CELEBRATED THE ADA'S UM, ANNIVERSARY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE BY EXAMPLE, JUST IN WASHINGTON DC ALONE, IF YOU WALK IN THE TIDAL BASIN, THERE IS NO CHAIN LINK FENCE.
THERE IS NO LIP, YOU CAN EASILY FALL RIGHT INTO THE WATERWAY.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SAFETY MECHANISMS IN PLACE, NOT ONLY FOR CHILDREN BUT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS OR WHO HAVE OTHER, UH, MAYBE BLIND.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OF HOW WE DO MONUMENTS AND STATUES ACROSS THE ENTIRE SERVICE SO THAT THERE'S A TACTILE ALSO SO PEOPLE CAN GO UP AND FEEL A MUCH MORE MINIATURIZED VERSION WHO CAN'T NECESSARILY GET TO THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING HOW WE'RE USING RAMPS AND RAILWAYS IN ORDER FOR FOLKS TO GET ON OUT INTO THE PARKS THEMSELVES, INCLUDING TRAILS.
WELL, I KNOW WE PROMISED TO KEEP PEOPLE, UH, OR GET PEOPLE OUT ON TIME, SO, BUT ONE LAST QUESTION.
WE KNOW YOU EXCELLED IN KEEPING THE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, BUT UM, I WANNA SWITCH GEARS TO THE PRIVATE SIDE OF THINGS.
AND AS YOU HEARD FROM MAYOR TURN, MAYOR TURNER, WE REALLY RELY ON THIS KIND OF LEVERAGE TO DO THE WORK WE DO HERE IN HOUSTON WHERE 40% OF THE CAPITAL SPENT ON PARKS COMES FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO HOW HAVE YOU ATTRACTED PRIVATE INVESTMENT INTO THE NATIONAL PARKS AND WHAT HAS THAT MEANT FOR LEVERAGING THE FEDERAL DOLLARS? WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK HOUSTON FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO HERE.
IT IS TRULY AMAZING THE PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE HERE TO MAKE THESE PARKS WORK.
AND IN EACH AND EVERY COMMUNITY YOU HAVE COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS WHO I MET TODAY, WHO REALLY ARE THE ADVOCATES TO ENSURING THAT PRIVATE DOLLARS COME IN THOSE A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS AND, AND THE FOUNDATION SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE HERE AND ALONG WITH CORPORATE SUPPORT OF NEARLY 10% OF YOUR TOTAL BUDGET TO SUPPORT THAT.
THAT IS TRULY AMAZING FOR US IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
WE DO THAT IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE NATIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION WHO HELPS US ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF ASSOCIATIONS.
MANY OF OUR PARKS, ESPECIALLY THE LARGER PARKS, HAVE A PARK ASSOCIATION
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ATTACHED TO THEM THAT HELP RAISE PRIVATE DOLLARS AND PHILANTHROPY DOLLARS TO REALLY WORK ON THE PROJECTS THAT WE NOT MAY NOT ALWAYS GET TO.BUT I WANNA BE CLEAR, OUR PARKS IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVANT IS A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS TRULY A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY.
AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY SHOULD COME FROM THE CONGRESS WHO BUILT THESE PARKS AND PUT THESE PARKS IN PLACE.
BUT THE PRIVATE DOLLARS REALLY HELP US GET SOME OF THE MORE CRITICAL NEEDS OF, WE MAY BE NOT NECESSARILY ABLE TO GET TO WITH THE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
BEING ABLE TO BRING IN BUSLOADS OF FOLKS WHO HAVE NOT NECESSARILY GOT A CHANCE TO COME INTO THE PARK SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO DO PROGRAMMING AND PROJECTS THAT MEET A DIFFERENT NEED THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TRADITIONALLY DO WITHIN OUR INTERPRETATION OR OUR CULTURAL RESEARCH AND PROGRAMMING.
SO PRIVATE DOLLARS PLAY AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PART OF HOW WE WORK WITH THE PARK SYSTEM AS A SUPPLEMENT TO WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO DO.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE IN TAKING CARE OF THESE NATIONAL TREASURES BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE A GIFT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SO, UM, I HAVE A, A LITTLE ANNOUNCEMENT, HOPEFULLY YOU SAW THE LOVELY BANDANA THAT BARON MENTIONED, DRAPED ON THE BACK OF YOUR CHAIR, UM, SHOWS THE HOUSTON REGION WITH A MAP OF OUR BIO GREENWAYS AS WELL AS THE 50 50 PARK AND THE REGIONAL PARK OPPORTUNITIES.
AND I REALLY WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO BETTY NEWTON WHO INSPIRED THIS AND GOT THESE DONE FOR US.
LOOK FOR A BLUE STICKER ON THE CORNER OF YOUR BANDANA TO SEE IF YOU'RE THE WINNER OF THE BEAUTIFUL CENTERPIECE AT YOUR TABLE.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WANNA REALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US AND YOUR GENEROSITY YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO OUR WORK.