* 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: "50/50 Park Ribbon Cutting - Love Park"] [00:00:19] ALL RIGHT. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL DAY. COULD I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION JUST FOR A MOMENT? I WON'T BE LONG BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS WANNA GET BACK TO THE PLAYGROUND, RIGHT? , WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S JUST SO WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL THE CHILDREN OUT TODAY FROM LOVE ELEMENTARY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS AND YOUR PARENTS FOR BEING HERE. YEAH. WELL, WELCOME TO LOVE PARK. UH, MY NAME IS KENNETH ALLEN. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE DAY BECAUSE WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 13TH 50 50 PARK PROJECT INITIATIVE TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL. AS WE CELEBRATE WITH MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, LET'S GIVE HIM A HAND. ALRIGHT. AS PART OF 50 50 PARK, PARK PARTNERS IN OUR INITIATIVE, IT'S A COLLABORATION TO ACTUALLY INVEST AND IMPROVE IN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. AS DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS RECREATION DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PLEASURE TO ACTUALLY OVERSEE 382 PARKS THROUGHOUT THIS CITY. LOVE PARK IS JUST ONE OF THE 3 82, AND IT'S VERY UNIQUE. IT SITS IN A UNIQUE COMMUNITY THAT'S DIVERSE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD, BUT HOUSTON IS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE US RIGHT NOW. WOW. SO INDICATIVE OF THAT AS WE CELEBRATE LOVE PARK, IT WAS ACQUIRED 1941 AND IT PROVIDES 7.74 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE FOR THE SHADY ACRES AND THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOODS. YOU KNOW, LOVE PARK. I HAVE TO SAY IT ONE MORE TIME. HOW ABOUT LOVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. OUR NEIGHBOR IN THIS PARK, AND WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU GUYS COME OVER FROM THE SCHOOL AND ENJOY THIS PARK. AND RIGHT HERE ON THE GROUNDS OF THIS CAMPUS, WE ALSO HAVE LOVE COMMUNITY CENTER IS MS. FOOT. IS MS. FOOT HERE? I JUST SAW HER. WELL, SHE'S PROBABLY WORKING, BUT, UH, ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SHE'S A MANAGER ON THIS CAMPUS AND I WANT TO THANK HER FOR ALL, ALL OF HER WORK. YOU KNOW, AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER, YOU CAN ENJOY A VARIETY OF RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS. SO MAYOR, I'M NOT GONNA BE UP HERE LONG. I WANT YOU TO COME UP AND, UH, DRESS THE CROWD. UH, THE MAYOR HAS BEEN SO GRACIOUS IN HIS INVESTMENT IN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS LIKE NO OTHER MAYOR. WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT WORK GOING ON ACROSS THE CITY. 22 PARKS, 22 PARKS BY DECEMBER 23RD, 1159. THANK YOU . AND ANOTHER 10 AS PART OF ANOTHER INITIATIVE, UH, THAT WILL ALSO COMPLETE. SO, MAYOR, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. AND IT'S GOOD TO BE OUT HERE AT LOVE PARK AND, AND WITH EVERYONE, I CERTAINLY DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE IN DISTRICT C, WHICH MEANS COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN. THANK YOU. AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, OUR AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, OUR REGISTERED ARCHITECT ON CITY COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON. THANK YOU. HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. AND HEY KIDS. HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING? ALL RIGHT, GOOD. UH, THIS IS A LONG AWAITED OCCASION TO CELEBRATE THE REVITALIZATION OF LOVE PARK, AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER TO BE SHARING THIS MOMENT WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS IS AS, AS DIRECTOR ALLEN SAID, OUR 13TH 50 BY 50 PARK PARTNERS PROGRAM COMPLETION FOR OUR GREAT CITY AND THE RESIDENTS. OF COURSE, I'M JOINED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND LEMME JUST SAY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THIS WOULD NOT BE HAPPENING WITHOUT THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT, UH, FROM YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, AS WELL AS THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ON CITY COUNCIL. SO, THANK YOU ALSO VERY MUCH. AND THEN I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES IS NOT HERE. THEY'RE IN AUSTIN. UH, SO I DO, I I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER. AND THEN, UH, KATIE SHELTON, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS LAY LIAISON ON BEHALF OF OUR LARGE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ACORN, AND THEN PRINCIPAL SEAN TE FROM LOVE ELEMENTARY, UH, SCHOOL LOVE PARK LIVES WITHIN THE GREATER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE KEVIN STRICKLAND, WEST, KEVIN STRICKLAND. THERE'S KEVIN, RIGHT THERE. PRESIDENT OF THE [00:05:01] SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR HIS CONTINUED WORK SERVING THE GREATER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, KEVIN. UH, I WANT TO ALSO THANK ALL OF THE AREA LEADERS AND RESIDENTS FOR THEIR INPUT ON WHAT THIS PARK NEEDED, AS WELL AS THEIR CONTINUED STEWARDSHIP OF LOVE PARK. IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT OF THIS AREA, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK ALL OF YOU. LET ME ALSO SAY, IF YOU ARE WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, THE STAFF EMPLOYEES, IF YOU'LL RAISE YOUR HAND AS WELL, ALL THE EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH. THIS HAS BEEN A BUSY DAY. WE WERE TOGETHER FIRST THING THIS MORNING, AND NOW WE'RE TOGETHER THIS AFTERNOON. WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION THAT I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, INCLUDING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EMILY GUY AND PRESIDENT ALIA GARRA. THANK YOU BOTH, UH, FOR BEING HERE. OUR COMMUNITY LED ORGANIZATIONS HELP FOSTER NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS, BUILDING GOODWILL AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT, WHICH LEADS TO A MORE RESILIENT HOUSTON HEIGHTS. THEY ALSO BELIEVE, AS I DO THAT, PARKS AND GREEN SPACES ARE VITAL TO THE HEALTH AND BEAUTY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AND EVERY COMMUNITY NEED ACCESS TO A THRIVING PARK. UH, THE 50 BY 50 PARKS PARTNERS PROGRAM REMAINS ONE OF OUR KEY INITIATIVES WITH ONE CRITICAL GOAL TO UPLIFT NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES AND AREAS ACROSS OUR CITY. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS SERVICE HUBS FOR COMMUNITY PRIDE OFFER A SAFE PLACE FOR OUR KIDS AND BUILD HELP BUILD NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CITY'S PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN THE 50 50 INITIATIVE IS UPWARD NOW TO $14 MILLION. AND THE KEY TO SUCCESS OF 50 50 IS MATCHING PUBLIC FUNDS WITH PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND SUPPORT. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO APPRECIATE THE TEAM LEADING THIS EFFORT, INCLUDING HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, BETH WHITE. THANK YOU. BETH COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT 'EM. WE'VE BEEN PARTNERS ON THIS INITIATIVE FROM DAY ONE. SO BETH, THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. AND THE HOUSTON RECREATION, UH, PARKS, RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, WHICH, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS TO THIS INITIATIVE. HOUSTON PARKS BOARD SERVES AS OUR 50 50 PARK PARTNERS, PROJECT MANAGER, AND OVERSEAS CORPORATE STEWARDSHIP AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AGAIN, I WANNA THANK BETH WHITE AND HER TEAM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT TO THE VERY FINISH. THE GREATEST HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP BRINGS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND FACILITATES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN BUSINESSES, COMMUNITIES, AND PARK. AND THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE CAN ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY ITSELF. OUR KEY PARTNER FOR LOVE PARK IS EXXON MOBIL. GIVE IT UP TO EXXON MOBIL CAN'T THANK EXXON ENOUGH. THEIR SUPPORT HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE IMPROVEMENTS TAKING PLACE HERE TODAY. BOTH PARTNERS ARE VISIONARY LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ARE PROVIDING SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY. HERE IN LOVE PARK. WE HAVE INVESTED OVER $1.1 MILLION TO UPLIFTER PARK COMMUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THOSE PARK IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FOR AGES FIVE THROUGH 12, A NEW EXERCISE STATION, CONSOLIDATED PICNIC AREAS TO INCREASE PARK OPEN SPACE REGRADED, AND IMPROVED THE MULTI-USE SPORTS FIELD. RESURFACE AND REPLACE THE WALKING TRAILS. ADDED NEW LED LIGHTS AND SITE ADD SITE DETENTION AND IMPROVED DRAINAGE SWELLS. INSTALL NEW SITE FURNITURE INCLUDING BENCHES, PICNIC TABLES, AND TRASH CAN, AND FRESHLY PAINTED PARK AMENITIES. I KNOW THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL ENHANCE THE PARK EXPERIENCE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE PARK. SO WE ARE PROUD TO GET THIS PROJECT DONE THIS YEAR, UH, ON TIME. CAN'T THINK BACK, UH, ENOUGH. AND THIS IS 13 OF 22, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE NINE MORE TO GO BEFORE 1159 DECEMBER THE 31ST. SO THANK YOU ALL. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND NOW AT THIS TIME, LET ME BRING UP YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT C NOW, NOW, THAN COUNCIL MEMBER. ABBY. K ONE. THANK YOU. OKAY. I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR ALL THE STUDENTS. DO Y'ALL LOVE YOUR NEW PARK? YEAH, IT'S PRETTY AWESOME. UH, MAYOR, FIRST I WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU. ONE, I GOTTA TELL YOU HOW EXCITED ALL THESE KIDS ARE TO SEE THEIR MAYOR OUT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, THANK YOU ALL GUYS. OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WENT INTO THE NEW PLAYGROUND, WHICH IS PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY, AND [00:10:01] THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THANK AND RECOGNIZE. BUT I WANTED TO, UM, THE MAYOR TOUCHED ON ALL THE NEW IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE A NEW PLAYGROUND, WE HAVE NEW LIGHTING, NEW TRAIL, KIND OF WALKING PATHS, UH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE INCREASED DETENTION FOR THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY. UM, AND I'M TALKING TO ALL THE PARENTS NOW, THE, UH, AND ACTUALLY COUNCILOR ROBINSON, COME STAND WITH ME PLEASE. AS THE MAYOR SAID, YOU'RE SEEING PARK IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT, UH, THE CITY. I THINK MAYOR, YOU HAVE DONE FOUR OR FIVE THIS WEEK ALONE, UH, IN TERMS OF OPENINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING. AND THERE'S SO MANY PARTNERS TO THANK, UH, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN'S OFFICE HERE. I ALSO SEE STAFF FROM COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S OFFICE. UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE I'M GONNA MISS IN THANKING. BUT OUR PARK RIGHT HERE, AND I SAY OUR PARK, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE I BRING MY KID AS WELL, UM, IS A TRUE COMMUNITY PARK. WE HAVE IN THE BACK STUDENTS FROM HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL. Y'ALL GIVE IT UP, WHETHER IT'S THE BASKETBALL TEAM OR THE CHEERLEADERS. WE HAVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS. UM, I KNOW WE HAVE THE HEIGHTS. WOO, YAY FOR LOVE. THANK YOU. WE HAVE, UM, THE HEIGHTS SWIM TEAM, THE HEIGHTS HAMMERHEADS, THAT HAVE SORT OF ADOPTED THE POOL AREA AND HELPED WITH IMPROVEMENTS THERE. WE HAVE OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP UNDER KEVIN. WE HAVE THE HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION WITH EMILY AND ADALIA. WE HAVE OUR PARKS BOARD. AND IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE PARKS BOARD STAFF OR, UM, ON THE BOARD, COULD YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS? WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PARTNERSHIP YOU ALL HAVE BROUGHT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES. UH, WE HAVE, AS THE MAYOR SAID, THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT. EXXON MOBIL. WE HAVE OUR SCHOOL LEADERS PRINCIPAL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR KIDS. AND I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON STANDS FIRMLY BEHIND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR EDUCATORS, AND IT'S STUDENTS. AND LASTLY, UH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE AS THE MAYOR DID ALL OF OUR PARK STAFF DIRECTOR UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND I'M GONNA MISS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, BUT WE HAVE CHRIS, WE HAVE MICHAEL ONIKA THOMAS, A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT FOLKS THAT ARE HERE RIGHT NOW DOING A LOT. BUT IF YOU WORK AT THIS COMMUNITY CENTER, PROVIDING AFTER SCHOOL CARE, PROVIDING SUMMER PROGRAMMING, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU DO, THAT'S THIS BEAUTIFUL MAGIC OF BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR CHILDREN ARE LIFTED UP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ESPECIALLY MISS PAM AND HER TEAM. SO LASTLY, I KNOW THE KIDS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY PATIENT. UM, AND WE'LL GET THE PROGRAM MOVING ALONG SO THAT WE CAN JUST START PLAYING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO. MM-HMM . BUT I DO WANNA THANK EVERYBODY IN INVOLVED, INCLUDING ALL OF THE RESIDENTS, BECAUSE YOU ARE WHAT MAKES THIS PARK OUR COMMUNITY IN THE GREATER HEIGHTS AREA. SO SPECIAL. AND IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND MAYOR, THIS MIGHT BE MY LAST PARK OPENING, REOPENING WITH YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE THAT YOU BRING TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT SUPPORTER OF PARKS AND, AND, AND THE CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT. WHEN THEY CALL, YOU ANSWER. AND WHEN YOU CALL, I ANSWER . SO, BUT NO, THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT OF, UH, ALL THE FAMILIES. THAT'S THE GENERAL. WE DO WHAT SHE SAYS. NO, BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, YOU KNOW, A THRIVING PARK CREATES THRIVING PEOPLE. AND THE RESULT OF THIS REDEVELOPMENT WILL CREATE PRIDE. IT WILL CREATE A SPARK OF INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION IN THIS PARK. I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE A PRO. UM, I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT. NOW. ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LONGEST AND MOST TRUSTED PARTNERS, WE'VE HAD THE, UH, PLEASURE AND THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH OVER YEARS. AND SO THIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, AS OUR MAYOR SAID, WITHOUT THEM. WE ARE STRONGLY ALIGNED WITH IMPROVING PARKS. AND WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND EVERY KID NEED A QUALITY PLACE TO STAY AND, AND PLAY. I WON'T SAY STAY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SEND 'EM HOME , BUT TO PLAY. AND SO I LIKE TO CALL UP, UM, CULLEN KLIMAN MUSE, UM, CHAIR ELECT OF THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD. [00:15:01] THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS. BUT WELL, IT'S ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU GUYS TODAY. IT'S NOT A HUNDRED DEGREES, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT 65. AND WE'RE GONNA BE SO EXCITED IN THIS PARK ONCE IT IS 65, MAYBE SOME OF US. UM, ANYWAY, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE REPRESENTING THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, WHICH IS, UH, ONE OF THE PARK PARTNERS IN THIS, IN THE 50 50 PARK PROJECT. AND, UM, AND WE JUST COULDN'T BE MORE THANKFUL TO OUR MAYOR WHO REALLY MOTIVATED US TO TAKE ON, UM, HELPING WITH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD PARK PROJECT. AND, UM, WE'VE ALREADY THANKED LOTS OF PEOPLE AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP THANKING THEM. 'CAUSE NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT GREAT PARTNERSHIPS. SO WE HAVE TO THANK DIRECTOR ALLEN, THANK YOU, AND YOUR AMAZING TEAM. AND WE ALSO HAVE TO THANK LISA JOHNSON AND THE GENERAL SERVICES, UM, DEPARTMENT AND THEIR TEAM. THEY GET THIS STUFF DONE AND WE WANT YES, YES, YES. AND WE NEED TO, AND I HOPE THEY'RE HERE. IT'S LANDSCAPE ART HERE. ANYONE FROM LANDSCAPE ART, IT'S OUR CONSTRUCTION FIRM. THANK YOU GUYS. UM, YOU MAKE, YOU MAKE THIS ALL WORK OUT. AND THEN OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRM, WHICH IS LAUREN GRIFFITH ASSOCIATES, AND I THINK SHE MIGHT BE HERE. THANK YOU. UM, AND THEN MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, WHICH I, I SEE, UM, UH, KRISTEN B BLOOMQUIST WITH, WITH AN EXTRA BLOOMQUIST WITH HER AND CHRIS GEORGE AND BARRY MANDEL AND TOM FLAHERTY, THANK YOU ALL OF OUR PARKS. BOARD, BOARD, UM, THAT'S OUT TODAY. AS WELL AS ALL, IF EVERYONE RAISE THEIR HAND, THAT'S ON THE PARKS BOARD STAFF. THESE GUYS ARE AMAZING. THEY, THEY GET IT ALL DONE. SO THANK YOU ALL. AND WE HAVE TO THANK, AND THEY'VE BEEN THANKED ALREADY, BUT WE GOTTA THANK THEM AGAIN BECAUSE THEY BROUGHT SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT COMES TO THE, THIS PROJECT, BOTH THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT AS WELL AS EXXONMOBIL THAT BOUGHT, BROUGHT $250,000 TO THIS PROJECT. SO, AND THEY ALSO HELPED, THEY, SOME OF THEIR STAFF CAME OUT AND WORKED IN, UM, ACTUALLY GOT, GOT THEIR HANDS DIRTY WORKING ON THIS PROJECT. SO WE REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM, UM, AND THAT IT TAKES ALL OF US TO DO THIS. AND AS HAS BEEN SAID, THIS IS OUR 13TH PARK, UM, AND WE HAVE, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TOTAL OF 22 AND MANY MORE TO COME IN THE FUTURE. MAYOR, I THINK YOU'VE LIT A FUSE AND IT'S, UM, AND UH, ANYWAY, IT'S BEEN AMAZING. SO IN THIS INITIATIVE, WHICH STARTED WITH THE MAYOR AND HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS OUR OFFICE OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP AND THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD TO DO THIS INITIATIVE, THAT WE ALL CAME TOGETHER AND REALLY CENTERED OUR WORK ON THREE THINGS, PARK EQUITY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE IMPACT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE THINK WE'RE DELIVERING WITH ALL OF THESE PROJECTS, INCLUDING THIS LOVE PARK RENOVATION. AND NONE OF THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT OUR, UM, OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM, UH, DISTRICT C THANK YOU. AND FOR COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND LETTING US KNOW THAT TOO. WE'VE ALSO HELD COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP TO THIS. UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO NOW BRING UP FROM, UH, THE, UH, HOUSTON HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION, ADE GURA TO SAY A FEW WORDS. SORRY, A LITTLE SHORT. . GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. AND, UM, I'M GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE, WITH THE THANK YOUS. THANK YOU. UH, I WANNA START OFF WITH SAYING THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, AND, UH, HOUSTON PARK RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN IMPROVING OUR LOVE PARK. THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO LOVE ARE GREAT IMPORTANCE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, OUR PARK IS SURROUNDED BY SO MANY RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES. IT'S A PRO. IT'S BEEN PROVEN THAT PARKS PROMOTE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH, REDUCE STRESS, AND OUR CRITICAL FOR CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT. PARKS, NIGHT PEOPLE AND PARKS STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES. LIKE I WAS SAYING, LOVE IS SURROUNDED BY MANY FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS, AND THAT'S WHY THESE IMPROVEMENTS WERE ESSENTIAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. LOVE IS TRULY A PARK THAT WE CAN ALL GROW WITH FIRST. BY HAVING THIS GREAT PLAYGROUND THAT WE CAN NOW SEE OUR CHILDREN PLAY SAFELY IN, WE HAVE FIELDS THAT EVERYONE CAN UTILIZE TO PLAY SPORTS OR LEARN A NEW SPORT. WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT COULD BE UTILIZE, UTILIZED BY EVERYONE, AND GREEN SPACE THAT NOW OUR WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD [00:20:01] GATHER, HAVE GATHERINGS. ALL OF THIS IS ACCESSIBLE IN WALKING DISTANCE TO SO MANY RESIDENTS, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY UNIQUE TO OUR HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE CAN'T THANK ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS OUT HERE ENOUGH FOR HELPING CREATE SUCH A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ODELIA. YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY, UM, ENGAGEMENT WAS A MAJOR PIECE OF THIS PROJECT. I WANNA THANK HOUSTON PARKS BOARD FOR REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY RESPONDING AND TELLING US WHAT YOU GUYS WANTED TO SEE. I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE HAPPY. I HOPE YOU'RE EXCITED, BUT I HAVE ONE OR TWO REQUESTS FOR YOU. IF YOU SEE TRASH, I'M ASKING YOU TO HELP US PICK IT UP. WE'LL GET HERE EVERY THREE DAYS, BUT IN BETWEEN, IF YOU SEE TRASH OR LITTER, PLEASE PICK IT UP, PUT IT IN A TRASH CONTAINER, AND THEN IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T THINK IS RIGHT, CALL THE POLICE. WE'LL, APPRECIATE IT AS PART OF OUR SAFE, HOUSTON SAFE PARKS AND CLEAN PARKS CAMPAIGN. I'M GONNA ASK YOU GUYS TO DO THAT. WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO THE RIBBON CUTTING. DID I MISS ANYBODY? WE'RE ALL GOOD. * 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.