* 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. [00:00:18] I AM BETO CARD CARDINUS. I SERVE AS ONE OF THE DIRECTORS ON THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THAT APPOINTMENT. UH, YOU'RE ALWAYS COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND EVERYTHING THAT MAKES HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE. I SEE SO MANY OF OUR VALUE PARTNERS HERE TODAY, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR US. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BETH WHITE, WHO COULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY, AND OUR BOARD CHAIR BARON WALLACE. I'M ALSO JOINED BY SOME OF MY FELLOW, UH, DIRECTORS ON THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, SHEILA CONDA, AND I SEE YOU HERE AND SO MANY OTHERS, UH, THAT HAVE HELPED MAKE THIS EVENT TODAY POSSIBLE. PLEASE, UH, ALLOW ME TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE STAFF OF THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, THE CITY'S HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT, AND SO MANY OTHERS. IF YOU'LL JOIN ME IN GIVING THEM AN ROUND APPLAUSE. SO WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH THREE WEEKS LEFT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, AND I'M GONNA MENTION THREE BECAUSE IT TOOK THREE YEARS TO GET A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS OFF THE BOARD. UM, BUT THE THREE PROJECTS THAT COME TOGETHER ARE QUITE UNIQUE. UH, THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS BRING A NEW WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES TO THESE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, AND WE CONNECT EACH OTHER WITH PARKS, UM, NOT HAVING TO USE VEHICLES IN MANY CASES. SOMETIMES WE DO IT WITH BICYCLES. HOW AMAZING IS THAT? TWO OF THE PROJECTS ARE BAYOU GREENWAYS PROJECTS, AND ONE IS A PROJECT THAT WILL CORRECT CONNECT, I'M SORRY, A NORTH SOUTH TRAIL, UM, A PORTION WHICH IS ALONG THE CENTER POINT EASEMENT, WHICH YOU WILL SEE. UH, I'M GONNA DESCRIBE THOSE PROJECTS IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANNA ALSO THANK OUR ANCHOR PARTNERS IN REGARDS TO BAYOU GREENWAY IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AS YOU ALL RECALL, BACK IN 2012, WE, THE VOTERS APPROVED OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF COMMITMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, TO THE TRAILS, AND THAT WAS MATCHED BY SO MANY DONORS. THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER, FOR EMBRACING BAYOU GREENWAYS AND FOR PUSHING US TO WORK HARDER FOR PARK EQUITY SO THAT EVERY PART OF OUR CITY LOOKS GREAT, AN EQUALLY VALUED, AND IF NOT, THE MOST VALUED PARTNER, OF COURSE, IN THAT PROJECT, WAS A KINDER FOUNDATION WHERE THEY STEPPED UP WITH A $50 MILLION CONTRIBUTION TO SUPPORT BAYOU GREENWAYS PHENOMENAL, NOT JUST FOR THIS CITY, BUT REALLY FOR OUR STATE AND FOR THE WORLD. UH, AND REALLY, QUITE FRANKLY, WE ALL LIVE IN, IN HARRIS COUNTY HERE. AND NONE OF THESE PROJECTS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. JOINING ME TODAY IS JEREMY RATCLIFFE. THANK YOU, JEREMY, FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU TO THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. SO ALONG THESE NORTH PARK TRAILS, UM, WE HAVE THESE CONNECTORS AND CENTER POINT, AS I INDICATED, HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVERY ELEMENT THAT WE HAVE DONE. PAUL LOCKE IS HERE FROM CENTER POINT. THANK YOU, PAUL, FOR JOINING US. NOW, WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY? WE'RE GONNA CONNECT OUT SEGMENTS OF SIMS BAYOU AND THE FM LAW PARK CONNECTOR TRAIL. UH, BEAR WITH ME AS I DESCRIBED SOME OF THESE PROJECTS. IT MAY SOUND TECHNICAL AND BORING, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE LOTS OF ENGINEERS HERE, MORE SO THAN LAWYERS. UH, SO , SORRY. . THE FIRST PROJECT IS THE SIMS BAYOU GREENWAY BETWEEN ROBERT C. STEWART PARK AND FM LAW PARK. THE GREENWAY CONNECTS 2.27 MILES OF, WITH A, UH, CONCRETE TRAIL BETWEEN THE PARKS. AND A PORTION OF THE GREENWAY IS DIVIDED INTO FIVE FOOT WIDE CONCRETE WALKING NORTH, UM, ALONG THE BAYOU, AND A DEDICATED SEPARATE BIKE LANE WITH A RAISED CURVE ON REED ROAD. THIS PROJECT IS A UNIQUE, BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD CREATED A SEPARATE BIKE LANE ALONG A STREET, AND THEN A SCENIC WALKING PATH ALONG THE BAYOU, PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH TWO OPTIONS FOR RECREATION AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION. NOW, I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE HERE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IF YOU COULD JUST WAVE OUT FROM THE BAYOU, UH, BAYOU NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE WE ARE. IT IS AWESOME TO HAVE YOU HERE. THE SECOND PROJECT IS A SIMS BAYOU GREENWAY BETWEEN LAW PARK AND MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD. THE GREENWAY CONTAINS THERE A 1.06 MILE CONCRETE TRAIL BETWEEN FM LAW PARK AND THE BOULEVARD, AND IT CONNECTS A SEGMENT I JUST EXPLAINED. THE GREENWAY IS COMPLIMENTED WITH SIGNAGE, BENCHES, TRASH CANS, AND RECYCLING CONTAINERS. THE CONSTRUCTION COST FOR THAT PROJECT WAS $2.9 MILLION, AND WE HAD A LOT OF SPECIAL HELP FROM A CERTAIN COUNTY COMMISSIONER THAT IS HERE WITH US TODAY. PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING COMMISSIONER RODNEY [00:05:01] ELLIS. NOW, IN 2020, COMMISSIONER ELLIS PLEDGED 7.4 MILLION TOWARD BAYOU GREENWAYS, AND 1.96 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED FOR THIS PROJECT'S CONSTRUCTION COST. AND WE REALLY SINCERELY APPRECIATE ALL OF HIS COMMITMENTS, UH, FOR BAYOU GREENWAYS. AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW HE MADE THE THIRD PROJECT ACTUALLY HAPPEN TOO. UH, FROM MY COLLEAGUE ON THE GULF GATE TERRACE BOARD, MR. GARZA, UM, WE ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE TIMES CONSTRUCTION. UH, THEY WERE THE CONSTRUCTION FIRM AND THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC, UM, WAS THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER. THE ENGINEER FOR THIS PROJECT WAS H-A-L-F-F HEALTH ASSOCIATES, UM, INC. AND SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THEM AS WELL. SO AFTER WE COMPLETE THESE TWO SEGMENTS, WHICH WE CUT, YOU KNOW, ON TODAY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF SIMS BUY YOU GREENWAY, AND YOU'LL SEE A MAP OVER HERE BY THE, UH, UNDER THE TENT, UH, WILL BE CONNECTED, UH, FROM MILBY PARK IN SOUTHEAST HOUSTON TO THE HOUSTON COUNTY PRECINCT, I'M SORRY, THE HARRIS COUNTY, UH, PRECINCT, ONE BLUE RIDGE PARK IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. THAT IS A 20 MILE STRETCH, AND, UH, IT IS, IS PHENOMENAL. UM, THE FINAL, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT. AND I HAVE TO SMILE FOR THIS ONE BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE, UH, GULF GATE TOUR BOARD HERE, UM, MARY VARGO, UH, LET'S SEE, DON, UH, WHO'S OUR, OUR, UH, OUR, WELL, YOU'RE A CHURCH DIRECTOR, IF YOU WILL, AND OF COURSE YOU'LL HEAR FROM CHAIRMAN GARZA. BUT THAT'S THE FM LAW PARK CONNECTOR TRAIL. AND THE EVENT CELEBRATES A 1.3 MILE TRAIL BETWEEN FM LAW PARK AND DALTON DRIVE, WHICH CONNECTS COMMUNITIES NORTH OF THE PARK WITH THE PARK SOUTHERN PORTION AND THE NEWLY COMPLETED SIMS BAYOU GREENWAY. AS I MENTIONED, THE PORTION OF THE PARK TRAIL IS WITHIN THE CENTER POINT ENERGY EASEMENT, AND THIS IS A 10 FOOT WIDE CONCRETE TRAIL. IT'S COMPLIMENTED WITH NINE 11 MILE MARKERS, SIGNAGE, CROSSWALK, STRIPING, AND, UH, WELCOME MATS TOO ON THE CONCRETE TRAIL WITH, UH, DIFFERENT CROSSING STREET NAMES. PRETTY COOL. THE CONSTRUCTION COST FOR THAT PROJECT ESCALATED, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE THIS SMILE ON MY FACE, BECAUSE THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER, ENTITIES STEPPING UP. SO THAT ONE WAS 1.41 MILLION, UH, FUNDED BY THE GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY CHARGE EIGHT, UH, REPRESENTED BY CHAIR GARZA HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE MARY VARGO. THANK YOU, SONNY, FOR SUPPORTING THIS VISION. AND THAT PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED WITHOUT OTHERS STEPPING UP BECAUSE THE COST ESCALATED. THEY ALMOST DOUBLED, UM, SINCE THE PANDEMIC COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND HIS TEAM, THEY STEPPED UP WITH $125,000 TO HELP US CLOSE THE GAP. AND TEXAS WALL AND LANDSCAPE WAS A CONSTRUCTION FIRM AND THE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC, WAS A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER. THIS PROJECT, UM, ENGINEER WAS CONS ENGINEERS, AND THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WAS WHITE OAK STUDIO. LET'S GIVE THEM, UH, SOME RECOGNITION. SO IN A FEW MOMENTS, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF PARTNERS THAT WE MENTIONED, NO PROJECT UNDER THIS MAYOR AND HIS AND HIS ADMINISTRATION, THIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER. UM, OUR COUNTY LEADERSHIP HAS HAPPENED IN A VACUUM. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED WITH ONE ENTITY DOING ANYTHING BY THEMSELF. THE TESTAMENT TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, TO THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY, THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY, IS THAT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, AND THESE TWO GENTLEMEN AND MANY OTHER LEADERS HAVE MADE IT A POINT TO ENSURE THAT THAT OCCURS. SO WE WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, THE COUNCIL DISTRICT IN WHICH WE ARE IN. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, UM, HER CHIEF OF STAFF, UM, IS HERE WITH US. YEAH, STEVEN IS HERE WITH US. COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, UM, IS HERE. HE REPRESENTS DISTRICT. I, UM, LET'S SEE. CHRIS CARROLL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE GREEN SPACE MANAGEMENT DIVISION IN THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS HERE. UH, MONICA SHAW, THE COMMUNITY LIAISON ON BEHALF OF SENATOR MILES. KIM HALLER ON BEHALF OF AT LARGE. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON C RIGHT THERE. AND KATIE SHELTON, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIAISON ON BEHALF OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN. THERE SHE IS. AND THEN ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY A PHENOMENAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS, HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, WHICH I MENTIONED. UM, AND ALSO, UM, AS I INDICATED TO YOU, THE GULF TOURS, UM, I SEE WITHIN, UH, OUR AUDIENCE, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE JOINED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES. UM, I THREW A LITTLE JOKE AT ENGINEERS, UM, SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME IN JUST RECOGNIZING SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN NOT JUST A FRIEND, UH, TO ME, BUT TO THE LEGAL WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE, UH, TO GET ALL THESE AGREEMENTS THROUGH. CITY ATTORNEY ARTURO MICHELLE IS HERE WITH US TODAY. SO NOW I GET THIS DISTINCT HONOR, UH, TO INTRODUCE HOUSTON'S [00:10:01] MAYOR. HE REALLY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION. MAYOR, YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING WHEN IT COMES TO PARTNERSHIPS. AS I INDICATED, YOU HAVE MADE IT A POINT TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THE CITY MOVES FORWARD, IT DOES. SO, HOLDING HANDS, WORKING TOGETHER, LOOKING AT ALL SORTS OF ELEMENTS THAT BRING AND TIE US TOGETHER. THERE MAY BE TALK ABOUT WHAT A LEGACY IS, WHAT A LEGACY MAY ENTAIL. WHEN I LOOK AT A BEAUTIFUL DAY LIKE TODAY, AND I LOOK OUTDOORS, SOMEBODY MAY HAVE A TERM ENDING IN THREE WEEKS, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE A LAG LEGACY THAT WILL LAST FOR DECADES. WHEN WE LOOK AT PARKS AND CONNECTIONS LIKE THIS, WE ARE HONORED NOT JUST WITH YOUR PRESENCE, BUT MOREOVER, THE CHALLENGE THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER FOR US AT A STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS. A COUPLE YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY, MAYBE ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, WHEN YOU SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT 50 50 PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS WERE ENGAGED, THAT BUSINESSES WERE ENGAGED, THAT NEIGHBORHOODS WERE ENGAGED, THAT OTHER ENTITIES WERE NOT SITTING BY THE SIDELINES WHILE YOU WERE GUIDING THIS CITY FORWARD. AND SO, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND SHARE WITH US, UM, SOME OF THE, THE REMARKS, UH, THAT YOU HAVE PREPARED, AND WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU AND PARKS DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN, PLEASE WELCOME MAYOR TURNER. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, SIR. LOOK, LET ME, LET ME START OFF BY THANKING BETO, UH, FOR HIS WORK ON SO MANY MULTIPLE FRONTS. UH, AND HE'S PRETTY MUCH LAID IT OUT THIS MORNING. OH, REALLY? ALL I NEED TO DO IS SAY GOOD MORNING AND SIT DOWN . UM, BUT LOOK, UM, I THINK WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ON A PROJECT OF THIS KIND IS THE COLLABORATION. AND, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, UH, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN, WHO IS NOT HERE, BUT PARKS AND REC IS CERTAINLY PRESENT, YOU KNOW, THIS MORNING, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER, KAREN SHABA, WHO JUST JOGGED IN, UH, . SO WE, WE, WE WANNA THANK HER FOR HER GETTING HER RUN IN THIS MORNING. UM, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS AS WELL, WHO'S JOINING IN THIS EFFORT, BOTH ARE CONNECTED ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE COLLABORATION HAS BEEN WITH THE COUNTY. UH, I DON'T THINK THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY HAS BEEN BETTER, UH, IN THE HISTORY THAT WE BOTH HAVE EXISTED. AND I COUNT COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS HAS JUST BEEN PHENOMENAL. UH, YEAH, PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO HIM. WHEN I TELL YOU HE'S PUT RESOURCES IN FROM PRECINCT ONE, UM, NOT JUST ON THIS PROJECT, BUT ON SO MANY, MANY OTHERS. AND IF YOU SAY HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS, YOU GOT IT. OKAY. UH, SO I, I REALLY WANT TO PERSONALLY, UH, THANK HIM FOR, UH, HIS LEADERSHIP, HIS GENEROSITY. AND I DON'T THINK, UH, THE COUNTY HAS SPENT MORE MONEY INSIDE THE CITY, UH, THAT IT HAS. UH, AND HE PRETTY MUCH HAS LED THE WAY. SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP AGAIN TO COMMISSIONER ROD. THANK YOU. AND HE RODE HIS BIKE IN, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, UH, COUNCIL, I MEAN, COUNCILMAN , IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE SOME BIKE LANES, YOU KNOW. UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, TO ALL THE OTHER PARTNERS, JEREMY WITH THE, UM, HARRIS, UM, THE, UM, FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, UH, TO, TO PAUL WITH CENTER POINT. AND THEY'VE BEEN AN INVALUABLE PARTNER, UH, WITH US, UH, FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. AND TO SUNNY GARZA, LET ME THANK YOU AND FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP. SO THE WHOLE THING IS ABOUT COLLABORATION, AND THAT'S WHAT'S MAKING IT POSSIBLE. AND THEN I WANT TO QUICKLY RECOGNIZE BETH WHITE, WHO'S NOT HERE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US, BUT FOR HER LEADERSHIP, THIS IS A LONG AWAITED OCCASION TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF NOT ONE, BUT THREE HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS IN THIS SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST HOUSTON COMMUNITY. AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER TO BE SHARING THIS MOMENT WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT PRESENT. AND BETO HAS ACKNOWLEDGED REPRESENTATIVES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND, AND, UH, UH, STATE SENATOR BORIS MILES. TODAY WE ARE STANDING IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY'S LAW PARK, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE BAYOU OAKS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND NORTH OF US IS THE PRECINCT 2 39 NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, LET ME RECOGNIZE MS. CAROLYN WEBSTER, THERE I GOT YOU. AND HER FELLOW RESIDENTS FROM THE BAYOU OAKS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THEIR ADVOCACY TO BRING AND, UH, UM, PARK AND GREEN SPACE IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS AREA. OUR COMMUNITY LED ORGANIZATIONS HAVE FOSTER NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND ADDRESS [00:15:01] COMMUNITY NEEDS, BUILDING GOODWILL AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT, WHICH LEADS TO A MORE RESILIENT HOUSTON. AND AS I ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF US UP HERE AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, QUITE FRANKLY, THE DRIVING FORCE IN ANY OF THESE PROJECTS HAPPEN TO BE THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND THE NEIGHBORS THEMSELVES. SO YOU ALL ARE THE CHAMPIONS THIS MORNING. THANK YOU ALL. THEY ALSO BELIEVE, AS I DO THAT, PARKS, GREENWAYS TRAILS AND GREEN SPACES ARE VITAL TO THE HEALTH AND BEAUTY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AND THAT IS WHY TODAY IS SO VERY, VERY SPECIAL. NOT JUST ONE, NOT TWO, BUT THREE PROJECTS ARE NOW COMPLETE, PROVIDING ACCESS FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES TO THREE CITY PARKS. THREE, UM, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE JOLANDA, UH, JONES, WHO ALSO, UH, UH, JO IN , YOU KNOW, AND, UH, SHE GOT HER RUNNING THIS MORNING. SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. BUT AGAIN, THREE CITY PARKS ARE BEING CONNECTED. FM LAW PARK, ROBERT C. STEWART PARK, AND STEWART PARK. TWO OF THE PROJECTS ARE BRAND NEW BAYOU GREENWAYS. AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS IS A NEW TRAIL ALONG A CENTER POINT EASEMENT. WE LY APPRECIATE THE FUNDING AGAIN, OF HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT. ONE COMMISSIONER ELLIS BROUGHT TO TWO OF THESE PROJECTS, UH, THE PORTION OF THE GREENWAY IN THIS PRE IN HIS PRECINCT BETWEEN FM LAW PARK AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BOULEVARD, AND THE TRAILER ON THE CENTER POINT EASEMENT. WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FUNDING FOR THE TRAIL ALONG THE CENTER POINT EASEMENT SIGNING. GOD SAID, THANK YOU, UH, AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM, UH, FOR YOUR SUPPORT, A SIGNIFICANT DONOR THAT CANNOT GO UNRECOGNIZED. AGAIN, MR. KINDER FOUNDATION, THE KEN FOUNDATION, GAVE A LEAD GIFT FOR $50 MILLION TO BUY YOUR GREENWAYS. AND WE CAN SEE THE IMPACT OF THAT FUNDING HERE TODAY. COME ON, GIVE MY, GIVE THEM A HAND DOWN. AND NOW THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE, AND I'M NOT SAYING STARTED, BUT THEY ARE COMPLETE, UH, COMMUNITIES ALONG STEM VALUES HAVE ACCESS TO OVER 20 MILES OF GREENWAY CONNECTING THEM TO PARKS AND EACH OTHER. WHAT A SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT ON OUR ROADMAP TO THE SUCCESS OF BETTER CONNECTING THE CITY. AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU ALLOW ME TO SAY PERSONALLY, UH, WHAT A, WHAT A GIFT TO GIVE BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, 1150 9:00 PM OF 20 20 23, GREENWAY AND PARKS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND OUR CITY'S RESILIENCY PLAN. AND THIS GREENWAY NOW CONNECTS TO THE SUNNYSIDE COMPLETE COMMUNITY, AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT. SO LET'S KEEP UP THE EXCELLENT WORK. I KNOW THAT THERE'LL BE EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER PROJECTS AND YEARS TO COME. UH, BUT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS, THE COLLABORATION IS WHAT MAKES IT WORK. AND YOU CAN DO GRAND THEMES, UH, WHEN YOU ARE WORKING TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH. AND IT'S NOW, UM, I'VE ALLOWED THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO KIND OF CATCH YOUR BREATH. UM, UM, AND SO LET ME BRING UP THE COUNCIL , THE COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT D, THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, AND SHE WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT I, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GUY. HE GOES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. LET ME MAKE SURE I'M COMPLETELY COVERED UP. I DON'T WANT ANY FALSE COVERAGE. , YOU'LL GET THAT ON THE WAY HOME. ANYWAY, I AM COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ, A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D, WHAT I CALL THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. AND WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT OF DISTRICT D, THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. I'M A LITTLE BIT HOARSE, AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU ALL MAY KNOW WHY, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION IT AT THIS TIME. , THIS AREA KNOWN FOR ITS DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND VIBRANT CULTURE IS ONCE AGAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF EXCITING TRANSFORMATION. WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE SIMS BIO GREENWAY AND FM LAW PARK CONNECTOR TRAIL, I EXTEND MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO BETH WHITE. IN HER ABSENCE FROM HOUSTON PARKS FORD AND HER DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THESE VITAL GREEN SPACES TO OUR CITY. SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. UH, YOUR VISION FOR GREENER HOUSTON HAS BEEN KEY IN, IN ENHANCING THE APPEAL OF OUR GREAT CITY, AND ESPECIALLY THE VIBRANT AREAS OF DISTRICT D. AND I CERTAINLY HAVE TO THANK COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS [00:20:01] FOR HIS COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT. SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON THE PLACEMENT OF BIKE LANES, BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HIS COLLABORATION. AND I, I, I ACTUALLY LOVE HIM. HE'LL TELL YOU WE ARE RELATED, RIGHT? BUT YOU KNOW HOW IT IS IN FAMILY, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T ALWAYS MAKE TO THE SAME DINNER ANYWAY. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, WHO IS JUST A WONDERFUL COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT I FOR HIS GREAT DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL WELLBEING, AND HIS EFFORTS COMPLIMENT OUR SHARED GOAL OF CREATING MORE CONNECTED AND VIBRANT HOUSTON. THANK YOU TO CHRIS CARROLL OF THE GREEN SPACE MANAGEMENT DIVISION, AND SONNY GARZA FROM THE GULF GATE REDEVELOP REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. THE TOURS EIGHT AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE REALIZATION OF THESE PROJECTS, AND CERTAINLY A SPECIAL NOTE OF APPRECIATION TO PAUL LOCKE FROM CENTER POINT ENERGY. PAUL LOCKE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS PARTNER TO DISTRICT D, PARTICULARLY ON THE COLUMBIA TRAIL AND OTHER AREAS OF THE DISTRICT. AND I THANK HIM FOR HIS COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT AND SUPPORT IN INTEGRATING THESE TRAILS WITHIN OUR CITY'S LANDSCAPE. THE SIMS, BAYER GREENWAY, AND FM LAW PARK CONNECTOR TRAIL ARE MORE THAN JUST PATHS. THERE ARE LIFELINES THAT CONNECT AND ENRICH OUR COMMUNITIES. THEY UNDERSCORE OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING DISTRICT DA DESTINATION FOR HEALTH, RECREATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AND THESE PROJECTS ARE TESTAMENT TO WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE WHEN WE COME TOGETHER WITH A SHARED VISION. THEY EXEMPLIFY OUR DEDICATION TO, TO CREATING A DISTRICT THAT IS NOT ONLY A PLACE TO RESIDE, BUT A DESTINATION TO EXPERIENCE AND JOY AND TREASURE. AND WE FORGE A PATH TOWARDS A GREENER AND MORE INTERCONNECTED. D WE ARE DISTRICT D WE ARE CREATING A LEGACY THAT WILL BENEFIT BOTH CURRENT RESIDENTS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND WITH A SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ANTICIPATION FOR OUR DISTRICT'S RIGHT? FUTURE. I AM HONORED TO PASS THE PROGRAM ON TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS. AND THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, SUPPORT AS I DO SEE, UH, MR. CHARLES K BACK THERE AND THERE ARE OTHERS. I'M SURE THE SUN IS IN MY FACE, BUT I'M CERTAINLY APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR PARTNERSHIP. AND I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO HIT COMMISSIONER. I'M NOT GOING TO HIT COMMISSIONER ELLIS IN MY CAR AS HE DRIVES AROUND ON HIS BIKE . BUT AT ANY RATE, ANY RATE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU TO JOLANDA JONES. I'M HER CONSTITUENT, AND SHE IS MINE AS WELL. AND SO I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL AND GREAT DAY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, COULD, UH, START OFF BY, EXCUSE ME, BY THANKING MAYOR TURNER, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABA STATE REPRESENTATIVE YOLANDA JONES, UH, THE GULF GATE TOURS BE AND SUNNY GARZA. UH, ALSO I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, BA, BAYOU OAKS, CAROLYN, AND ALL THE RESIDENTS AND BAYOU OAKS. I KNOW WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS, QUITE A FEW MEETINGS IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, THE TRAIL THERE ON REED ROAD. UH, BUT, UH, AGAIN, IT'S ANNOUNCED THAT, UH, IT'S SOMETHING UNIQUE ON ALONG REED ROAD BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A DEDICATED BIKE LANE AND YOU'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE A WALKING TRAIL. UH, SO THAT'S REALLY NICE. THAT'S REALLY NICE. I ALSO WANT TO, UH, MENTION, AND I, I, I ALSO WANT TO THANK FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER BOYKINS. 'CAUSE BOYKINS AND I, WE WORKED ON EXPANDING THE GULF GATE TOURS. UH, IF WE DIDN'T EXPAND THE GULF GATE TOURS, THE GULF GATE TOURS WOULD'VE BEEN DISBANDED. UH, SO, UH, I, I WANNA THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ALSO SUPPORTED AND EXPANDING THE GULF GATES. 'CAUSE THE GULF GATE HAS JUST DONE SOME AMAZING WORK IN DISTRICT. I AS WELL AS IN DISTRICT D. THEY IMPROVE PARK PLACE BOULEVARD. UH, THEY'VE ALSO, UH, WHICH, WHICH BENEFITS, OF COURSE, THE BOTANIC GARDEN. AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS TRAIL. YOU CAN GET ON YOUR BIKE OR YOU CAN JOG, OR YOU CAN WALK AND YOU CAN GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTANIC GARDEN. AND WHILE YOU GO TO THE BOTANIC GARDEN, YOU CAN ENJOY THE BOTANIC, THE BEAUTIFUL BOTANIC GARDEN. YOU CAN WALK BACK HOME. UH, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO EXCITING THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY. UH, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK THE GULF GATE TOURS, AND OF COURSE, THE PARK SPORT, BETH WHITE AND ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, AND, AND ALL OF THE STAFF AT THE PARKS BOARD. LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. 'CAUSE WE HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL HIKING BIKE TRAILS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE OF THE PARKS BOARD AND ALSO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS WELL. AGAIN, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY. UM, THIS IS MY LAST DEDICATION IN REGARDS TO GREEN SPACE, UH, BEING THAT I LEAVE, UH, WITH THE MAYOR, UH, [00:25:01] ALL THE, UH, DECEMBER 31ST. UH, BUT I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT IN MY 10 YEARS IN OFFICE, WE HAVE, WE WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE OR REFURBISH OVER 350 ACRES, UH, IN DISTRICT. I, SO I'M PROUD OF THAT. AND I WANNA THANK AGAIN, THE PARKS BOARD. I WANNA THANK AGAIN, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. I WANNA THANK MAYOR PARKER, MAYOR TURNER, AND ALL MY COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT'S BEEN A JOY WORKING WITH EVERYONE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO ENJOYING THESE GREEN SPACES, UH, ONCE I LEAVE OFFICE AS WELL. SO, THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU, . I FORGOT, WHY AM I HERE? WHO AM I? UM, KIDDING. ALRIGHT GUYS. SO LOOK, WE ARE IN HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE, AND THERE HAS BEEN, QUITE FRANKLY, COMMISSIONER, NO GREATER CHAMPION FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS IN COLLABORATION THAN RODNEY ELLIS. AND HIS COMMITMENT DIDN'T START WHEN HE BECAME A COUNTY COMMISSIONER. HIS COMMITMENT STARTED DECADES AGO. NOT SHOWING YOUR AGE, SIR, BUT DECADES AGO. UM, AND HIS COMMITMENT HAS REMAINED FIRM, WHETHER HE WAS WORKING FOR A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, WHETHER HE WAS ON CITY COUNCIL, IN THE STATE SENATE, OR AS HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER. SO PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR FRIEND, OUR PARTNER, COMMISSIONER ELLIS. THANK YOU, BETO. I TOOK THE HAT OFF SO THIS BALD HEAD, I'M NOT GONNA TALK TOO LONG. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY TO MAYOR TURNER, I I, BROTHER, I'M GONNA MISS YOU SO MUCH. HE HAS JUST BEEN A PHENOMENAL LEADER. IT SAYS SOMETHING WHEN YOU'VE BEEN AROUND POLITICS, AS LONG AS HE AND I HAVE WHEN YOU'RE LEAVING, THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT SAYING, OH MY GOD, IT'S ABOUT TIME. , SYLVESTER TURNER. PEOPLE ARE GONNA MISS YOU. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE HIM A WARM ROUND OF THE BLOG? JUST A PHENOMENAL, UH, LEADER. UH, THE PARKS BOARD. BETH CAN BE HERE. I GOT A TEXT FROM HER. SHE HAD A SCHEDULED MEDICAL APPOINTMENT SHE HAD TO GO TO. SHE'S FINE. UH, BUT SHE COULD NOT MOVE THAT, UH, THE GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AND MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE, THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, UH, FOR STANDING UP SAYING THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE A PROJECT LIKE THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR TURNER, YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN THIS AS WE BEING 69. WE FORGET STUFF NOW, BUT YOU AND I WERE IN THE LEGISLATURE WHEN WE PASSED THAT BILL. SO THAT CENTER POINT WOULD BE IMMUNE FROM LIABILITY AND OTHER UTILITIES TO, TO DO PROJECTS LIKE THIS. AND IT'S SO MEANINGFUL BECAUSE THEY MAINTAIN THAT SPACE AND IT REALLY IS A WAY OF CONNECTING US. NOW, NOBODY EVER WON THE LAWSUITS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S GONNA CLIMB UP ONE OF THOSE UTILITY POLES. YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK THAT THERE'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM THERE. BUT THEY FILE THE LAWSUITS. AND SO WE COULDN'T PASS THAT BILL. SO WE PASSED THE BILL TO, TO DO IT. AND CENTER POINT, THE BALL IS ALWAYS IN YOUR COURTS BECAUSE THAT LAW SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO AGREE, UH, TO DO IT. AND YOU HAD JUST BEEN A PHENOMENAL PARTNER. AND I'M, I'M PUTTING, I'M SAYING THAT TO PUT A LITTLE LOBBYING IN. 'CAUSE I WANT EVEN MORE THIS CONNECTIVITY. I WANT EVEN MORE OF IT. IT IS IMPORTANT. WHEN THE MAYOR WENT INTO OFFICE ALMOST EIGHT YEARS AGO, TWO WEEKS, IT'LL BE EIGHT YEARS AGO, AND THEN I CAME ABOUT A YEAR AFTER THAT IN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. I WANT YOU TO KNOW, AT THAT TIME IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAD ONLY ONE PROTECTED BIKE LANE DOWNTOWN. AND WE HAD EIGHT OR NINE MILES OF COMFORTABLE BIKEWAYS ON STREETS. AND THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, HE'S BEEN ALMOST EIGHT, BUT SEVEN FOR ME, THE CITY, HARRIS COUNTY AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES HAVE CONSTRUCTED, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ABOUT YOUR GREENWAYS, I'M TALKING ABOUT ON STREETS. 45 MILES OF BIKEWAYS AND TRAILS. 55 MILES UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND OVER 115 MILES IN PLANTING AND IN DESIGN. AND YOU RIGHT, I DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR IT. I'M PROUD THAT I CAN STILL BIKE AND WHEN I CAN NO LONGER BIKE, I'M GOING TO TRACH . BUT I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT MY OFFICE HAS DONE 60% OF THE TOTAL MILEAGE THAT HAS BEEN INITIATED CAME OUT OF PRECINCT ONE. I ONLY SAY THAT BECAUSE WE WERE JUST A CATALYST TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES. AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA IS DOING IT. COMMISSIONER BRIANIS IS DOING IT. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S DOING IT. MAYOR TURNER AND HIS TEAM HAVE TAKEN IT TO A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL. THEY ADOPTED A BIKE PLAN. AND THEN WHEN I GOT IN OFFICE, I SAID, LOOK, I WANNA, I WANNA GET ON SOME OF THESE BIKE LANES BEFORE I'M ON MY TRICYCLE BEFORE YOU GOT THE NAME OF THE TRICYCLE LANE. SO WE PUT MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTHS WERE. [00:30:01] PRECINCT ONE HAS INVESTED OVER $50 MILLION IN PARKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S IN MY UNINCORPORATED PART, A HUNDRED MILLION IN PROJECTS, IN STUDY, AND IN AND IN DESIGN. BUT I WANT TO STRESS IT IS A COMMUNITY WIDE EFFORT WITH PROPER, WITH PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU COULD GET SOMEWHERE ALMOST ANYWHERE ON A BIKE, POSSIBLY AS FAST AS YOU CAN GET DOWN THE CAR. LISTEN TO WHAT I SAID. MOST TRIPS WE TAKE, IT'S THREE TO FIVE MILES. YOU NOT GOING ON VACATION, YOU'RE GOING THREE TO FIVE MILES. AND MOST TRIPS THAT WE TAKE, THAT'S THE BENEFIT OF BUY YOUR GREENWAYS, IS THINKING BEYOND JUST OUR TRADITIONAL VEHICLES, TRAILS AND GREEN SPACE. GREEN SPACE, IMPROVE COMMUNITY HEALTH, BUILD SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, AND EXPAND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFEGUARDS. THAT'S WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. I WANT YOU TO KNOW, IN HARRIS COUNTY, WE'RE WORKING ON A COUPLE OTHER PROJECTS THAT CAME OUT. MY GREAT STAFF, SOME OF 'EM ARE HERE. I DON'T ALWAYS CALL THE NAMES OUT, MAN, YOU BETTER THAN ME, YOU AND SHEILA. 69. THEY GOTTA WRITE IT DOWN. I CAN'T, I'LL BE LOOKING STRAIGHT AT 'EM. CAN'T REMEMBER ALL THESE GREAT PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP ME DO THE THINGS THAT I DO. BUT ALL OF MY STAFF, I APPRECIATE 'EM. BUT LOOK OUTTA MY OFFICE. WE ASKED THE TOLL ROAD TO COME UP WITH A WAY OF USING SOME OF THAT TOLL ROPE MONEY. WHEN WE GET RID OF THOSE TOLLING BOOTHS THAT CONNECT COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY AND OUTSIDE THE CITY. THAT TOTAL PROJECT WILL CREATE 235 MILES OF WALKING TRAILS OR BIKE TRAILS. THE ESTIMATED COST IS $601 MILLION. THAT PLAN IS BEING IMPLEMENTED. WE ALSO, UH, DO THIS BIKE RIDE FOR THE, UH, JUNETEENTH EVERY YEAR. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE STARTED IT. I, I GUESS CAROLYN WOULD SAY I'VE BEEN RIDING TOO MUCH WITHOUT MY HELMET ON. BUT ON JUNETEENTH IN THAT HEAT AT ONE POINT, MAY 104 DEGREES, WE RODE FROM GALVESTON TO HOUSTON. IT'S A TIME FOR ME TO REFLECT ON THOSE NEWLY FREE PEOPLE. GETTING OUT OF GALVESTON AND STARTING A NEW LIFE WITHOUT THE 40 ACRES AND THE MULE. I DID A LOT OF THINKING, CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE AND SENATOR CORN AND HAVE CREATED THE EMANCIPATION TRAIL. I TOLD SHEILA JACKSON, LEE, I WILL BE ON, I HAVE TO BE ON ELECTRIC BIKE BY THE TIME ALL OF THAT FEDERAL MONEY'S IN PLACE. SO HARRIS COUNTY IS GONNA DO THE DESTINATION TRAIL. I'M NOT HUNG UP ON MY PRECINCT. TELL COMMISSIONER GARCIA, I SAID, IF MOST OF THAT WILL GO IN THIS PRECINCT, THAT'S GONNA COST $60 MILLION. IT'S A 30 MILE TRAIL THAT WILL CONNECT THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES IN HARRIS COUNTY, INCLUDING OTHER CITIES, UH, TO GO AND DO THAT. THE HARDY CONNECTOR OUTTA MY OFFICE, WE DECIDED WE GONNA REIMAGINE HARDY STREET AND ELY. THAT WAS A PROJECT DESIGN WAY BACK MAYOR UNDER THE PREVIOUS MAYOR FOR WHAT WAS CONTINENTAL AIRLINES. BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE BIKE TRAILS. WE'RE GONNA DO STUFF FOR THE COMMUNITY. HERE'S A CLOSING POINT I WANNA MAKE. I SAW A FEW PEOPLE OUT HERE WITH BIKES AND I'M GLAD I'M GONNA TRY TO RIDE. I MAY HAVE TO STOP AND DO MY, DO MY CALL ALONG THE WAY, BUT I WANT PEOPLE TO NOT JUST ADVOCATE FOR BIKE LANES AND WALKING TRAILS. WHEN YOU ARE ON A BIKE, YOU GOTTA SHOW UP AT CITY HALL INTO IT. CONNECTIVITY IS IMPORTANT. ASSUMING THIS COMMUNITY AND OTHERS WANT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO CONNECT SIMS BY YOU. I KNOW THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WAS CHOCOLATE BY YOU WHEN I GREW UP. THAT'S RIGHT. I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S RIGHT. I WANNA CONNECT SIMS BAYOU WITH UH, UH, UH, MCGREGOR BAYOU AND WE CAN DO THAT. AND THEN THERE IS A LONG CITY STREETS BECAUSE THIS MAYOR AGREED WE PUT UP THE MONEY AT PRECINCT ONE, BUT HE AGREED TO LET US DO IT. YOU CAN GO DOWN AUSTIN AND GET TO BUFFALO BY YOU. I WANT TO CONNECT ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES AND IT'S A REMARKABLE THING. WE CAN RUN ONE DOWN MLK, BUT THIS COMMUNITY HAS TO AGREE THAT YOU WANT IT. AND I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THIS. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS SO IMPORTANT. DO YOU THINK ANYBODY DID COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OUT THERE IN KATIE AND SAID, HEY, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE THE WIDEST FREEWAY IN NORTH AMERICA IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? WON'T YOU APPEAR BRILLIANT. LET'S DO THAT. OF COURSE THEY DIDN'T. THEY BUILT IT AND THE CARS CAME AND NOW IT TAKES YOU EVEN LONGER TO GET FROM KATY THAN IT DID BEFORE THEY PUT THE WIDEST FREEWAY IN NORTH AMERICA THERE. SO LOOK, I WANT TO TELL YOU AT THE PRECINCT ONE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO IT. BUT WE NEED PARTNERS. WE DON'T JUST NEED YOU IN THE BACKGROUND SHOWING UP WHEN IT'S A RIBBON CUTTING. WOULD YOU NEED TO SPEAK UP WHEN WE MAKING A DECISION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, . [00:35:05] OKAY. IT WASN'T A FILIBUSTER, I PROMISE. . WE GOT CLOSE. WE GOT CLOSE. I, I WANT TO ASK, UH, SOMEBODY TO JOIN US UP HERE. UH, BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN COMMITTED NOT JUST TO HER STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT, BUT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, TO GOOD PUBLIC HEALTH FROM THE TIME SHE WAS ON CITY COUNCIL TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. UH, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING STATE REPRESENTATIVE JUNA JONES. ALRIGHT, MAYOR, DON'T START. NONE WON'T BE NONE. TOO LATE. SO FOR ME, THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS YOLANDA JONES. I'M THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT ONE 40 SECONDS. 1 47. WELCOME. THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT. IT WAS MENTIONED THAT I USED TO BE ON CITY COUNCIL. SO WHEN I WAS ON, AND I, YOU KNOW WHAT, AND I'M JUST GONNA SHOUT OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT EVERYBODY ELSE THANKED 'CAUSE I WANNA SPEND MY TIME TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEHIND ME AND EVERYONE IN FRONT OF ME WHO HELPED BE A PART OF THIS. BUT I STARTED OFF ON CITY CA WELL AS COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. WHEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL. WE WANTED FOR HOUSTON TO BE A MORE MOBILE HOUSTON AND HAVE MORE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT THAT. THEY JUST WANTED TO LAY MORE CONCRETE AS THE COMMISSIONER WAS TALKING ABOUT. AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I WAS, UH, PART OF GETTING THE MKT TRAIL ON THE ON UH, OVER I 10. AND, AND THEY BUILT A WHOLE COMMUNITY AROUND THE MKT TRAIL. THEY USED TO BE THIS RAILROAD TRACK WHEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL. LAW PARK AT THAT END WAS A DUMPING GROUND FOR DEAD BODIES AND TRASH. I'M GONNA SAY THAT AGAIN. LAW PARK DID NOT HAVE LIGHTS. I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET LAW PARK LIGHTS 'CAUSE AS CRAZY AS IT IS IN MY DAY JOB, I'M A CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER. AND LITERALLY A MURDER WAS COMMITTED AT LAW PARK AND THEY DUMPED THE BODIES AND THE COMMUNITY CAME TO ME AND SAID, THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR OUR KIDS. OUR KIDS NEED SOMEWHERE SAFE TO PLAY. IN FACT, OLIVIA RANDALL WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME, IF YOU KNOW, UH, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS IN THIS AREA. SO WE ARE ABLE THROUGH THE CITY TO GET LIGHTS FOR LAW PARK AND MAKE IT A SAFER PLACE. WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS IS GREEN SPACE. KIDS DON'T GET TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY AND RUB THEIR TOES THROUGH GRASS AND SEE FLOWERS AND, BUT IF YOU GO TO PARTS OF THE CITY THAT PEOPLE APPRECIATE, I'LL SAY GOVERNMENT APPRECIATES, THEY HAVE BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED PARKS WITH BIG TREES AND FLOWERS AND YOU DON'T SEE IT IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THIS. SO IT IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR ME TO COME HERE AND HAVE A COMMUNITY WHERE KIDS CAN PLAY AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING SHOT OR FINDING DEAD BODIES AND THEY CAN COME AND THEY CAN PLAY AND HAVE FOOTBALL AND, AND PARKS AND PLAY IN THE GRASS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS. SO YEAH, I'M REAL HAPPY TO BE HERE FOR THIS RIBBON CUTTING. THAT'S, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT JUST HERE FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT IN PLACES LIKE THIS WHERE PEOPLE DON'T TAKE CARE OF OUR FOR THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T INVEST. I SAID THESE BEES KEEP UP ME AND THESE BEES ABOUT TO FIGHT AND I'M GONNA WIN. BUT, SO THIS IS BEAUTIFUL TO ME, LIKE FROM THE HEART BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT WHAT ALWAYS A SAFE PLACE. AND, AND IT'S THE FIRST OF MANY CONNECTIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE CARS. THEY NEED TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. AND JUST LIKE WE SHOWED AT THE MKT TRAIL, WHICH WE HAD PEOPLE MAD AT US ABOUT THAT, THEY BUILT A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM AROUND THE MKT TRAIL THERE. AND, AND SO THIS HAS THE ABILITY TO BUILD A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM AROUND LAW PARK. SO I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY WHO WAS A PART OF THIS AND I THINK IT JUST MAKES SENSE THAT I ENDED UP RUNNING FOR THIS BECAUSE NOW I GET TO HELP IN OTHER WAYS. BUT TRANSPORTATION MATTERS, TRA TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS MATTER THAT DON'T INCLUDE CEMENT. AND SO I'M HAPPY WHEN WE SAW PLANTING MORE TREES HERE. I'LL BE HERE FOR THAT. UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WAS A PART OF THIS. THIS IS IMPORTANT. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THEIR KIDS TO GO PLAY SAFELY [00:40:01] AND WHERE THEY CAN WALK. BECAUSE IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, WHICH THERE ARE A LOT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS HERE AND HISPANICS HERE, WE NEED TO HAVE MORE HEALTHY OPTIONS TO BE OUTSIDE. AND THIS IS A PART OF THAT. SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. UM, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. MAYOR COMMISSIONER, COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GREENWAY, UH, CENTER POINT. EVERYBODY, WE ABOUT TO FIGHT EVERYBODY WHO HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS. I'M SO IN INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL AND I'M, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUOUS COLLABORATION WITH WHOEVER WANTS TO PROVIDE THE SAME AMENITIES AND HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS THAT THEY HAVE IN NICE PRETTY PLACES LIKE RIVER OAKS AND UH, AND THOSE PLACES. AND THEN I'D LIKE SOMEONE FROM THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD TO COME UP AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, I WANT TO GIVE THIS CERTIFICATE TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD ON THE OCCASION OF THE SIMS BAYOU GREENWAY AND FM LAW PARK CONNECTOR TRAIL RIBBON CUTTING. ON BEHALF OF THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 1 47, I COMMEND THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD FOR THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF URBAN LIFE, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN THE CREATION OF INCLUSIVE EQUITABLE IMBALANCE PARK SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. STAY UP CAREFUL. PICK MINE UP AT YOU. COME ON MAYOR. COME ON. GET THIS PICTURE. COME ON. CAROL SEND A POINT. 'CAUSE I GOT A LIST OF THEM. COUSIN. Y'ALL CAN TAKE A LIGHT STEP THIS WAY. HAT OFF NOW? NO NEED TO KEEP ALL THEM. YOU GOT THEM. PUT THEM ON THE WALL. TURN UP THE SHOULDER PLEASE. THE OTHER WAY. THERE SHOULD BE GOOD ONE. OKAY, DON'T EVERYBODY LEAVE. WE STILL HAVE JUST A BIT MORE OF REMARKS. PLEASE, UH, JOIN ME IN WELCOMING, UH, MR. CARROLL. UM, OBVIOUSLY WE TALKED ABOUT THE COMMITMENT FROM HARRIS COUNTY. THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IS IMPERATIVE TO THAT, UH, PARTNERSHIP. UM, AND SO CHRIS, IF YOU'LL JOIN US FOR A FEW REMARKS, TAKE YOUR NOTES. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. I'M HERE REPRESENTING DIRECTOR KENNETH ISLAND OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. I'M CHRIS CARROLL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF GREEN SPACE MANAGEMENT. YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR FIRST CORE BUSINESS AS THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATIONAL DEPARTMENT IS TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT IS OUR CORE BUSINESS MODEL, TO MAKE SURE WE DELIVER A SERVICE AND A PRODUCT THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF. THIS CONNECTION HERE TODAY, I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT IT, THAT THESE YOUNG KIDS, OUR BABIES, WILL BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE STREETS AND CONNECT TO HERE AT THIS PARK THROUGH THIS TRAIL. ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL? THEY CAN GET OFF A AIRPORT, THEY CAN GET OFF OF MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD AND CONNECT TO THESE TRAILS. I'M, I'M ALSO HAPPY WITH, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE MAYOR'S VISION AS HE CONTINUES TO LEAD US. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. I REALLY DO BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN TOUGH. IT'S BEEN TOUGH ON THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CHALLENGES, BUT WE'VE PERSEVERED THROUGH THIS WITH THE DIRECT LEADERSHIP AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, MAYOR'S OFFICE COMMISSIONER. WE THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND ON BEHALF OF KENNETH ALLEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE WAY I GOT MY NOTES CONFUSED THERE AND STUFF AT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF, UH, DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT WE'VE GOT HERE TODAY. UH, BUT AS WE'VE INDICATED AS AS WELL, UH, WE'VE GOT IN ADDITION TO CHRIS, A PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO I WANNA CALL UP, UH, A BROTHER THAT JUST HAS NEVER GIVEN UP ON MAKING CERTAIN THAT PARKS GET NOT JUST A FAIR SHARE, BUT A GREAT SHARE. UM, SONNY GARZA, BOARD CHAIR OF THE GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT BOARD. SOMEBODY I'M PLEASED TO CALL BY CHAIRMAN. ENJOY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. SUNNY GARZA ZA UH, ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS IS OF COURSE, YOU ALREADY KNOW, WITHOUT ALL THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE BOTH BEHIND ME AND AHEAD OF ME, NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN HAPPENING. BUT I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR CONSULTANTS AT TOURE CLARK CONDON, HANS HILL BRACEWELL, WITHOUT WHOSE, UH, GUIDANCE WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. THE MOST EXCITING THING I HAVE TO TELL [00:45:01] YOU IS, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR SAID BIGGER AND BETTER. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT ALTHOUGH WE PLAYED A VERY SMALL PART IN, UH, IN DOING ALL OF THIS HERE TODAY, WE TOURE ARE COMMITTED TO RIGHT NOW A PROGRAM THAT I'VE DUBBED, UH, 12, SIX AND THREE, WHICH IS 12 PARKS, $6 MILLION, THREE YEARS. SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS EVERY, ALL 11 PARKS IN TOURE ARE GONNA BE REFURBISHED, REDONE, NEW PLAYGROUNDS, NEW FENCING, NEW SIDEWALKS, NEW PARKING. ALL OF THAT IS HAPPENING AND WE'RE DOING IT ALL IN THREE YEARS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU'VE HEARD IT SAID THAT WE'RE KIND OF IN A PARK DESERT OUT HERE, AND WE ARE WORKING ON THE ACQUISITION OF FIVE MORE ACRES OF LAND CLOSE TO ACROSS THE STREET FROM STERLING HIGH SCHOOL. THAT WILL BE A BRAND NEW PARK THAT WILL BE GIVING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO THAT'S IT. I TOLD THE MAYOR HE HAD MY OTHER MINUTE, SO I'M DONE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT LEMME CALL UP PAUL LOCKE, MANAGER OF THE LOCAL, UH, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICE FOR CENTER POINT ENERGY. PAUL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I FIRST WANTED TO START OFF BY THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER AND COMMISSIONER ELLIS FOR THEIR HELP AT THE, UH, GETTING THE LEGISLATION PASSED YEARS AGO FOR HIKING BIKE TRAILS. BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT LEGISLATION, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE GREAT HIKING BIKE TRAILS THAT WE HAVE TODAY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. AND AUSTIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IN URBAN SPACES LIKE HOUSTON, GREEN SPACE IS DEFINITELY A PREMIUM AND ALLOWING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THAT GREEN SPACE WHILE MAINTAINING THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THAT EASEMENT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF USING PRIVATE ASSETS FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT. THE CENTER POINT PROSPERS WHEN OUR COMMUNITIES PROSPER. OUR COMMUNITIES PROSPER WHEN RESIDENTS, VISITORS AND BUSINESSES AGREE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE, RAISE A FAMILY AND LOCATE A BUSINESS. WE BELIEVE THAT THESE AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY ARE MAKING HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO MY FRIENDS, THAT'S GONNA CONCLUDE OUR, UH, SPEAKING PROGRAM FOR TODAY. UH, BUT BEFORE WE GO TO CUT THE RIBBON ON THE TRAIL, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE PEOPLE WHO KEEP US SAFE HERE EVERY DAY. NOT JUST IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. THE OFFICERS, DEPUTIES, AND PARK RANGERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY, IF YOU'LL JOIN ME AND THANK YOU THEM. THEY HAVE MADE THIS A GREAT SAFE PLACE, UH, TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS WHO BROUGHT YOUR WALKING SHOES. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN OUR OUTREACH COORDINATOR, LINDA HARPER, ON A SHORT WALK FOR THE NEW GREENWAY. THERE'S A GREAT MAP, UH, WE'LL BE STANDING BEHIND ME, UH, FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING. AND BEFORE I DO THAT, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE BECAUSE I WAS JOINED HERE BY MY CHAIR, UH, SONNY GARZA, UH, BY MARY BARGO ON THE GOLF GUITARS, UM, AND BY OTHERS WHO'VE BEEN APPOINTED TO DIFFERENT CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. THIS MAYOR, MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU. NOT JUST FOR APPOINTING PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME AND THOSE HERE AROUND US TODAY, BUT FOR MAKING CERTAIN THAT EVERY COMMUNITY OF THIS CITY IS PART OF AN ADMINISTRATION PART OF A CITY. BECAUSE WITHOUT US WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD. AND YOU SHOWED US THE LIGHT, UH, DURING YOUR EIGHT YEARS OF SERVICE AS OUR MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER. YES, SIR. UM, SO PLEASE JOIN ME BEHIND. UM, AND AGAIN, SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO MADE TODAY POSSIBLE. * 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.