[Press Conference: "50/50 Park Ribbon Cutting - Oak Meadows"]
[00:00:18]
WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME TO OAK MEADOW PARK.I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY.
TODAY WE'RE CELEBRATING YET ANOTHER MILESTONE WITH MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
THIS IS OUR 20TH PARK IN ONE YEAR.
HOW ABOUT THAT? AND BEFORE THE YEAR'S OUT, WE'LL HAVE 22 DONE WITH ANOTHER FEW PROJECTS THAT WILL, UH, CELEBRATE UP UNTIL THE 30TH.
MAYOR SAID HE WAS GONNA WORK UNTIL THE LAST DAY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DOING.
SO, UM, THIS IS OUR 20TH AGAIN, AND MAYOR, I'VE HAD TO BUY SEVERAL PAIR OF SHOES,
UM, YOU CHARGED US WITH COMPLETING ALL THE PARKS, AND THAT'S JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, OAK METAL PARK WAS ACQUIRED IN 1952, AND IT PROVIDES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, JUST FIVE ACRES OF GREEN SPACE FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO ENJOY.
HOW ABOUT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE WORK THAT WAS DONE HERE, WHICH YOU'LL FIND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THESE FIVE ACRES AND WHAT IT MEAN TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, IT'S A UNIQUE SPACE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF VARIETY.
UM, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO WALK TO IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST RELAX, CREATE MEMORIES, LAUGH, ENJOY THE PLAYGROUND, AND JUST HAVE A GREAT TIME.
SO I'M, I'M HONORED, UH, TO BE A PART OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR HAS CHARGED US WITH WORKING IN COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT IN TERMS OF EQUITY.
AND FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, HE'S FOCUSED ON NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND, AND WORK THAT WILL BE OF VALUE TO THOSE THAT LIVE AROUND PARKS.
SO MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO PARKS.
SO, MAYOR, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D JUST LIKE TO CALL YOU UP 'CAUSE WE WANNA LISTEN TO YOU AND NOT ME.
LET ME THANK, UH, DIRECTOR KEN ALLEN, UM, AND TO ALL OF THOSE WITH, UH, PARKS AND REC, UH, IF YOU WOULD PARK AND RECS, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND FOR US.
LOOK, LEMME START WRECKING THE FIRST, LEMME START WITH, UH, THE R ELEMENTARY AND THE PRINCIPAL AND THE KIDS GIVE UP TO RUCK ELEMENTARY.
I MEAN, Y'ALL ARE THE REASON WHY WE ARE HERE.
UM, NOW THAT, THAT WAS THE, THE, THE HIGHEST LEVEL.
NOW LEMME GO TO THE SECOND TIER.
UM, LEMME RECOGNIZE, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM DAVE MARTIN.
THIS IS HIS AREA, DISTRICT E STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARY ANN PEREZ, COMMISSIONER DEAN CORGIE WITH THE PORT AND ALL OF THOSE AFFILIATED WITH THE PORT, UH, BETH WHITE WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, AND THEN THE CIVIC LEADERS OUT HERE, THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT THAT ARE OUT HERE.
AND OF COURSE, TO ALL OF YOU, LOOK, I'M THRILLED TO JOIN THE RESIDENTS OF OAK MEADOW NEIGHBORHOOD TO CELEBRATE THE LONG AWAITED REVITALIZATION OF OAK MEADOW PARK.
UH, THIS IS OUR 20TH, AS KENNETH ALLEN SAID, UH, 50 50 PARK PARTNERS PROGRAM COMPLETION.
COULDN'T BE HAPPIER THAN TO BE OUT HERE IN THE WEATHER IS JUST GREAT.
UH, AND OF COURSE, UM, BOTH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND I ARE GETTING READY TO SEGUE OFF, UH, THE STAGE.
SO IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH HIM ON THE, ON THE DAY THAT WE HAD OUR LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, I WANT TO, WE ARE JOINED BY KATIE SHELTON, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIST LIAISON ON BEHALF OF, UH, AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, WEST KATIE, THAT SHE IS KATIE RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AGAIN, FROM THE OAK MEADOW CIVIC CLUB.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, UH, JESUS GONZALEZ, THE PRESIDENT, AND MICHELLE MIRANDA GARCIA, THE VICE PRESIDENT.
AND IS RITA SNOW HERE? THE SECRETARY.
AND AGAIN, UH, WE ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE THE, THE RUCK ELEMENTARY, UH, KIDS AND THE PRINCIPALS THAT ARE HERE, UH, WITH US.
[00:05:01]
LOOK, UH, I WANNA SAY THAT I APPLAUD THE COLLABORATION OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP AND THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR TENACITY IN PROJECT DELIVERY.BETH WHITE AND HER TEAM AT THE PARKS BOARD WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN CONDUCTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, BUILDING CORPORATE STEWARDSHIPS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR ALL 22 PARKS.
I KNOW BARON WALLACE, THE CHAIRMAN OF HOUSTON PARK BOARD, OR THE FORMER CHAIRMAN, YOU STILL THE CHAIRMAN BARON WALLACE.
GIVE IT UP TO BARON WALLACE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PARKS BOARD.
I'M STILL THE MAYOR TILL DECEMBER 31ST, 1150 9:00 PM YOU KNOW, AND THEY SAY ON TELEVISION, LET'S NOT GET THAT TWISTED.
THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIPS BACKING WAS CRITICAL TO AMPLIFY SUPPORT OF THE 50 50 INITIATIVE AMONG OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY MINDED BUSINESS LEADERS.
WITH THE CITY'S $14 MILLION PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN 50 50.
IT WAS OUR GOAL TO MATCH THAT NUMBER THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR FUNDING AND SUPPORT.
AND THIS WAS REALIZED THROUGH THE PHILANTHROPIC SPIRIT OF OUR KEY 50 50 PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT AND OUR OAK MEADOW PARK PARTNERS.
PORT HOUSTON, UH, PORT HOUSTON HAS BEEN, UH, VITAL AND CRITICAL IN WHAT WE DO.
UH, I THINK IF YOU APPLY FOR PORT HOUSTON AGAIN, THEY MAY GIVE SOME MORE MONEY.
SO MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, GO TO HIM AFTER THE MEETING.
I AM GRATEFUL TO PORT HOUSTON FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH O MEDALS AND HI DOGGO PARK AS WELL.
AGAIN, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER DEAN, UH, CORRUGATE FOR YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS.
YOU KNOW, I MARRIED HIM AND HIS WIFE, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP HERE.
I ALSO WANT TO APPLAUD THE SUPPORT OF THREE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR BEAUTIFUL, TO THE BEAUTIFUL PARK UPGRADES.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INVISTA TPC GROUP AND THE VALERO ENERGY FOUNDATION FOR THEIR, UH, COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT OF OVER $31,000 TO OAK MEADOW PARK.
AND FINALLY, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE A COMPLETE COMMUNITY DIRECTOR SHANNON BUCKS.
I JUST LEFT A MEETING AND, AND, UH, I THINK I GOT AHEAD OF HER, WHO HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING EACH OF OUR PARK EQUITY, UH, PROJECTS.
UH, AS MAYOR, I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BRINGING RESOURCES TOGETHER TO MAKE GREAT THINGS HAPPEN FOR OUR CITY.
WITH EACH OF US WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL OF COMMUNITY RESILIENCY AND PARK EQUITY, MUCH CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF OAK MEADOW PARK INCLUDES AND NEW PLAYGROUND FOR AGES TWO THROUGH 12 AND APPLIES THE AREA A NEW SWING SET AND ADJACENT SITE LIGHTING, NEW CONCRETE WALKING TRAIL WITH TWO NEW, UH, BENCHES.
A RESURFACE BASKETBALL COURT WITH NEW LINES, BACKBOARD AND POST AND NEW SEEDLESS BENCHES.
A NEW SOCCER FIELD WAS ESTABLISHED WITH NEW TURF, A NEW PICNIC PAVILION WITH FOUR PICNIC TABLES AND LIGHTING.
THE VOLLEYBALL COURT WAS IMPROVED WITH NEW SAW POSTS AND CON AND CORNER MARKERS.
EXISTING SITE FURNISHINGS WERE REFER, WERE REFRESHED AND RECONFIGURED ALONG WITH REPAIR OF THE WATER FOUNTAIN.
WE ADDED VARD AROUND THE PARK PERIMETER IN THE DETENTION AREA FOR IMPROVED DRAINAGE.
IN TOTAL, WE HAVE INVESTED MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN OAK MEADOW PARK.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ON YOUR NEW PARK AMENITIES.
WE HAVE TWO MORE TO GO, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PARTNERS TO COLLABORATION THE COMMUNITY, UH, LEADERS AND, AND COMMUNITY ITSELF.
AND AT THIS MOMENT IT'S MY, IT'S IS MY, UH, HONOR TO BRING UP TO YOU YOUR CITY COUNCIL PERSON, THE MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, FOR DISTRICT A E NONE OTHER THAN, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN.
AND IT'S A GREAT DAY AT OAK MEADOW.
WE HAVE EXACTLY 11 DAYS LEFT UNTIL THEY KICK US OUT,
AND WE'RE GONNA BE KICKING AND SCREAMING 'CAUSE WE DON'T WANNA LEAVE.
AND THIS IS MY 11TH YEAR THAT I'LL FINISH UP ON CITY COUNCIL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I QUICKLY LEARNED AS I DROVE AROUND OAK MEADOW FREEWAY, MANOR, MEADOW CREEK, WAS THAT THIS WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE I GREW UP IN, IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
UM, IT WAS A AREA THAT HAD GOOD PLAYGROUNDS, BUT NOT THE BEST.
IT WAS AN AREA THAT HAD GREAT FAMILIES.
IT WAS AN AREA THAT HAD REALLY GOOD PEOPLE THAT WORKED HARD FOR THE THINGS THAT THEY
[00:10:01]
EARNED.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT DISTRICT E IS IT'S A VERY CONVOLUTED DISTRICT.
I LIVE IN KINGWOOD, AND IT GOES FROM KINGWOOD ALL THE WAY THROUGH WHAT I WOULD CALL THE ELLINGTON SOUTH BELT AREA, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CLEAR LAKE.
MY OPINION, WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO OFFICE, THE AREA THAT WAS MOST NEGLECTED WAS THIS AREA THAT WE'RE IN.
DIDN'T GET A LOT OF PROJECTS, BUT YET PEOPLE NEVER COMPLAINED, DIDN'T GET A LOT OF RENOVATIONS, AND PEOPLE LIVED WITH IT.
AND ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS I MADE EARLY ON WAS THAT I WAS GONNA INVEST MONEY, ANY TYPE OF MONEY THAT WE COULD GET IN OAK MEADOW, FREEWAY MANOR, EDGEBROOK CORRIDOR, MEADOW CREEK, AND ALL THE AREAS THAT NEEDED IT.
AND ONE PERSON THAT'S COMING UP BEHIND ME THAT KICKED MY REAR EVERY DAY ABOUT THIS WAS YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARY ANN PEREZ.
UH, REPRESENTATIVE PEREZ AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND WE WOULD ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THIS CITY GONNA DO FOR THIS AREA? AND NOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT AND WHAT A GREAT FIELD WE HAVE HERE, AND WHAT A GREAT
AND THANKS TO MS. RITA, MS. MICHELLE, UM, MR. UH, UH, GARCIA, UH, NOT MR. GARCIA, I'M SORRY, BUT, UH, MR. GONZALEZ, UH, THANK YOU AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS A REALLY COOL DAY AND IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
THIS'LL BE MY LAST PARK THAT I DEDICATE AND I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE AND A BETTER GROUP OF PEOPLE TO BE WITH.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A FA FEW FOLKS BEFORE I LEAVE.
IT'S TWO MEMBERS OF MY STAFF, DARI AND YASMINE PEREZ.
RAISE YOUR HAND NOT RELATED BY, I CALL 'EM THE PEREZ TWINS.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOW GONNA BE MARYANNE'S ADOPTED CHILDREN, SO SHE'S GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AFTER THEM.
AND THEN THE GENTLEMAN WHO GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPLACE ME SERVING THIS AREA IN DISTRICT E FRED FLICKINGER FRED.
SO IT'S BEEN AN HONOR OF MY LIFETIME TO SERVE ON CITY COUNCIL TO SERVE WITH THIS GENTLEMAN STANDING, SITTING TO MY RIGHT.
MAYOR TURNER'S BEEN A PHENOMENAL MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
DOESN'T GET ENOUGH ACCOLADES THAT HE SHOULD, BUT WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT 11 DAYS.
BUT HE'S BEEN A GOOD FRIEND, HE'S BEEN A GOOD MENTOR, AND HE'S THE GUY THAT EVERY TIME I WENT TO HIM WITH A PROJECT, ANYTIME I WENT TO HIM WITH SOMETHING THAT MADE SENSE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE THAT NEVER ASKED FOR A LOT AND WERE COMFORTABLE GETTING WHAT THEY COULD, HE NEVER TURNED ME DOWN.
AND I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL TO YOU.
SO THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOLKS.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS FACILITY.
AND I STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF SOCCER GAMES LEFT IN ME, SO I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I GET OUT HERE AND PLAY, UH, PLAY ON THE PITCH AND DO A GOOD JOB.
BUT GOD BLESS, HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY, HAVE A GREAT HANUKKAH, HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
GOD BLESS THE FOLKS OF OAK MEADOW PARK.
AND NOW I WAS JUST TOLD, I TOLD YOU SHE KICKED MY BUTT EVERY DAY FOR 11 YEARS.
BUT THE GREATEST STATE REPRESENTATIVE THAT WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARY ANN PEREZ, MY FRIEND.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT I HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YET, I AM STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARYANNE PEREZ, YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 1 44.
AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE NOT SEEN ME THIS WHOLE YEAR BECAUSE, UH, WE'VE BEEN IN SESSION THE ENTIRE YEAR AND HAVE A FEELING WE'RE NOT DONE YET, BUT WE'VE GOTTA KEEP GOING BACK AND KEEP FIGHTING.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO JOIN Y'ALL TODAY AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MAYOR TURNER FOR HIS WORK WITH THE 50 50 PARK UH, PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MAYOR PRO 10, DAVE MARTIN, UH, I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVE MARTIN.
HE'S GONNA KEEP THAT NAME FOR THE, FOR THE NEXT 11 DAYS, SO HE'LL BE OKAY.
AND I'D LIKE TO REALLY THANK HIM FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT.
PROJECTS LIKE THIS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ANYTIME HE COULD, HE WAS ALWAYS HERE TO HELP.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU EVER, EVER.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAD A HAND IN THIS PROJECT.
I KNOW IT'S A BIG TEAM EFFORT.
IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE.
THIS PROJECT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO JOIN Y'ALL THIS AFTERNOON.
I WAS GONNA BE SHORT AND SWEET BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW I WAS COMING BECAUSE I DIDN'T RSVP 'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE GONNA BE IN AUSTIN OR NOT.
SO I APPRECIATE IT AND UH, IT'S A PLEASURE JOINING Y'ALL AND HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING AND A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY.
[00:15:01]
YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.I KNOW YOUR SCHEDULE IS EXTREMELY BUSY.
MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, JUST YOUR CANDOR AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
UH, YOU BOTH, UM, CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY ARE SUPPORTIVE OF PARKS AND WE APPRECIATE IT AND THE COMMUNITY ARE APPRECIATED AS WELL.
GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE.
YOU KNOW, IN HOUSTON WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE MANY GREEN PARTNERS AND FRIENDS WORKING TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY EXPAND AND IMPROVE OUR PARK SYSTEM.
AND WE HAVE A LONG TERM PARTNER THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE PARKS ALL OVER THIS CITY AND WORK ON PROJECTS THAT ARE CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU TODAY.
AS DIRECTOR ALAN SAID, I'M BETH WHITE, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, A NONPROFIT THAT'S BEEN AROUND NEARLY 50 YEARS WORKING TO EXPAND, IMPROVE AND PROTECT PARKS AND GREEN SPACES IN THE HOUSTON REGION.
UM, WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT.
THE NEIGHBORS, THE PARK PARTNERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS AMAZING EFFORT.
BUT I REALLY WANNA THANK MAYOR TURNER IN PARTICULAR, WHO HAS CHALLENGED US TO DO EVEN MORE TO INVEST EQUITABLY THROUGHOUT OUR REGION IN PARKS BECAUSE HE KNOWS THEY'RE THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND SO ESSENTIAL TO OUR RESILIENCY.
SO I WANNA ASK EVERYONE TO GIVE HIM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WE JUST CANNOT THANK HIM ENOUGH FOR WHAT HE'S DONE.
I ALSO WANNA THANK DIRECTOR ALLEN AND OUR PARTNERS AT, UH, HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, ALONG WITH LISA JOHNSON AND THE GENERAL SERVICES TEAM.
OUR CONSTRUCTION FIRM TIMES CONSTRUCTION, CARLOS GARCIA AND JB WHITE, I BELIEVE ARE HERE.
OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRM, CLARK CONDON ASSOCIATES, UH, ELIZABETH GILBERT AND MATT FUNK REPRESENTING CLARK CONDON.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR, UM, HOUSTON PARKS BOARD TEAM, PARTICULARLY OUR HARDWORKING BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF.
UM, FROM OUR BOARD WE HAVE SIS JOHNSON, SHEILA CONDON, UH, LEX FRIEDEN, AND OUR FEARLESS CHAIRMAN FOR THE NEXT, AT LEAST SIX MONTHS.
UH, BARON WALLACE, UH, WHO'S WHERE, WHO'S HERE WITH US.
AND, UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR HOUSTON PARKS BOARD STAFF WHO WORK SO HARD HAND IN HAND WITH H PART, IF EVERYBODY COULD RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, OUR TEAM IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
I ALSO WANNA THANK PORT HOUSTON, WHO IS THE OFFICIAL PART PARTNER WITH THIS PARK, AS WELL AS HI DOGGO PARK.
THEY COMMITTED EARLY, THEY COMMITTED BIG AS A PACESETTER AT A MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THE 50 50 EFFORT.
AND BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY'S INVOLVEMENT IN LEADERSHIP, WE ALSO HAD A PHENOMENAL SHOW OF SUPPORT FROM THREE COMPANIES NEAR THE OAK MEADOWS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SIGNED ON TO THE INITIATIVE.
I KNOW MAYOR TURNER HAS, BUT WE WANNA THANK THEM AS WELL.
TPC GROUP REPRESENTED BY SARAH CRONIN, VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, GWENDOLYN KIMBALL, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR NICK GILL, HOUSTON OPERATIONS PLANT MANAGER AND JASON SANDERS, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER.
IT'S A BIG COMMITMENT OF TIME AND EFFORT.
VALERO ENERGY, WHO, UH, ALSO HELPED US AT HARTMAN PARK, REPRESENTED BY SARAH MONTELONGO.
UM, MANAGER OF REFINERY PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
AND, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, THE FUNDING FOR 50 50 CAME EARLY FROM, UH, VALERO AS WELL.
SO WE'RE JUST DELIGHTED YOU'RE HERE.
INVISTA REPRESENTED BY GRANT HOPKINS ASSET MANAGER LEADER AND LACEY LEMOINE PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UH, COORDINATOR.
THESE THREE COMPANIES COLLECTIVELY PROVIDED OVER $30,000 TO THE IMPROVEMENTS HERE AT OAK MEADOW AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE RITA SNOW AS, UH, MAYOR TURNER DID, WHO SHE PLAYED AN ACTIVE ROLE IN COORDINATING WITH THESE COMPANIES AND KEEPING THE COMMUNITY UPDATED ON THE PROJECT'S PROGRESS.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE HER DEDICATION.
AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, WHO WORKED SO HARD, NOT JUST INVESTING IN PARK EQUITY, BUT EQUITY AND RESILIENCE THROUGHOUT, UH, OUR REGION.
SO WITH THAT, IF WE COULD GIVE ALL THE PARK PARTNERS ROUND OF APPLAUSE AGAIN.
[00:20:01]
COMMITMENT OF OVER 30 PHILANTHROPIC PARK PARTNERS IS TRANSFORMING PARKS ACROSS THE CITY.UH, WE'VE RAISED A TOTAL OF $10 MILLION TO DATE, WHICH AUGMENTS THE CITY'S LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT, 15 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, ALL DUE TO THE MAYOR'S PASSION AND LEADERSHIP FOR COMMUNITY PARKS.
OAK MEADOW, AS YOU HEARD, IS THE 20TH OF 22 PARKS THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE CUTTING RIBBONS ON BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE JUST SO PLEASED TO BE HERE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK THE MAYOR'S TEAM, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, AND ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH HAR.
THIS PROGRAM WAS FOUNDED ON THREE GOALS, PARK EQUITY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE IMPACT.
AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS EFFORT.
AS, AS OUR, UM, WORK WITH COMMUNITIES WAS SO IMPORTANT TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE, OF THIS PROGRAM.
I WANNA SAY HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO WORK WITH DISTRICT E AND THE OAK MEADOWS CIVIC CLUB TO MAKE SURE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S VOICES WERE HEARD.
WE HELD A COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION, HOSTED AN IN-PERSON PARK POPUP, ATTENDED MULTIPLE OAK MEADOW CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS TO GATHER THIS INPUT, WHICH HELPED REFINE THE DESIGN.
THIS CRITICAL FEEDBACK RESULTED IN THE SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING HERE TODAY.
THEY BRING LIFE TO THIS COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE, A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE CAN COME TOGETHER AND ENJOY TIME OUTDOORS.
UM, SO WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND WE HOPE TO HAVE A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS COMMUNITY.
AND NOW I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE COMMISSIONER DEAN CORGI WITH THE PORT OF HOUSTON.
THEY HAVE BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNER SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 50 50, AS I MENTIONED.
AND COMMISSIONER CORGI WAS WITH US AT HIDALGO PARK WHEN WE HAD THEIR GRAND OPENING.
AND HE IS HERE AGAIN TO, TO SHARE HIS PERSPECTIVE ABOUT WHY THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT TO THE PORT.
I'M KIND OF SUFFERING FROM SOME LARYNGITIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'LL STRUGGLE THROUGH THIS.
I'D LIKE TO START OFF, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES, BETH, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
AND THANK OUR FRIEND, THE MAYOR FOR THE JOB HE'S DONE.
AND TO ILLUSTRATE THAT POINT, I'D LIKE TO TELL A LITTLE C STORY, IF THAT'S OKAY.
HE WAS THE MOST SKILLED, QUALIFIED CAPTAIN THAT LIVED.
HE MADE MONEY FOR THE COMPANY, HE TREATED THE CREW FAIRLY, HE MAINTAINED HIS VESSEL.
BUT HE HAD A ONE OTHER QUALITY THAT THAT, THAT SERVED HIM VERY WELL.
EVERY TIME HE'D GET IN A JAM, HURRICANE, A WAR, A FOG BANK, WHATEVER, HE ALWAYS KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO TO GET THE SHIP AND THE CREW TO SAFETY.
WELL, WHAT MOST PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW IS HE HAD A LITTLE SECRET.
WHAT HE WOULD DO, HE WOULD GO DOWN IN HIS OFFICE WHEN THE, WHEN HE GOT IN, IN, IN A SHAKY SITUATION, HE'D OPEN A DRAWER, HE'D PULL OUT A LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER, HE'D READ IT FOR A MINUTE, FOLD IT BACK UP, PUT IT IN A DRAWER, LOCK IT, GO UP ON THE BRIDGE AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO.
EVERYBODY WAS JUST DUMBFOUNDED HELL IN THE UNION.
WELL, THE ONE PERSON THAT THAT, THAT THIS JUST DROVE HIM CRAZY, WAS THE CHIEF MATE.
AND HE JUST TRIED TO GET THE CAPTAIN TO TELL HIM WHAT'S ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER, PLEASE TELL ME.
SO FINALLY ONE DAY THE CAPTAIN DIES ON THE SHIP AND FIRST THING THE MATE DID WAS SECURE THE BODY, PUT HIM IN THE FREEZER.
AND UH, AND THEN THE SECOND THING HE DID, HE WENT IN THE ENGINE ROOM, HE GOT A, A CROWBAR.
AND HE WENT DOWN TO THAT OFFICE AND HE PRIED OPEN THAT DRAWER AND HE TOOK OUT THAT LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER AND HE UNFOLDED IT.
AND WITH TREMBLING HANDS, HE READ THE WORDS, PORT IS LEFT, STARBOARD IS RIGHT,
AND THE REASON I TELL THIS STORY IS THAT THE OLD MAN WAS A WINNER AND HE WAS A SUCCESS.
'CAUSE HE NEVER FORGOT THE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS OF GOOD SEAMANSHIP AND MAYOR.
SO BEST TURNER HAS NEVER FORGOT THE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE, HOW TO BE FAIR AND IMPARTIAL AND TREAT EVERYBODY FAIRLY.
AND MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THE JOB YOU'VE DONE TO US AND GOD BLESS YOU.
BUT ANYWAY, IT IS NOT SPECIAL TO ME.
I, I GREW UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, ACTUALLY, I WAS BORN RIGHT NEXT DOOR, UH, DAVE OVER IN, UH, FOREST OAKS.
AND THEN MY DAD GOT A UNION JOB OVER AT THE, UH, REFINERY AND WE MOVED OVER TO MEADOW CREEK VILLAGE,
[00:25:01]
AND, UH, BUT THIS IS, BUT I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, CRISP DAYS AND AUTUMN COMING OVER HERE AND PLAYING FOOTBALL AND, AND, UH, NICE WARM SUNNY DAYS IN SPRINGTIME PLAYING BASEBALL AND HANGING OUT WITH, UH, MY FRIENDS OVER HERE.
IN FACT, THERE'S UH, A COUPLE OF 'EM HERE TODAY.
UH, ROBERT HALE, RETIRED FIREFIGHTER, ARSON INVESTIGATOR.
AND GARY BLANKENSHIP, RETIRED HPD AND, UH, RETIRED US MARSHAL AND HIS WIFE LISA.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL HERE, BROTHERS THERE, MEL BUFFS.
AND, AND, AND WE HAVE A VERY TIGHT, TIGHT, UH, GROUP OVER THERE AT, AT MELBY.
BUT, UH, BUT IT, IT IS SPECIAL TO ME TO COME HERE AND, AND, AND BE ABLE TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK.
YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHY IS THE PORT SO INTERESTED IN PARKS? WELL, I WAS WITH THE, THE, THE PRIME MINISTER OF BELGIUM LAST WEEK AND HE CAME TO THE PORT AND HE WAS LOOKING AROUND AND HE ASKED ME, HE SAID, WHO OWNS THIS PLACE? I SAID, THE PEOPLE OWN IT.
HE SAID, WHAT? I SAID, YEAH, IT'S THE PEOPLE'S PORT BECAUSE THEY PAY TAXES AND THEY WORK HERE.
AND WE REPRESENT, WE'RE APPOINTED BY DIFFERENT, UH, UH, UH, NEGLECTED OFFICIALS.
AND, AND WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND THE REASON WE SUPPORT THESE PARKS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY'RE USUALLY, THEY'RE RIGHT TOGETHER, IS THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOUNG FOLKS HAVE A PLACE TO GO GET EDUCATED, A PLACE TO PAY, PLAY, A PLACE TO GROW, AND TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DO IT ALL SAFELY.
SO WE ARE SO PROUD TO PARTICIPATE TODAY.
AND AGAIN, FOR ME, IT'S, IT IS A SPECIAL HONOR TO COME HERE TODAY AND HONOR MY FRIEND, MAYOR TURNER AND HONOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND MY BROTHERS, UH, AND, AND, AND DO SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE BACK.
'CAUSE LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, ANOTHER REASON WE SUPPORT THESE PARKS AND, AND, AND BECAUSE THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CIVIC CLUB KNOWS IT, THEY ALL WORK DOWN THE SHIP CHANNEL.
THEY WORK AT THE PORT AND WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THE NEXT WAVE, THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORKERS.
AND THESE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.
THEY'RE GONNA BE, ONE OF 'EM IS GONNA BE UP HERE TALKING IN A FEW YEARS.
SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT WE GET IT.
AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SUPPORT PARKS AND, AND, AND, AND EDUCATION AND, AND COMMUNITIES AND, AND WE ARE ALWAYS GONNA BE THE PEOPLE'S PORT.
I
I LOVE THAT STORY ABOUT PORT STAR.
SO I AM NOW PLEASED TO INTRODUCE MICHELLE GARCIA.
SHE IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF OAK MEADOWS CIVIC CLUB.
AND WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT MICHELLE, UM, JESUS GONZALEZ.
AND YOU'VE HEARD, UH, ABOUT RITA, BUT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN AMAZING SHARING PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS, GETTING PEOPLE OUT TO MEETINGS, GIVING FEEDBACK, AND WE JUST REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO THANK MAYOR TURNER FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN, THIS 50 50 PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
HE DEFINITELY STEPPED UP TO THE GAME AND PUT US TO WORK AND WE WERE ABLE TO PROVE THAT WE WERE JUST AS INTERESTED AND WILLING.
AND THIS IS THE DREAM COME TRUE.
AND WE DO, THE MOTIVATION COMES FROM THE KIDS.
I GOT MY FIRST GRANDDAUGHTER, SO SHE'LL BE HERE PLAYING.
AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE TODAY.
COMMISSIONER, YOU WERE EXACTLY RIGHT WHEN YOU SAID THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE OUR MOTIVATION COMES FROM.
SO I LIKE TO GIVE THANKS TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
I ALSO LIKE TO GIVE THANKS TO, UH, I'M SO NERVOUS,
VALERO WITH SARAH AND SARAH, TPC GROUP WITH SARAH CRONIN AND DEANNA WITH INVISTA, WITH LACEY.
THEY'VE ALWAYS LOOKED OUT FOR US AND, AND RUCK ELEMENTARY, SO MANY HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS MAKING IT HAPPEN.
AND EVEN THE OFFICERS, WE WORKED A LOT OF HARD NIGHTS MEETINGS AND UH, IT ALL CAME TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN DAVE MARTIN PROTON.
HE REALLY WORKS CLOSELY WITH US.
HE'S ALWAYS ANSWERED, NEVER FAILED.
AND THIS IS JUST A GREAT BOARD ALL TOGETHER AND, AND WE WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE TO TODAY.
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR JUST KEEPING THE COMMUNITY CONNECTED AND TOGETHER.
UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS CERTAINLY CRUCIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY PROJECT AND WE SURE NOT START A PROJECT WITHOUT ASKING YOU GUYS FIRST.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA, RUCKER, IT'S OUT OF THIS WORLD.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE KIDS FROM
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RUTGER ELEMENTARY RIGHT NOW.YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE SCHOOLS AND THE PARKS.
YOU GUYS CAN WALK RIGHT OVER TO A QUALITY PARK AND I WANT TO, UH, THANK AND APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORT IN THAT PROCESS.
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION AND THEIR MOTIVATION, THEIR INSPIRATION, IT OFTEN STARTS ON THE PLAYGROUND, LIKE THE ONE RIGHT BEHIND ME.
IT'S NOT A PLACE OF STRUCTURE, IT'S A PLACE OF IMAGINATION.
A PLACE WHERE KIDS CAN BE WHAT THEY DREAM TO BE.
SO ILO YOU GUYS TO ENJOY THE PLAYGROUND AND THE REST OF THE PARK AND DREAM AND BE WHATEVER IT IS YOU WANT TO BE.
NO, IT IT, IT'S GREAT FOR THE ENGAGEMENT, BUT I ASKED THE COMMUNITY FROM THIS POINT.
WE'RE GONNA RIBBON CUT THIS PARK JUST FOR YOU.
I ASKED YOU GUYS TO TAKE CARE OF IT, TO BE ON A LOOKOUT FOR ANY ACTIVITY THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED QUESTIONABLE OR ASK YOU GUYS TO KIND OF TAKE CARE OF IT.
IF YOU SEE TRASH, PLEASE PICK IT UP, PUT IT IN A UH, CONTAINER, WE VOW AND TO CUT THIS PART EVERY 14 DAYS AND WE'LL DE LITERATE EVERY THREE DAYS IN THE GAP.
WE'LL, APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU GUYS CAN GIVE US.
SO I KNOW CHRIS, CHRIS CARROLL IS IN THE AUDIENCE.
WHERE ARE YOU CHRIS? CHRIS, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE REST OF THE TEAM AND THE REST OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WORK.
SO PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF, WOULD YOU PLEASE HOLD YOUR HANDS UP? ALRIGHT, I ALSO LIKE TO THANK AGAIN HOUSTON PARKS BOARD STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US.
COULD YOU PLEASE HOLD YOUR HANDS UP? YEAH, THIS JUST DID NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, TRUST ME.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK AGAIN, UH, THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CJ MESSIAH AND LISA JOHNSON FOR THEIR DAY-TO-DAY WORK ON CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WE'RE GONNA RIBBON CUT THIS PART AND DID I LEAVE ANYTHING OUT? MAYOR, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADDRESS OR SAY? BETH, YOU GOOD? ALRIGHT, COUNSEL.
ERIC EON AND GE BURKE, THANK YOU GUYS FOR ATTENDING.
WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL.
UP ONE MORE THING TO SAY, ANYTIME YOU WANNA SPEND MONEY NO, COME ON.