[Mayor's Love Our Parks Event at Evella Park on December 29, 2023. ]
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IT'S ONE OF 10 PARKS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED IN JUST A YEAR AND A HALF UNDER THE MAYOR LVA PARKS COMPLETE COMMUNITY INITIATIVE.
10 PARKS IN A YEAR AND A HALF.
I'M GONNA SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
10 PARKS IN A YEAR AND A HALF
SO IT, IT'S TRULY BEEN AMAZING TO SEE THE TRANSFORMATION OF THESE POCKET PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AS A PART OF THIS INITIATIVE.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING TO ALL 10, 10 OF THEM, AND I THINK MY FAVORITE ONE IS HERE AT VALOR SMALL SPACE WITH A LOT OF LOVE.
WHO WILL, WE, WE WILL INTRODUCE SOON WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
BUT MAYOR, AS PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK.
AND SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO CALL YOU UP FOR A FEW WORDS.
LOOK, LET ME, LET ME THANK DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN, AND WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER QUITE A BIT.
WE WERE TOGETHER YESTERDAY, TWICE.
UH, TODAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER TWICE, UH, BECAUSE WE HAD AVE PARK, AND THEN WE'LL BE AT ANOTHER PARK LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON.
LOOK, I'M JUST EXCITED TO BE OUT HERE AND I DIDN'T COME ALONG.
I HAVE A NUMBER OF DIRECTORS WHO ARE WITH ME TODAY.
UH, SHANNON BUGS, WHO YOU'LL HEAR FROM TODAY.
DIRECTOR OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, JANICE WEAVER, THE COMMUNITY SERVICE FAITH-BASED DIRECTOR IS HERE.
MICHELLE, THE CITY LEGAL ATTORNEY IS PRESENT.
THE, THE DIRECTOR DIRECTORS HERE, NICOLE URBAN, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IS PRESENT.
AND THEN FOR ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES OF HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, YOU'LL JUST SHOW YOUR HANDS.
I THANK ALL OF YOU ALL AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH.
UM, I MEAN, THIS IS DECEMBER THE 29TH AND WE ARE STILL WORKING.
AND, AND THEN LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON, I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN.
UH, AND THEN, UH, ON TOMORROW, UH, WE'LL WRAP UP OUR LAST ONE, UH, IN, IN ACRE HOME.
SO, UM, MINISTER COPA, THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE OUT IN THIS AREA.
PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING NEXT DOOR ACROSS THE STREET.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY OUT, UH, THIS AFTERNOON.
SO, LOOK, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR LOVED OUR PARKS FEST AND VE PARK RIGHT HERE IN THE GREATER FIFTH WARD, AND IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK IN DISTRICT B REPRESENTED BY COUNCILMAN ASHA JACKSON WAS UNFORTUNATELY NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY, BUT HERE IN SPIRIT, UH, AS PARK DIRECTOR ALLEN SAID, THIS IS OUR 10TH LOVE OUR PARKS FEST.
WE HAVE FOCUSED ON A NUMBER OF PARK PROJECTS IN THIS AREA, WHICH IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CASHMERE GARDENS COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO VELA PARK, WE HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS TO TUFFLEY PARK, WHICH WAS JUST CELEBRATED EARLIER THIS MONTH UNDER THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
AN EARLIER PROJECT INCLUDED RENOVATION OF THE BASKETBALL PAVILION AT BREWSTER PARK, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON ROCKETS AND CATHERINE DUTCH PARK, ANOTHER MAYOR OF OUR PARK REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
WE ALSO HAVE A PROJECT IN DEVELOPMENT AT JA CREEK PARK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
THIS INVESTMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT EVERY COMMUNITY DES DESERVES ACCESS TO BEAUTIFUL AND VIBRANT PARKS TOGETHER AND ENJOY JUST AS WE ARE DOING TODAY.
THE LOVE OUR PARKS INITIATIVE WAS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE MORE POSITIVE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY, UH, CONNECTIONS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND, SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE RIGHT HERE AT VELO PARK.
WE HAVE OUR SIGNATURE PARKS LIKE MEMORIAL HERMAN EMANCIPATION AND DISCOVERY GREEN, BUT THERE ARE ALSO 380 OF THE PARKS IN OUR CITY THAT ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THEY SERVE, BUT DO NOT HAVE THE SAME RESOURCES OR NETWORK OF SUPPORT.
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, UH, EQUITY WAS ONE OF OUR KEY INITIATIVES, AND WE IDENTIFIED 10 MAYOR LOVE OUR PARKS PROJECTS TO BE REVITALIZED USING THE EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES FROM THE HOUSTON PARKS RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
OUR OVERALL INVESTMENT IN THESE 10 PARKS WAS $6.6 MILLION WITH PUBLIC FUNDING FROM THE CITY THROUGH THE HOUSTON PARKS RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND PRIVATE SUPPORT THROUGH THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES IMPROVEMENT FUND.
I WANT TO APPRECIATE DIRECTOR SHANNON BUGS, UH, FROM COMPLETE COMMUNITIES IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL
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$1 MILLION.UH, TO KICKSTART OUR WOULD LOVE OUR PARK INITIATIVE, GIVE IT UP TO COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
ADDITIONALLY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR FOUNDING CORPORATE PARTNER, SHANIA ENERGY, FOR THEIR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOVE OUR PARKS INITIATIVE.
SHANIA ENERGY SUPPORT WAS SPECIAL IN THAT, UH, THEIR EMPLOYEES ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR PARK IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS, PERFORMING CLEANUP, PAINTING AND LANDSCAPING PROJECTS IN EACH OUR LOVE OUR PARKS.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ZACH TATE AT THE DAVIS AND WENDY CRAVEN FROM JANENE ENERGY AND THE SHENE FOUNDATION FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT OF OUR LOVE, OUR PARKS, AND THEIR DESIRE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SHAE ENERGY HAS BEEN A SUPPORTER IN TERMS OF DOLLARS AND CENTS AND HUMAN RESOURCES FOR EACH ONE OF OUR 10 LOVE OUR PARKS.
PLEASE GIVE IT IT UP TO SHANIA ENERGY.
THE VELA PARK UPGRADES INCLUDES A NEW PLAYGROUND, FALL SURFACE AND BORDER, A NEW BASKETBALL COURT IN GOALS, NEW PERIMETER FENCING, IMPROVED CONCRETE WALK AREAS, NEW SITE FURNISHINGS INCLUDING BENCHES, PICNIC TABLES, A BARBECUE PIT, AND NEW PARK SIGNAGE, AND IMPROVED GREEN SPACE AND LANDSCAPING.
IN TOTAL, WE HAVE INVESTED OVER $785,000 IN EVE PARK.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THOSE ARE THE CAPITAL SORT OF RESOURCES.
WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PARK RANGERS.
WHERE ARE THE PARK RANGERS THAT ARE HERE? THEY'RE WORKING, SIR.
AND THE REASON I UNDERSCORE, AND THE REASON WHY I UNDERSCORE THAT IS THAT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS HAVE INDICATED SOME ACTIVITY IS TAKING PLACE HERE IN THE EVENING, ONE OF OUR PARK RANGERS TO BE PRESENT AND OUT HERE BECAUSE WE INTEND TO TAKE BACK OUR PARKS FOR OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
SO GIVE UP, GIVE IT UP FOR OUR PARK RANGERS.
WE WANNA, WE, WE MADE THE IMPROVEMENTS, BUT WE DON'T WANT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE WITHOUT THE FAMILIES AND KIDS TAKING BENEFIT OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO LET ME SEND A WORD OUT TO EVERYONE.
UH, THESE ARE OUR PARKS DURING THE DAY AND AT NIGHT.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING, UH, SECURITY AND OTHER, UH, ESSENTIALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PARKS ARE SAFE FOR EVERYONE.
AND LASTLY, AS WE KNOW, WE HAVE EXTRA ORDINARY REACH AND, AND TO BRING POSITIVE BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE RELY ON COMMUNITIES TO CONTINUE THEIR STEWARDSHIP OF AVELA PARK TO HELP PRESERVE THIS INVESTMENT SO THAT IT MAY BE ENJOYED FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
I WILL KEEP OUR PARK SAFE AND CLEAN CAMPAIGN FOCUSING ON DETERRING CRIME AND REDUCING LITTER IN HOUSTON PARKS.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE INTEND TO DO.
I WANT TO THANK THE CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOORS AND THE HOUSTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS FOR JOINING US IN THAT EFFORT.
AND FRIENDS, ALTHOUGH THIS ROUNDS OUT, UH, MY COMMITMENT TO REVITALIZE 10 HIGH NEED NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT EVEN THOUGH I AM LEAVING, UH, I HAVE PROVIDED FOR AN EXTENSION OF THIS CAMPAIGN INTO 2024.
THE EXTENSION, THE EXTENSION WILL SUPPORT FIVE ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD PARK RENOVATIONS AS ROUND THREE OF OUR LOVE OUR PARKS.
THE NEXT FIVE PARTS TARGETED ARE MARGARET JENKINS, SET, GAS, CHIMNEY ROCK, GREENWOOD, AND LAWRENCE.
DIRECTOR ALLEN AND HOUSTON PARK REC STAFF AND OTHERS AS YOU CUT THE RIBBON ON THOSE OTHER FIVE.
YES, WE'LL,
I KNOW THIS INITIATIVE HAS MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE WITHIN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
I CANNOT THANK PARKS AND REC AND THE REC AND THE EMPLOYEES ENOUGH, QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE PUT FORTH, THESE PARKS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE UNDER RECORD TIME WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT, DEDICATION, LOYALTY, SUPPORT BEING GIVEN BY YOU AND BY PARKS AND REF REC AND THE ENTIRE TEAM.
SO GIVE IT UP TO THE, TO THE, TO THE FOLKS AT PARKS AND REC.
NEITHER WOULD'VE BEEN DONE WITHOUT SUPPORT OF MY OTHER DIRECTORS AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
SO LET ME THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
UH, IT'S ONLY FITTING, UH, THAT WE WILL BE GOING UP UNTIL THE LAST, ALMOST THE LAST DAY.
UM, SO, UH, LET'S GET THIS DONE.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW.
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YOU CAN GO AND CELEBRATE ON SUNDAY.YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR POCKET PARK, POCKET PARKS, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, AND YOUR BIG SIGNATURE PARKS, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND DIRECTOR BUGS FOR YOUR COMMITMENT SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON A COMPLETE PARK SYSTEM.
ONE THAT HAS EQUITY, ONE THAT FOCUS ON PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS JUST LIKE THIS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SEVERAL RESIDENTS IN THE AREA.
YOU KNOW, MR. AUSTIN, UH, IN THE AUDIENCE LIVED RIGHT ON THE CORNER, 41 YEARS.
HE'S BEEN A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND HE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT WENT INTO THIS PARK.
WE'RE DEPENDING ON YOU AND THE OTHER RESIDENTS TO KEEP THIS PARK LIFTED UP.
I'D LIKE TO CALL UP SHANNON BUGS, DIRECTOR OF, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
WHEN THE MAYOR, WHEN THE MAYOR SAID, GIVE HIM MONEY, SHE DID IT.
UM, IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, MAYOR TURNER HAS, UH, EMPHASIZED EQUITY AND MADE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAD NOT GOTTEN THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION THAT SOME OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY HAVE HAD OVER DECADES, THAT THOSE WERE THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WOULD GET HIS ATTENTION FIRST.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT COMPLETE COMMUNITIES IS ALL ABOUT, MAKING SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE UNDER-RESOURCED AND UNDERSERVED BECAUSE OF HISTORIC INEQUITIES BASED ON WHO LIVES THERE DOES NOT CONTINUE.
HE ASSIGNED ME HIS CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER, HIS PARKS DIRECTOR, AND ASKED THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP AND THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD TO ALL WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A WAY OF BRINGING MORE EQUITY TO HOW WE FUND PARKS, BECAUSE THE WAY WE DO IT ISN'T FAIR.
I SAW AVELA PARK BEFORE THE RENOVATIONS.
THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY DESERVE BETTER FOR A LOT LONGER AMOUNT OF TIME THAN THEY EVER SHOULD HAVE HAD TO WAIT.
I WAS HERE WITH OUR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT ALL THE WAYS THAT THE CITY COULD PARTICIPATE IN BRINGING MORE ATTENTION TO THE CANCER CLUSTER HERE.
AND SO WE WERE ASSESSING EVERY BIT OF HOUSTON OWNED PROPERTY TO GET A SENSE OF THAT.
AND WE CAME HERE AND THERE WAS SO LITTLE, IT WAS SAD THE CHILDREN HAVE DESERVED MORE AND BETTER, BUT MAYOR TURNER HAD ASKED US TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OF MAKING SURE THAT THE WAY WE FUND PARKS, THERE'S A WHOLE PARK SECTOR FUNDING PROGRAM WHERE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS GET A LOT AND SOME DON'T.
HE LOOKED FOR A WAY OF SHIFTING THAT BY BRINGING PRIVATE PARTNERS IN FUNDRAISING WHERE THAT MILLION DOLLARS CAME FROM TO ASK OUR CORPORATE CITIZENS TO STEP UP AND HELP US TO MAKE THESE PARKS BETTER.
AND THAT'S THE 50 50 PARK PROGRAM.
IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO DO THE ASSESSMENTS OF ALL THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE, THREE EIGHTY TWO PARKS, SORRY, 382 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS THAT ARE LIKE THIS ONE.
IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO ALSO COME UP WITH THE RIGHT MIX OF EQUITY FACTORS TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES WERE, WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS WERE SUFFERING THE MOST WITH NOT HAVING ADEQUATE PARK ASSETS.
WE GOT THERE, WE GOT TO A LIST OF 50, BUT THEN WE ALSO GOT A NEW PARKS DIRECTOR WHO WASN'T SATISFIED WITH THE PACE THAT WE WERE MAKING IN THAT EQUITY ANALYSIS.
AND SO HE TOOK SOME OF THOSE PARKS THAT HAD BEEN CONSIDERED FOR THE 50 50 LIST AND HE SAID, MAYOR, I WANT TO DO SOMETHING MORE.
AND FROM DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN'S ADVOCACY WAS BORN.
THE MAYORS LOVE OUR PARKS COMPLETE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE BECAUSE OF COURSE, MAYOR TURNER SAID YES.
AND THEN THEY SAID, GIVE HER SOME, GIVE THEM SOME MONEY.
AND WE STARTED OFF WITH $500,000 FOR THE FIRST FIVE AND ANOTHER $500,000.
BUT IT HASN'T JUST BEEN DIRECTOR ALLEN AND MAYOR TURNER WHO HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO MAKING EACH OF THESE PARKS OUR 10 LOVE, OUR PARKS, PARKS, THE JEWELS THAT THEY HAVE BECOME.
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IT HAS BEEN EVERYONE IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PUSHING FORWARD TO MAKING THIS NOT JUST AN IMPROVEMENT OF THE PARK, BUT A CELEBRATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE FOOD TRUCKS, THE MUSIC, THE GAMES.I PLAYED PICKLEBALL TODAY FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME
AND SO I THANK SO MANY PEOPLE, TINA AND ONIKA, AND CHRIS AND MICHAEL AND TOM AND SO MANY OTHERS IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WHO HAVE DONE THE OUTSTANDING WORK, GAIL AND ESTELLA, TO MAKING SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD FELT LOVED.
WHEN WE CAME BACK HAVING DONE THESE IMPROVEMENTS, I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THERE TO BE EQUITY IN OUR CITY.
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COMING TO OUR CITY CAN FEEL THEY CAN BUILD A HOME.
AND EVERY PERSON WHO LIVES IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD FEEL THAT THEIR FAMILY, THEIR GENERATIONS OF FAMILY, CAN CONTINUE TO LIVE WHERE THEY HAVE ALWAYS LIVED BECAUSE THE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY IS THERE FOR THEM.
AND A GOOD PARK IS A SIGN OF A THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND MAYOR TURNER HAS MADE SURE THAT HE PRIORITIZED GIVING EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD A GOOD PARK.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THE JOURNEY, AS YOU'VE HEARD.
THANK YOU AGAIN, DIRECTOR ALLEN, FOR COMING UP WITH FIVE MORE AND CONVINCING OUR MAYOR TO SAY YES, TO GIVING THE MONEY TO MOVE IT ALL FORWARD.
WE DON'T WANT YOU TO STOP WITH US.
WE WANT YOU TO KEEP MOVING IN THIS JOURNEY WITH US SO THAT ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS GET THE ATTENTION THAT THEY DESERVE.
DEFINITELY APPRECIATE WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE MONEY
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A HEALTHY PARK SYSTEM, IT'S EVERYTHING THAT I JUST MENTIONED, EVERYTHING THAT SHANNON HAD HAD MENTIONED, BUT IT TAKES A COLLECTIVE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, PUBLIC, PRIVATE, VOLUNTEERS, YOU NAME IT, TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THE MAYOR SAID, MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND HE SAID, I'M GONNA REWARD YOU WITH FIVE MORE.
SO WE'RE PROUD OF THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
MAYOR, I CAN'T BEGIN TO THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR YOUR VISION AND FOR YOUR LOVE OF PARKS, COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY WILL BENEFIT NOT JUST NOW, BUT FROM A LEGACY STANDPOINT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME BECAUSE OF THIS WORK.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK GSD DIRECTOR, CJ MESSIAH, LISA JOHNSON, FOR THEIR OVERSIGHT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WITHOUT THEIR INVOLVEMENT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE QUALITY WORK LIKE WE HAVE NOW.
SO WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE GONNA GET ENJOY THIS DAY.
DID I LEAVE ANYBODY OUT, SIR? I THINK WE HAVE GOOD, EVERYBODY'S GOOD.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WEEKS, MONTHS, AND YEARS OF, UH, RECREATIONAL USE OF THIS PARK.
AND WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR LOOKING AFTER OF IT AND TAKING CARE OF IT WHEN WE LEAVE.
UH, THIS AND NO COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE.
IS ANYBODY ELSE FROM COMMUNICATIONS HERE? DEIDRA.
I MEAN, WITHOUT THEM THE WORD DOES NOT GET OUT, NOT ACCURATELY AND NOT PROMPTLY.
SO WANT TO THANK, THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
OH, WE WE'RE JUST GONNA ENJOY THE REST OF THE FESTIVAL MUSIC.