[Press Conference: "50/50 Park Ribbon Cutting - Braeburn Glen"]
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GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? WELL, WELCOME TO BRADBURN GLEN PARK.
I'M KENNETH ALLEN, DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON, ISN'T IT? I PERSONALLY DIALED UP THIS WEATHER.
IT'S A WONDERFUL DAY TO CELEBRATE YET ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR THE MAYOR'S 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
AND I'M, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY.
YOU KNOW, AND THE MAYOR CHARGED US WITH COMPLETING 22 PARKS AND VIRTUALLY UNDER A YEAR.
YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF QUALITY OF LIFE BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO SAFE, WELL MAINTAINED PARKS AND PROVIDING RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL POPULATIONS.
WE RECENTLY UPDATED OUR PARK PARKS MASTER PLAN AS PART OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY STATED AND REQUESTED THAT WE IMPROVE AND UPDATE OUR CURRENT PARKS.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT TODAY.
SO TODAY'S CELEBRATION IS DELIVERING ON THE PRIORITY THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF KEY PARTNERS AND KEY KEY PEOPLE.
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR PARKS ACROSS THIS CITY.
NOT JUST OUR LARGE SIGNATURE PARKS, BUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND OUR POCKET PARKS.
THIS IS WORK THAT'S CRUCIAL IN TERMS OF US WORKING TOGETHER WITH PARTNERS, HOUSTON PARKS BOARD ON MANY PROJECTS.
BETH WHITE PRESIDENT, CEO OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
'CAUSE THIS IS A CRIME TO DO THIS MANY PARKS IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I LIKE TO CALL UP THE VISIONARY AND THE PERSON THAT CHARGED US WITH WORKING TOGETHER TO COMPLETE A LOT IN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
HONORABLE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
LOOK, LEMME THANK, UH, DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN AND, UM, APPRECIATE, UH, HIS, HIS LEADERSHIP AND THAT OF HOUSTON PARKS AND REC.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER ALREADY ONE TIME TODAY, UH, EARLIER TODAY AND, AND THEN WE WERE ALL TOGETHER YESTERDAY.
AND SO WE ARE HERE STANDING NOW.
SO IF YOU GIVE IT UP TO DIRECTOR KENNETH'S ALLEN TO ALL PARKS AND REC.
LOOK, WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO CLOSE OUT THE WEEK BY COMING TOGETHER WITH THE BRAEBURN GLEN COMMUNITY AND OUR 50 50 PARK PARTNERS TO CELEBRATE THE IMPROVEMENTS AT BRA BARN GLEN PARK.
I AM HONORED TO BE WITH, UM, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE SEAN THIRY, AND THEN YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AND THEN THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT J COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD.
LOOK, I WANNA, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND FOR HIS SUPPORT OF THE 50 50 INITIATIVE.
HE REALLY HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL, SO THANK YOU, UH, SO VERY MUCH.
I WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS JOURNEY, UH, AS WE APPROACH THE COMBINATION OF THE 50 50 INITIATIVE TO REINVIGORATE 22, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ALL IN ONE YEAR, 2023.
I'M GRATEFUL TO SO MANY PEOPLE AND APPRECIATE THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
THEY ARE, THEY ARE ANNOUNCING THE 20, UM, THE, THE PARKS AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY IS OKAY WHEREVER THEY'RE GOING.
I AM GRATEFUL TO THE, TO THE MANY, UH, AND APPRECIATE THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY'S OFFICE BY SHANNON BUGS.
I DON'T THINK SHANNON IS WITH US RIGHT NOW.
SHE WAS WITH US EARLIER TODAY.
I WANT TO APPLAUD THE ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FROM SEVERAL PARTNERS IN THE EFFORT TO IMPROVE BRADBURN GLEN PARK.
HEB PLAYED A PIVOTAL YAM, GIVE IT UP TO HEB LISA OVER THERE.
THEY PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF THIS PARK BY GENEROUSLY PLEDGING, UH, $285,000 TOWARDS THE OVERALL 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
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THANKS TO LISA HUFFMAN, THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR HEB.GIVE IT UP TO LISA ONE MORE TIME.
YEAH, ALICE, UH, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR COMMITTED $367,751 TO THE OVERALL 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE SUPPORTING BRADBURN GLEAN PARK, AS WELL AS BRIA BEND PARK AND TANGO WILD PARK.
AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, OF COURSE, ALICE LEE, CHIEF OF STAFF TO HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOR COMMISSIONER LESLIE BARONI.
UH, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH PRECINCT FOUR AND COMMISSIONER LESLIE BNIS.
I KNOW SHE'S OUT OF, OUT OF TOWN, BUT LOOK, HER HEART AND HER MONEY IS RIGHT HERE, SO, OKAY, GIVE IT UP TO THAT.
OUR PARTNERS UNDERSTAND THAT PARKS ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERY COMMUNITY.
A VIBRANT AND WELL-MAINTAINED PARK CONTRIBUTES TO MAKING EACH COMMUNITY COMPLETE.
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS CANNOT BE OVERSTATED BECAUSE IT IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS WHERE FAMILIES GATHER, WHERE CHILDREN PLAY AND GROW AND WHERE COMMUNITIES BOND AND ARE FORMED.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE COLLABORATION OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD AS, UH, DIRECTOR ALLEN SAID THE GREATEST HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP AND THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
BETH WHITE AND THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD TEAM WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN CONDUCTING COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS, BUILDING CORPORATE STEWARDSHIP AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR THE 50 50 PARKS.
AND SO JOINING US TODAY IS PARKS BOARD, BOARD MEMBER, UH, CHRISTIAN BLOOMQUIST AND THANK YOU KRISTEN.
AND I THOUGHT I SAW BARON WALLACE.
DID I SEE BARON? THERE'S BARON BARON, THE BOARD CHAIR OF HOUSTON PARKS.
UH, AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
ANOTHER LEAD, UH, PARTNER IS THE GREATEST HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP WHOSE BACKING WAS CRITICAL TO AMPLIFY SUPPORT OF THE 50 50 INITIATIVE A AMONG OUR LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS.
NOW KENNEDY, I DIDN'T HEAR THAT.
WHILE YOU UP HERE SPEAKING, YOU KNOW,
AND SO THE CITY MADE A SIGNIFICANT $14 MILLION INVESTMENT IN 50 50 WITH THE GOAL OF SECURING MATCHING SUPPORT THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR FUNDING AND STEWARDSHIP.
THE PARKS BOARD WAS SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING OVER 30 PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS WHO TOGETHER INVESTED UPWARDS OF $10 MILLION, INCLUDING HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, WHICH PLAYED A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE PARKS ACROSS THE CITY THROUGH ITS HISTORY OF INVESTMENTS.
AND HERE AT BRADBURN GLEN PARK, WE HAVE INVESTED MORE THAN $860,000 FOR PARK ENHANCEMENTS.
THAT INCLUDE ADDING SITE LIGHTING, UPDATING THE PLAYGROUND, AND ADDING THE SHADE STRUCTURE, RENOVATING THE VOLLEYBALL COURTS, ADDING BENCHES AND TRASH CANS, REPLACING SOME OF THE EXISTING FENCING, UH, EXPANDING THE WALKING TRAILS WITH CONCRETE AND OVERLAND AND THE EXISTING WALKING TRAILS WITH NEW ASPHALT, CREATING A PICNIC AREA AND A DETENTION AREA FOR INCREASED SITE DRAINAGE.
THESE IMPROVEMENTS WERE IMPORTANT TO THE BRAVE BURN GLEN COMMUNITY.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE MANNY BARRA.
WHERE'S MANNY? COME OVER HERE.
OVER THERE, MAN, MANNY AND I WERE JUST TALKING.
WE'VE BEEN WITH EACH OTHER FOR OVER THE YEARS.
SO, UH, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE BRAVE BURN GLEN CIVIC CLUB AND THEN GINA SYLVESTER.
SHE'S GOT A GOOD NAME, UM, PRESIDENT OF THE BRAVER GLEN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR VOICING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EXTRAORDINARY REACH AND BRING POSITIVE BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO I WANT TO APPLAUD THE CIVIC CLUB AND THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THEIR STEWARDSHIP OF BRADBURN GLEN PARK.
WITH YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, THIS INVESTMENT WILL BE ENJOYED FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
AND SO I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU.
WE ARE PRETTY MUCH AT THE TOP OF THIS MOUNTAIN.
WE'LL BE GOING DOWN ON TOMORROW WITH ONE LAST, UH, PARK DEDICATION.
AND AT THIS TIME I WANNA BRING UP YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT J COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
WE GONNA START THAT AGAIN? GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
WE HAVE GREAT WEATHER AND WE HAVE A GREAT PARK AND A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I WANT TO THANK MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
REPRESENTATIVE SEAN THI ALICE LEE WITH COMMISSIONER BRIANNA'S OFFICE.
HANNAH COBB WITH THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP.
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FRIEND MANNY BARRERA, HEB, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD DIRECTOR ALLEN, UH, MR. SYLVESTER, EVERYONE THAT'S HERE AND HAS PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS, UH, PARK.BUT AS I WAS DRIVING HERE, I WAS THINKING ABOUT MORE THAN JUST THIS PARK, MANNY, I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE WERE ABLE TO MAYOR USE YOUR TWO MILE, UH, STREET IMPROVEMENTS TO DO GESNER.
WE WERE ABLE TO ALSO DO THE SIDEWALKS.
WE DID SPEED BUMPS INSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, WE'VE DONE DIVIDERS IN LANDSCAPING, WE'VE CLEANED UP BINET AND NOW WE'VE DONE THIS PARK.
AND IT'S ALL A COLLECTIVE EFFORT FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO MAKE A BETTER, UH, SOUTHWEST HOUSTON AND A BRAEBURN GLEN NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS A BRAEBURN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AREA.
AND YOU SEE IT WITH YOUR OWN EYES.
I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS HAVE IMPACT.
AND THIS PARK IS A REPRESENTATION OF THAT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR, FOR US TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE KIDS AND THE FAMILIES THAT WILL BE COMING TO THIS PARK ON A DAILY BASIS.
AS I WALKED UP TO THIS PARK TODAY, I SAW A YOUNG KID ON HIS BICYCLE AND HE SAID, MAN, WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING TODAY? AND I SAID, WE'RE ABOUT TO DEBUT THIS NEW PARK.
I SAID, HAVE YOU SEEN ALL THE NEW CHANGES? HE SAYS, YEAH.
I SAID, YOU'RE GONNA BE HERE EVERY DAY.
HE SAYS, YEAH, ME AND MY FRIENDS ARE GONNA BE HERE EVERY DAY.
WHEN YOU HAVE A PARK LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S WHAT KEEPS KIDS ACTIVE.
IT KEEPS THEM AWAY FROM SOME OF THE ILLS OF THE STREETS.
IT IT'S A PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE RECREATION AND BE ABLE TO ENJOY OUTSIDE.
SO MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP BY UNDERSTANDING THAT JUST NOT THE BIG SIGNATURE PARKS, THE HERMANS AND THE MEMORIALS, BUT THE POCKET PARKS THAT ARE RIGHT HERE WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS REALLY NEED AS MUCH ATTENTION AS THOSE BIGGER PARKS.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE PARKS BOARD, HEB DIRECTOR ALLEN, AND EVERYONE WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UH, IT STILL HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE TO GO, BUT WE GOT WHAT YOU SEE IS, IS, IS, IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD FROM WHERE IT WAS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS JOURNEY TO IMPROVE THIS AREA IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
CERTAINLY YOUR LOVE OF PARKS AND ALL THE PROJECTS THROUGHOUT YOUR DISTRICT, YOU'VE HAD A HAND IN.
I APPRECIATE WORKING WITH YOU.
I KNOW TOMORROW WE'RE GONNA MAKE ANOTHER STOP THAT WAS SPRUNG ON US THIS MORNING,
YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT AND I, HOW ABOUT A HANDFUL? OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NEXT TO US, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WORKING HARD EVERY DAY.
AND MAYOR, I DID NOT PUT THEM UP TO CRANKING UP THAT SAW
I WON'T SAY IT'S THEM, BUT I WILL IMPLY 'EM.
SO BY YOUR GREENWAYS, WE GOT A CONNECTOR HERE FOR ANOTHER 35 MILES.
THANK YOU, BETH, RIGHT NEXT TO US.
UM, IT'S JUST INDICATIVE OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WORK AND THE EFFORTS THAT'S GOING IN PARKS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS PARKS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AS A NUCLEUS FOR, UH, COMMUNITY GROWTH AND GROWTH OF COMMUNITIES.
UH, I LIKE TO SAY PARKS IS IN THE CENTER OF IT.
AND WE MAKE A, WE MAKE A GREAT DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF, UH, CREATING A BETTER SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE AND PLAY.
YOU KNOW, RECENTLY WE JUST UPDATED OUR MASTER PLAN.
AND THAT MASTER PLAN OVERWHELMINGLY IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH, STATED THAT WE NEEDED TO UPDATE OUR FACILITIES.
AND WE'RE JUST ACTUALLY DOING THAT THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE.
UH, IT TAKES PARTNERS, UH, TO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN.
AND HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR, COMMISSIONER LESLIE, BRIAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
SHE UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT WE DO HAVE REP REPRESENTING HER, HER CHIEF OF STAFF, ALICE LEE, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO COME UP AND HAVE A FEW WORDS PLEASE.
MAYOR, I'M NOT GONNA CRY TODAY 'CAUSE I'M GONNA SEE YOU TOMORROW,
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EIGHT YEARS OF LEADERSHIP AND, UM, WISH YOU WELL IN YOUR NEXT ENDEAVORS.
ON BEHALF OF LESLIE BRIANIS HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOR COMMISSIONER, IT IS MY HONOR TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND BRINGING, BRINGING US THIS GREAT, GREAT WEATHER.
UM, PRECINCT FOUR IS INVESTING IN PEOPLE, PLACES, AND PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH OUR PLACES FOR PEOPLE
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PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE.WE HAVE INVESTED $170 MILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT PRECINCT FOUR, THROUGHOUT THE 26 OF THE 32 PROJECTS CHOSEN ARE IN AREAS OF MEDIUM TO HIGH SOCIOECONOMIC VULNERABILITY.
AN INVESTMENT IN PARKS REPRESENTS A, AN INVESTMENT IN FAMILIES IN OUR FUTURE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS FOR THIS INVESTMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, PARKS HAVE THE ABILITY TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL TIES AND INCREASE WELLBEING.
TOGETHER WE CAN CONTINUE TO FIND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES AND SOLUTIONS SO EVERYONE CAN ENJOY AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT COMMUNITY PARKS CAN PROVIDE.
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
ALONG WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIAN, AS I MENTIONED, YOU GUYS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND WE'RE THE, WE'RE THE COMMUNITY IS THE BENEFACTOR OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S HAPPEN TOGETHER.
ANOTHER PARTNER THAT LIKE TO MENTION, AND I MENTIONED IT EARLIER, BETH WHITE AND HOUSTON PARKS BOARD HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN IMPACTING COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
NOT JUST 50 50, BUT BY YOUR GREENWAYS, AS I MENTIONED, CONNECTING OVER 150 MILES OF TRAILS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
HOW ABOUT A, HOW ABOUT A HANDFUL THAT NOT ONLY DEVELOPMENT, BUT IN, IN MAINTENANCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER AGREEMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BUILD NICE THINGS, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP 'EM NICE WITH OPERATING AND MAINTEN UH, MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, YOU KNOW, PARKS BOARD HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
UM, I VALUE OUR WORK TOGETHER AND OUR, AND OUR PARTNERSHIP.
SO REPRESENTING HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, WE HAVE KRISTEN BLOOM PRESS THE, UH, BOARD BOARD MEMBER OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR ALLEN.
AND UH, IT IS A WONDERFUL DAY TO BE CELEBRATING OUR 21ST NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AS PART OF THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
UM, AS DIRECTOR ALLEN SAID, I'M KRISTEN BLOMQUIST, BOARD MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN EXPANDING, IMPROVING AND PROTECTING PARKS AND GREEN SPACES IN THE HOUSTON REGION FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.
AND WE ARE THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY WITH YOU AT THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK.
AMIDST ALL THESE WONDERFUL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MADE AND ARE BEING ENJOYED, UM, AS PART OF THE 50 50 PARK PARKS INITIATIVE OR PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE, THE HOUSTON PARK SPORT APPRECIATES THE NEIGHBORS PARK PARTNERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO MADE THIS TRANSFORMATIVE WORK HAPPEN, PARTICULARLY MAYOR TURNER WHO CHALLENGED US TO DO EVEN MORE TO INVEST EQUITABLY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
THIS MEANINGFUL WORK IS DONE HAND IN HAND WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR TEAMS. AND WE WANT TO WANNA THANK DIRECTOR ALLEN AND OUR PARTNERS OVER AT H PARD ALONG WITH LISA JOHNSON AND THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT OR GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT TEAM, UM, OUR CONSTRUCTION FIRM TIMES CONSTRUCTION, JB WHITE, OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FIRM, M TWO L ASSOCIATES, MICHAEL MAUER, AND MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBER BARON WALLACE, AND ALL THOSE THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, AND CERTAINLY LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR INCREDIBLE TEAM.
AND NONE OF THIS COULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU.
SO I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO RAISE YOUR HANDS AND BE RECOGNIZED, UM, AS PART OF THE PARKS BOARD.
AN HEB, THE OFFICIAL PARK PARTNER FOR THIS PARK THAT PROVIDED, AS MAYOR TURNER SAID, $285,000 AS A CONTRIBUTION.
AND IN ADDITION, OF COURSE, LESLIE BRIANIS AND, UM, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR PROVIDED THE ADDITIONAL $367,751 TOWARDS THIS PARK AS PART OF A GREATER CONTRIBUTION OF $864,000 TO THE 50 50 PARK PARKS INITIATIVE.
AND WE WANNA RECOGNIZE THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT.
THEY COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT OF COURSE THEY PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE TO THIS INITIATIVE BY BEING A PHILANTHROPIC PARTNER AND PROVIDING PARK EQUITY CITYWIDE.
SO PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
BRAEBURN GLEN PARK, OUR 21ST NEIGHBORHOOD PARK TO RECEIVE THESE TRANSFORMATIVE IMPROVEMENTS AND LED BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR,
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THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, THEIR RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, THE HOUSTON PARK, I'M SORRY, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, OF COURSE, THE PARKS BOARD AND ALL THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS, UM, TRANSFORMING ONE PARK AT A TIME AND WAS FOUNDED ON THREE GOALS, THE PARK EQUITY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE IMPACT.THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD IS PROUD TO BE THE PRIMARY PARTNER IN THIS REMARKABLE COLLABORATION AND TO SERVE AS PROJECT MANAGER.
OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS WORK CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND UH, DISTRICT J, THIS BRAEBURN GLEN CIVIC CLUB AND THE BRAEBURN GLEN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND TO, UH, ENSURE NEIGHBORHOOD VOICES WERE HEARD IN THIS PROJECT, WE HELD COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS, HOSTED AN IN-PERSON PARK POP-UP AND DISTRIBUTED PARK INPUT SURVEYS TO GATHER COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AND THIS CRITICAL FEEDBACK RESULTED IN THE SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY.
THESE IMPROVEMENTS BRING NEW LIFE TO THIS COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE, A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE CAN COME TOGETHER AND ENJOY TIME OUTDOORS.
AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO THIS COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING THE 50 50 PARK PARTNERS TO BE PART OF THE BRAEBURN GLEN PARK AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUED LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP.
AND NOW I'M SO PLEASED TO INTRODUCE LISA HUFFMAN, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS WITH H-E-B-H-E-B HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING PARTNER WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, INCLUDING SUPPORTING OUR ORGANIZATION'S ANNUAL LUNCHEON AND SPONSORING A NUMBER OF SPLASH PADS AT CITY OF HOUSTON PARKS AND SO MUCH MORE.
AND WE ARE HONORED TO PARTNER WITH THEM AGAIN ON THIS 50 50 PARK PARTNERS INITIATIVE.
AND WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE ATV'S COMMITMENT AND GENEROSITY.
HAVE TO MOVE THAT MIC DOWN EVERY TIME.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT LOVELY INTRODUCTION.
AND ALICE, I MIGHT CRY BECAUSE THIS IS MY LAST EVENT OF THE YEAR OF THE SEASON WITH MAYOR TURNER AND WE'VE ENJOYED A LOT OF PROJECTS TOGETHER, HAVEN'T WE? BUT I HAVE A FUNNY STORY BECAUSE I RECALL WHEN THIS WHOLE THING STARTED, I THINK SCOTT WAS INTERVIEWING YOU, IS THAT CORRECT? AT A GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP EVENT AND THE MAYOR'S LIKE, I WANNA DO THIS 50 50, IT'S GONNA BE INCREDIBLE.
AND HE LOOKED DOWN AT ME AND I'M LIKE, WHAT HAVE YOU GOTTEN ME INTO? WHAT IS THE PRICE TAG? WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? AND SCOTT WAS LIKE, BUT IT'S MAYOR TURNER.
AND UM, I REMEMBER THAT SO FONDLY AFTER THE INITIAL SHOCK.
AND THEN I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE TODAY FROM THAT MOMENT TO HERE.
I GREW UP JUST A FEW MINUTES DOWN THE STREET FROM HERE AND I HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS WEEKENDS AND EVENINGS WITH MY KIDS AT THESE TENNIS COURTS.
WE'VE ENJOYED THIS PARK AFTERWARDS HAVING LUNCH.
AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY SPECIAL PLACE BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES IT SERVE BRAEBURN GLEN, BUT BECAUSE OF THESE TENNIS COURTS AT LEE LA CLAIRE, PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER HOUSTON TO ENJOY THIS.
IT'S REALLY A PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY AND PARKS SERVES SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE AS A COMMUNITY HUB.
OF COURSE WE HOPE THAT AT HEV WE ARE A CERTAIN TYPE OF COMMUNITY HUB FOR YOU TOO.
BUT WE KNOW THAT REALLY THESE FAMILY MEMORIES, THESE ACTIVITIES, SPORTS, HEALTHY LIVING, ALL THESE THINGS START AND ARE ENJOYED AT THE PARKS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE SO STRONGLY IN THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, WITH THE PARKS BOARD, WITH KENNETH, EVERYBODY.
BECAUSE TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORE.
AND WE WERE GLAD AND EXCITED AND EVEN JUST BETH AND I WERE HAVING ANOTHER CONVERSATION HOW AWESOME IT WAS THAT WE COULD BE THE FIRST ONE TO SIGN UP TO SUPPORT YOU, THANK YOU.
AND TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THESE YEARS SINCE YOU MADE THAT COMMITMENT.
AND EVEN I'M RUNNING THIS MORNING WITH SALLY AND SHE'S LIKE, OH MY GOSH, HE WAS GOING AND GOING AND GOING.
I SAID, I BET THIS IS THE LAST ONE TODAY.
AND IT'S NOT EVEN THE LAST ONE BECAUSE HE IS A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR THIS CITY AND I BET HE'LL STILL BE DOING THINGS TO HELP US FOR YEARS TO COME.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR LETTING HEB BE A PART OF THIS.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING IT BE FULL CIRCLE FOR ME PERSONALLY.
AND I SHOULD ADD ALSO LEE LE CLAIRE WAS A TENNIS TEACHER, A PRO FOR CHARLES, BUT OUR OWNER.
SO THERE'S JUST SPECIAL MEANING IN ALL OF THIS FOR EVERYONE AND SEEING THE KIDS ALREADY RUNNING AROUND
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AND ENJOYING, IT'S LIKE, AH, BING, HE WAS RIGHT ON TARGET AND RIGHT ON TIME GOING DOWN THAT SLIDE, WE PLANNED THAT I KNOW EVERYTHING.YOU'RE JUST LIKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FIRETRUCK.
SO ANYWAYS, UM, I JUST AM GLAD TO SEE ALL THAT'S HAPPENING AND I THANK YOU.
SO HAVE A GREAT HAPPY HOLIDAY AND HERE'S TO A GREAT 2024 TOGETHER.
UM, AND WE'RE SO HAPPY THAT YOU COULD BE HERE TO CELEBRATE THIS INCREDIBLE PARK AND TO SEE THE IMPACT THAT YOU'RE MAKING ON THE COMMUNITY AND THAT HEB IS MAKING ON THE COMMUNITY.
AND NOW I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE MANNY BARA, UM, PRESIDENT OF THE BRAVER GLEN CIVIC CLUB.
MANNY AND HIS FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, OUR VERY DEDICATED
AND NOT ONLY REGARDING THIS PARK, BUT ALSO THE ADJACENT BRAISE BAYOU GREENWAYS, WHICH CONNECTS TO THIS PARK AND TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHETHER IT'S SHARING PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS ABOUT THE PARK, UP PARK POPUPS OR COMMUNITY LISTENING CENTER, UH, SESSIONS VOICING ANY CONCERNS ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OR GETTING THEIR NEIGHBORS TO ATTEND OUR EVENTS.
MANY, UH, NOT TOO TALL AND NOT TOO SHORT.
I, LAST TIME I MET HIM WAS AT HIS HEADQUARTERS WHEN I WAS PICKING UP SIGNS.
AND SO WE WERE TALKING AND HE SAID, I ONLY HAVE TWO DAYS TO GO.
AND HE LOOKED KIND OF A LITTLE SAD.
WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, THIS YEAR I'M VOTING FOR A MAN THAT'S 82 YEARS OLD THAT'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT IT THAT WAY, MAN,
AND THAT'S HOW WORK WONDERS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HEB.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY ENJOYED IS WHEN HEB CAME HERE TO HOUSTON.
THE SECOND THING IS WHEN WHATABURGER CAME HERE TO HOUSTON
SO, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD HAS ACTUALLY DONE A LOT FOR THIS COMMUNITY, NOT JUST HELPING BRING US THIS PARK, THE PARK ACROSS THE FREEWAY, WHICH IS GONNA BE LESS THAN A MILE FROM US.
UH, CLEAR CREEK PARK, IS THAT CORRECT? FLOOD CREEK, PLUG CREEK PARK.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE DEDICATE, WELL THEY DEDICATED IT THIS YEAR, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY GAVE ME TWO MINUTES AND I CAN GO ON FOREVER BECAUSE, SO I'LL STOP THERE.
THANK YOU MANNY
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT AND YOUR TIME IN THE COMMUNITY.
LISA, THANK YOU ALSO, KRISTEN.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THESE THANKS, I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE REALLY INTERWOVEN AND HOW WE REALLY WORK TOGETHER.
AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ONE QUICK EXAMPLE.
WE GET TOGETHER, WE TALK, WE TALK ABOUT NEEDS, ABOUT COMMUNITY, AND THEN WE THINK ABOUT ACTIVITY.
SO WE GO OUTSIDE AND WE PLAY RIGHT? AND WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL AMENITIES TO DO THAT.
AND THEN WE WALK DOWN THE STREET AND WE GO TO HEB AND WE GET FOOD TO FUEL OUR BODIES SO WE CAN START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN.
HOW ABOUT THAT FOR A CONNECTION
SO I JUST WANT AT THIS TIME ALL THE PARK STAFF, COULD YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND? EASTERN PARKS, I MEAN YOU GUYS GOT IN THERE
AS WE EVEN, UM, RIBBON CUT THIS PARK.
I KNOW WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF, UM, TIME AND ENERGY AND STRESS INTO THE DAY TO DAY, BUT THE MAYOR SAID GET IT DONE AND WE'RE GETTING IT DONE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK, NOT JUST ON THE PROJECTS, BUT ALL THE DAY-TO-DAY THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO DO AFTER YOU LEAVE THIS PARK IN THE CEREMONY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK PARKS, BOARD, STAFF, EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE FROM PARKS BOARD FOR WORKING WITH US AND FOR PUTTING UP WITH US ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT TINA HAS AND, AND, AND ONEIKA FROM
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DAY TO DAY IN OUR MEETINGS.UM, THEY GET ANSWERED AND WE, WE COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.
SO I ALSO WANT TO THANK GSD, OUR, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UM, PARTNER, ANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS DIRECTOR CJ MESSIAH AND LISA JOHNSON KIND OF OVERSEE THAT PROCESS FOR US WORKING WITH PARKS, PARKS BOARD AND OTHERS.
AND SO MAYOR YES, ONE, AND JUST TO CLOSE THIS OUT TO TODAY, I CERTAINLY WANTED TO BRING UP UH, YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, STATE REPRESENTATIVE SEAN, DISTRICT OF DISTRICT 1 46.
I KNOW SHE'S BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN AUSTIN, UH, WELCOME HOME.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS HER DISTRICT, SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE COME.
I ALWAYS HAVE TO PULL THIS UP.
I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN WAY TOO LONG.
SO I'M EXCITED TO BE BACK HOME IN MY DISTRICT.
UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY, UM, WITH GREAT PRIDE AND I'M JUST TRULY SO HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL PROJECT.
UM, I BELIEVE IT REALLY EXEMPLIFIES WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN GOVERNMENT COMMUNITIES AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS COLLABORATE.
I AM LOOKING AHEAD TO ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE GONNA HAPPEN HERE IN THIS WONDERFUL PARK.
I WILL TELL YOU, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, I GREW UP HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, I ACTUALLY ATTENDED SHARPSTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL STONES THROWAWAY IN THE SIXTH GRADE.
AND THEN I WENT TO WELCH MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AWAY FOR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE.
AND THEN I CAME BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY TO BUILD A HOME OVER IN NORTHFIELD.
AND MY DAUGHTER, WHO'S NOW 11, WOULD PLAY IN THIS PARK ON A REGULAR BASIS WHEN SHE WAS 3, 4, 5, 6 YEARS OLD.
SO IT REALLY, UM, IS A SPECIAL MEMORY TO ME.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I THINK PARKS ARE MORE THAN JUST PATCHES OF GRASS AND PLAYGROUNDS.
THEY REALLY ARE THE, THE LIFELINE IN THE BLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IT'S WHERE WE HAVE OUR PICNICS AND WE BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER AND WE HEARD ABOUT THE NEED FOR IT TO BE EQUITABLE.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS WHAT REALLY REALLY MAKES THIS PROJECT SO WONDERFUL.
SO I WANNA ESPECIALLY THANK MAYOR TURNER FOR YOUR VISION AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS, UH, HIS 50 50 INITIATIVE.
UH, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, UM, HEB, JUST FOR ALWAYS BEING SUCH A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY STEWARD.
YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE RIGHT ON TIME.
UM, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP PRECINCT FOUR, UM, MY GOOD FRIEND COUNCIL MEMBER ED POLLARD, WE WORKED TOGETHER ON SO MANY THINGS AND SO EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TODAY, UH, I WANNA THANK YOU AND JUST UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF GREEN SPACES.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO US CONTINUING THIS.
UM, MS. MAYOR TURNER, YOU'VE SET A HIGH, HIGH BENCHMARK.
YOU REALLY HAVE AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT TO FILL THOSE SHOES AND I KNOW EVERYONE HERE AGREES WITH ME.
SO, UM, ON BEHALF OF HOUSE DISTRICT 1 46, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND SAY I'M SUPER EXCITED.
I'M GONNA BRING MY DAUGHTER BACK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE NEW RENOVATIONS.
AS AMIR SAID, BEFORE I START WIPING MY NOSE,