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I'M ROLAND GARCIA AND I'M PLEASED TO SERVE AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE ARC OF TIME STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND ON BEHALF OF OUR CHAIRMAN, PHILOMENA BAIRD AND OUR HONORARY CHAIRMAN, BARBARA TOBER, WHO ARE UNABLE TO BE HERE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ICONIC PROJECT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT.
AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE SOME SPECIAL GUESTS SO WE CAN HAVE OUR GUESTS COME ON UP AND, UH, BEHIND ME.
FIRST, WE WANT TO THANK MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
WE WANNA THANK HIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY IN SO MANY WAYS, AND ALSO HIS SUPPORT FOR THE ARC OF TIME.
HE'S TRAVELING ON CITY BUSINESS TODAY IN AUSTIN, AND UNABLE TO JOIN US.
WE'RE HERE WITH MEMBERS OF THE ARC OF TIME STEERING COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND COULD WE HAVE THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED? I SEE PAULA HERE AND OTHERS.
WE'RE HERE WITH THE FOUNDERS OF THE ARC OF TIME PROJECT, UH, ELIZABETH MAN, IAN AND ROBERT FERRY.
Y'ALL PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM MOMENTARILY.
WE ARE HERE WITH OUR, UH, STRATEGIST IN PARKS GURU, JOE TURNER, WHO'S, WHERE'S JOE? HE'S WATCHING THE DOOR.
UH, WE, WE HAVE OUR, WITH US OUR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR KAREN LEE.
UH, OF COURSE WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ.
WE'LL HEAR ABOUT HIM IN JUST A MINUTE.
AND OUR HOUSTON PARKS DIRECTOR, KENNETH ALLEN, WE'LL HEAR FROM HIM IN A MINUTE.
AND OF COURSE, OUR FEARLESS LEADER, CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA, ALL THE WAY FROM WASHINGTON DC.
BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR, FOR SYLVIA, WE HAVE STEVEN CASADA, WHO'S HERE.
HE'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EAST END DISTRICT.
UH, UH, LAURA, ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR LAURA.
AND WE HAVE, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THE ARC OF TIMES NEW HOME MASON PARK, AND WE HAVE THE MASON PARK CONSERVANCY MEMBERS HERE, S SEVERAL OF THEM.
Y'ALL STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
AND FOR OUR FIRST SPEAKER, UH, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
HE'S A PRODUCT OF THE EAST END.
WE'VE KNOWN HIM AND WORKED WITH HIM FOR A LONG TIME.
HE'S REPRESENTING, UH, THE DISTRICT I, WHICH IS THE HOME OF, UH, MASON PARK.
HE'S BEEN A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR THOSE IN NEED FOR MANY YEARS.
AND EVEN BEFORE HE WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER, HE WAS SERVING IN DISTRICT I IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES, HELPING ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS RIPLEY HOUSE, THE TEJANO CENTER, ARCTIC POLITICAL PRESS, AND SO MANY OTHERS.
HIS DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE IS, GOES BACK, WHAT, 10 YEARS IN DISTRICT.
I, OVER 10 YEARS IN DISTRICT, I SERVING THE CONSTITUENTS.
AND THEN WE FINALLY CONVINCED HIM TO RUN FOR COUNCIL WHERE HE WAS ELECTED OVERWHELMINGLY.
AND NOW HE IS AN INSTRUMENTAL LEADER.
CAN YOU IMAGINE, UH, INSTRUMENTAL LEADER IN BRINGING THE ARC OF TIME TO FRUITION? HE'S BEEN A KEY ADVISOR IN HELP HELPER TO US.
AND WE'RE GONNA NOW JOIN ME IN WELCOMING, UH, MY FRIEND AND OUR DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBER, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
UH, TODAY I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND DISTRICT EYE WILL SOON BECOME HOME TO A MONUMENTAL AND NEW ARTWORK, UH, ONE THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED IN ITS SCALE, AMBITION, AND IMPACTFUL.
THE ARCH OF TIME IS MORE THAN JUST A PUBLIC ARTWORK.
IT'S A GIFT THAT I WILL HELP SHE, THAT, THAT WILL HELP SHAPE A BRIGHTER AND MORE BEAUTIFUL FUTURE FOR OUR CITY.
THIS INCREDIBLE STRUCTURE WILL RISE WITHIN MASON PARK AS PART OF THE HEART OF THE PARK, REVITALIZATION FOR OUR BELOVED EAST END.
BUT IT IS ALSO IT, BUT IT, THIS ISN'T JUST AN ART INSTALLATION, IT'S A SYMBOL OF CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION.
THE ARC OF TIME WILL BE A HUGE SHADE STRUCTURE, UH, CREATING A BREEZY, WELCOMING MICROCLIMATE FOR THE GATHERING OF EVENTS AND EVERYDAY MOMENTS, BUT ALSO CLEAN SOLAR ENERGY FOR EVERY, EVERY YEAR EVERYDAY EVENT, UH, ENOUGH TO POWER MASON PARK ENTIRELY.
MASON PARK WILL SOON BECOME PERHAPS THE FIRST MAJOR PUBLIC PARK IN THE COUNTRY THAT IS ENTIRELY POWERED LOCALLY BY THE SUN.
THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS ARE CLEAR.
THE CITY WILL NO LONGER NEED TO PAY FOR ELECTRICITY AT MASON PARK.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND CITY BUDGETS FOR THE
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LAST 10 YEARS, WE NEED ALL THE HELP THAT WE CAN GET.AND THE SAVINGS CAN BE REINVESTED INTO COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, SUPPORTING ARTS, PERFORMANCES, PUBLIC EVENTS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THE ARC OF TIMES IS MORE THAN JUST A STRUCTURE.
IT'S A UNIQUE ADDITION TO THE P TO THE PARK THAT CONNECTS COMMUNITY.
ITS FUNCTION AS A SUNDIAL, A STAGE AND A GATHERING SPACE, A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY WHERE FAMILIES CAN PICNIC, NEIGHBORS CAN COME TOGETHER AND PEOPLE FROM ALL AGES COME, PLAY, LEARN, AND REFLECT.
WHETHER YOU'RE A LOCAL VISITOR, A LOCAL, A LOCAL, OR A VISITOR, THE ARCH OF TIMES OFFERS CHANCES TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL AND TO SEE SUSTAINABILITY BROUGHT TO LIFE IN A CREATIVE WAY.
THIS IS A PROUD MOMENT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR AS WELL FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN IDENTIFYING MASON PARK.
UH, SEED FUNDING BY PHILANTHROPIST, MS. BARBARA TOBER, AND SUPPORTED BY DEDICATED STEERING COMMITTEE HEADED BY MS. PHIL MINA BAIRD AND ROLAND GARCIA.
AS YOU HEARD, THE ARC OF TIME WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP.
TOGETHER WE'RE PROVING THAT HOUSTON DOESN'T JUST TALK ABOUT INNOVATION.
WE BUILD IT, WE LIVE IT, AND TODAY WE WILL EMBRACE IT.
THE ARC OF TIMES WILL SHINE BRIGHTLY, POWERED BY THE SUN, EMBRACED BY DISTRICT EYE RESIDENTS, AND FUELED BY THE SPIRIT OF HOUSTON FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO CLOSE ON THIS.
AS SOMEONE THAT, UH, VISITS MASON PARK REGULARLY, MY SON PLAYS LITTLE LEAGUE FOOTBALL THERE.
UH, WE HAVE EASTER EGG EVENTS THERE AS A COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS, UM, THIS, THIS AMAZING JEWEL TO MASON PARK, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK, UH, LONGTIME EASTERN RESIDENTS, UH, THOSE THAT ARE NEW, UM, AS WELL, WILL, WILL DEFINITELY ENJOY FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS, UH, ANNOUNCEMENT.
AND, UH, KNOW THAT THE WORK IS JUST ABOUT TO BEGIN.
SO WE NEED YOU TO ALL HANDS ON DECK AND LET'S GET TO WORK.
AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER, A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
FIRST LATINA EVER ELECTED TO CONGRESS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, OUR OWN CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA.
AND, UM, I GUESS IT'S GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
HOW ARE THINGS GOING AFTER THE EGG HUNTS?
WELL, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE AT CITY HALL, A PLACE THAT HOLDS SUCH A DEAR HISTORY FOR ME.
UH, AND SO MUCH A SENSE OF PRIDE AND SUCH A PLACE OF A BIG HEART THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY TODAY WITH, WITH, UH, GREAT NEWS ABOUT SOMETHING NEW THAT WILL BE ADDING TO THE STORY OF HISTORY OF, OF HOUSTON, SOMETHING BOLD, SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, AND SOMETHING TRULY VISIONARY.
WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE ARCH OF TIME.
A ONE OF A KIND ART INSTALLATION THAT'S GOING TO TRANSFORM MASON PARK AND PUT THE EAST END OF THE MAP IN A WHOLE NEW BIG WAY.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO DO IT THAN MASON PARK.
BUT LET'S BE CLEAR, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE ART, IT IS ALSO ABOUT PEOPLE.
IT'S ABOUT PLACE, AND IT'S ABOUT PURPOSE.
THE ARCH OF TIME WILL BE A HUNDRED FOOT TALL, FREE STANDING.
SUNDIAL SUNDIAL, THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD, JUST LIKE THE EGYPTIANS WILL HAVE ONE RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, BUT IT WON'T LOOK JUST PRETTY.
IT WILL HELP POWER THE PARK AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER NOTED.
AND I AGREE WITH HIM, ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR THE CITY'S BUDGET, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT BECAUSE IT WILL GENERATE CLEAN SOLAR ENERGY TO COVER ALL OF MASON PARK'S ELECTRICITY NEEDS.
THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT HERE AT THIS, AT THE PARK.
IT MATTERS FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT.
IT MATTERS FOR OUR BUDGET, AND IT MATTERS FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT MEANS THE CITY SAVES MONEY AND THOSE SAVINGS GO RIGHT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, INTO EVENTS, PERFORMANCES, AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF US.
IT'S ALSO A SPACE WHERE YOU CAN JUST BREATHE AND A PLACE WHERE KIDS CAN PLAY OUTSIDE AND BUILD HEALTHY HABITS WHERE OUR S AND ATOS CAN RELAX IN THE SHADE, AND WHERE OUR NEIGHBORS CAN COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE, REFLECT, OR ASSEMBLY.
ENJOY THE SUNNY DAYS OF HOUSTON.
ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, PLEASE KNOW THAT FOR YOU.
THE ARCH OF TIME WILL TEACH REAL LESSONS ABOUT SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, SOLAR POWER, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO LOCAL COLLEGES.
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LEARN BY SEEING AND DOING AND NOT JUST READING.SO I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THIS DREAM OF REALITY, BARBARA TOBER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY IN PROVIDING, UH, FUNDS FOR THIS VISION.
AND TO MY FRIENDS, FOR THE MONA BAIRD AND ROLAND GARCIA, YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN UNWAVERING TO THE ARTIST IS ANCA MARIANO WITH A JURE GIFT THAT WILL COME TO OUR CITY AND TO ALL OUR PARTNERS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, SENATOR ALVARADO, REPRESENTATIVE LES COMMISSIONER GARCIA, AND ALL OF ALL OF THOSE FIGHTING FOR THIS THE EAST END.
THIS IS A PLACE TO NOT ONLY CONTINUE THE FIGHT, BUT ALSO TO HELP US WITH THE DOLLARS.
THAT IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN PHILANTHROPY, GOVERNMENT, AND ART COME TOGETHER TO SERVE FOR A PURPOSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS HOW WE HONOR THE PAST WHILE BUILDING A FUTURE THAT'S CLEAR, SMARTER, AND MORE EQUITABLE.
THE EAST END HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE OF FIRST AND NOW WE'LL BE HOME TO SOMETHING THAT WILL INSPIRE THE WORLD.
THE ARCHER TIME IS SUSTAINMENT THAT SUSTAINABILITY BELONGS TO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT ART BELONGS TO EVERYONE, AND THAT THE EAST END WILL BE LEADING THE WAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE ARCH TO US, AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING US BUILD OUR FUTURE AND ADDING TO THE HISTORY OF HOUSTON.
AND IF I CAN, UM, SINCE, UH, THE DIRECTORS HERE, I WANT TO JUST SAY, SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE DIRECTOR.
UM, MANY MIGHT NOT KNOW, BUT, UH, HE COMES WITH, WITH A PROGRAMMING BACKGROUND, SO HE UNDERSTANDS, UH, WHAT IT IS TO FULFILL PROGRAMS TO YOUNG FOLKS, TO ADULTS.
UM, AND SO FOR ME, AS A FORMER STAFFER WORKING WITH THE DIRECTOR, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH THEM NOW, UM, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND, UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS, AS YOU RECOGNIZE, AS THE CONGRESSWOMAN MENTIONED, THIS IS A PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
UM, AND I CAN ALREADY TELL THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS PLANS FOR IT AS WELL.
UM, IT BEING A CITY HOUSTON PARK.
AND WITH THAT, IF I CAN HAVE DIRECTOR ALLEN COME UP.
AND IT'S AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE AS DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER IS CORRECT.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH 'EM ON MANY PROJECTS, UH, FROM PROGRAMMING TO DEVELOPMENT OVER THE YEARS.
AND I CAN SAY THAT I AM EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT RIGHT IN THE HEART OF MASON PARK EAST END, ONE OF THE MOST VIBRANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TYPE PEOPLE THAT HAVE A, HAVE A WORD AND A SAY SO ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WANT TO THANK JOE TURNER AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR SITTING ACROSS OUR CONFERENCE TABLE AND PRESENTING THIS PROJECT.
ORIGINALLY, WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WOULD FIT BEST.
AND WHEN I HEARD ABOUT MASON PARK AS A FINALIST AND SELECTED SITE, IT JUST BROUGHT JOY BECAUSE I CAN ENVISION EXACTLY WHERE IT WILL BE AND THE BENEFIT THAT IT WILL HAVE WITH KIDS, WITH SENIORS FROM AN EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT, FROM AN ENERGY STANDPOINT.
AND I'M GONNA CONCUR OUR CITY BUDGET NEED A LITTLE SUPPORT, AND THIS WOULD DEFINITELY HELP US OUT.
BUT JUST LOOKING AT THAT SPACE AND ENVISIONING EVERYTHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN, UH, PHENOMENAL WHEN YOU COMBINE ENERGY, POWER, RESILIENCY, RECREATION, INDOOR AND OUT.
UM, I'M JUST EXCITED THINKING ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT MASON PARK WITH PARK REVITALIZATION, UM, THAT WOULD COMPLIMENT THIS ENTIRE PROJECT.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BOTH PROJECTS FROM REVITALIZING THE, THE, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, FIT LOT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TRAIL SYSTEM AND YOU LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES OF BALL FIELDS, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER ADDED OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A GREAT SPACE FOR THOSE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY TO ENJOY.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SPACES ARE ENHANCED WHEN WE HAVE PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
AND I WANT TO ALSO APPLAUD THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE STATE WITH THIS PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, FROM A RECREATIONAL STANDPOINT, I LIVE IT, I BREATHE IT, MY KIDS TAKE PART IN IT, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BUT IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO OVERSEE THE TEAM COMMITMENT AND AS, AND THE SYNERGY THAT'S HAPPENING AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE WORKING TOGETHER IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE SCENES, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR GALVANIZING SUPPORT FROM, UH, STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALE, EXCUSE ME.
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GARCIA AND COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND OUR MAYOR, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER AND THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCY FOR ENDORSING AND ENCOURAGING THIS PROJECT, UM, VERY SPECIAL PROJECT.AND, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE A GREAT SPACE, GREAT PIECE OF ART THAT'LL DO A LOT OF GOOD TO, WITH A LOT OF, UM, PEOPLE.
UH, I'M JUST HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
YES, ROBERT ELIZABETH, DID Y'ALL WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? AND, UM, I NOTICED THAT, UH, TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD ON THIS PROJECT FOR A LONG TIME, I NOTICED FRANCIS CASTANE, THE DAIS CAME IN.
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE FRANCIS WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL, ONE OF THE FIRST COMMUNITY MEMBERS WORKING ON THIS PROJECT.
AND SHE'S BEEN WITH US FROM THE BEGINNING ALL THE WAY TO NOW.
SHE'S HERE TODAY IN ADDITION TO DOING THE GREAT WORK AS PRESIDENT OF THE EAST END CHAMBER.
THANK YOU FRANCIS, FOR YOUR WORK ON THE ARC OF TIME.
AND SO NOW WE'RE GONNA BRING UP ROBERT AND ELIZABETH WHO HAVE, WHO REALLY WERE THE CATALYST FOR THIS PROJECT.
IT WAS THEIR BRAINCHILD, THEIR BRILLIANT SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS, AND, AND THEY CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ARC AND WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT DOES.
UH, WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE INCREDIBLE WELCOMING AND ALSO FRANCIS, UH, TO POINT OUT THAT SHE ACTUALLY HELPED TO PICK THIS PROJECT OUT OF A PORTFOLIO OF 1500 SUBMISSIONS THAT HAVE COME INTO OUR COMPETITIONS OVER THE COURSE OF AROUND 15 YEARS.
SO, SO MUCH GRATITUDE TO FRANCIS.
WE'RE JUST VERY HUMBLED BY THE SUPPORT TODAY AND, UM, THANKFUL TO HAVE YOU ALL ON THIS STAGE, UM, BACKING THIS INCREDIBLE PROJECT.
WE WISH RICARDO MARIANO COULD BE HERE.
HE'LL BE BACK IN HOUSTON SOON BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST STEP.
WE WANNA CONTINUE THE DESIGN PROCESS, ENGAGING COMMUNITIES AND STAKEHOLDERS TO MAKE SURE THE SIGHTING IS APPROPRIATE, THAT WE'RE PRESERVING NATURE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT WE ARE ANSWERING ANY CONCERNS THAT MIGHT BE EXPRESSED FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, UM, THIS PROJECT GOES BACK A LONG WAY.
UM, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE LAND ART GENERATOR INITIATIVE, UM, FOUNDED IN 2008, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
WE WORK AROUND THE WORLD AND WE RUN DESIGN COMPETITIONS FOR CITIES.
UM, AND, UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE FOR FIJI.
IT'S STILL OPEN UNTIL MAY 5TH, UH, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN ENTERING.
BUT THE ARCH OF TIME WAS A REALLY VISIONARY ENTRY TO A COMPETITION THAT WE HELD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAAR AND THE WORLD ENERGY COUNCIL IN ABU DHABI IN 2019.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THE, THE ORIGIN OF THE CONCEPT.
AND, UM, THE GEOMETRY OF THE ARCH FOR HOUSTON HAS BEEN CHANGED.
UH, RICARDO HAS DESIGNED IT FOR THE UNIQUE SUN PATH OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A FINGERPRINT OF THE CITY.
IT WOULD LOOK DIFFERENT EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD.
AND SO IT'S VERY UNIQUE FOR HOUSTON.
AND, UM, IT, IT WAS GOING TO GENERATE 400,000 KILOWATT HOURS A YEAR, WHICH AS BEEN MENTIONED, WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO SEE, UM, THAT THE, THE PARK WAS ABLE TO GIVE US THE ELECTRICITY, UM, CONSUMPTION INFORMATION FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.
AND WE NOTED THAT I THINK THE PARK CONSUMED SOMEWHERE AROUND 375,000.
WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS A NET ZERO PARK, WHICH IS KIND OF COOL.
AND, UH, IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT ON EARTH DAY, UM, EARTH DAY SHOULD BE EVERY DAY, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, ALL TOGETHER REALLY TAKE A MINUTE TO THINK ABOUT, UM, WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROTECT THIS BEAUTIFUL PLANET FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND WE FEEL LIKE THE ART, UH, WILL STAND AS ASSEMBLED AND, AND INSPIRE PEOPLE TO DO JUST THAT.
AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TECHNICAL, UM, YOU KNOW, COMPONENTS OF THE ARTWORK OR THE NEXT STEPS, WE'RE HAPPY TO TO FIELD THOSE TODAY.
UH, JUST BE WARNED IF YOU START ASKING TECHNICAL QUESTIONS HE MIGHT TALK FOR, OH, NO.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD, THANK YOU.
SO REGARDING LIKE TRAIN FOR AGAINST, YOU KNOW, STORMS AND WIND TRAINS, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF LEVEL WE PROTECTED OR THE PROJECT IS GONNA BE PROTECTED FROM LAST? YES, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
AND UH, HOUSTON DOES HAVE HER HURRICANES, SO WE ARE VERY AWARE OF THAT.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO BE WORKING WITH ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE ENGINEERING, UM, COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD.
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WHOSE OFFICE RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PROCESS AND DESIGNED THE FOUNDATION AND THE SUPERSTRUCTURE WITH THE, UH, WORST CASE SCENARIO, UM, THOUSAND YEAR EVENT IN MIND.UM, IT LOOKS LIKE A KITE IN IT'S GEOMETRY, SO, UM, IT'S KIND OF LIKE
AND I WOULD, I WOULD FIGURE IT'LL BE PROBABLY EVENTUALLY SOME SORT OF HYBRID WITH WIND POWER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT COULD BE COME A PLACE, UM, FOR, FOR ART INSTALLATION WITHIN THE ARCH.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK TO RICARDO ABOUT, BUT YEAH, MAYBE, MAYBE WIND COULD BE INCORPORATED AS AN, DID I UNDERSTAND YOU TO SAY THAT THE, UH, THE UNIT WOULD REQUIRE 375,000, UM, UH, KILOWATT HOURS KILOWATTS FOR POWER, BUT IT WILL GENERATE LIKE 400,000 OR IT'S GONNA BE ABLE TO HARVEST THE OTHER 25,000 TO USE ELSEWHERE OR, YEAH, THE IDEA IS THAT THE ARTS OF TIME WILL HAVE A DEDICATED, UH, METER AND WE'RE TALKING TO CENTER POINT ENERGY ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THAT AND THE TRANSFORMER THAT'LL BE REQUIRED.
BUT THAT METER WILL MOSTLY RUN BACKWARDS AT NIGHT.
THERE'LL BE SOME ILLUMINATION THAT WILL DRAW A LITTLE BIT OF POWER, UH, ON THE ARTWORK JUST TO PROVIDE SAFETY LIGHTING.
UM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THAT METER IS GONNA RUN BACKWARDS AND THAT ELECTRICITY WILL GO ON THE ACCOUNTING FOR THE CITY OF OF HOUSTON.
UM, THE EXACT DETAILS OF, OF THE OFFTAKE AGREEMENT FOR THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN WORKED OUT.
BUT THE, BUT THE, BUT THE GENERAL CONCEPT IS THAT THIS ELECTRICITY WILL BE FREELY GIFTED TO THE CITY, AND SO IT WILL OFFSET IT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT IS CONSUMED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BY THE PARK.
HOW MUCH, JUST THE PLUG ON WHICH ONE IT IS BEING FUNDED IN THE MIC? OH, I'M SORRY.
IT'S BEING FUNDED ENTIRELY BY PRIVATE DONATIONS.
AND FOR SPECIFICS OF THAT, I WOULD DEFINITELY POINT TO OUR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR KAREN LEE, WHO CAN ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE HAVE, UM, BEEN TALKING TO A WONDERFUL COHORT OF DONORS WHO ARE EXCITED ABOUT INVESTING IN THIS PROJECT, HAVE YOU BALLPARK FIGURE HOW MUCH BALLPARK FIGURE IT IS, UM, AROUND THE $20 MILLION RANGE.
UM, BUT TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IT'S GOING TO GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ELECTRICITY OVER ITS TIME, TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
AND THERE'S NO TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO GOING TO THIS PROJECT.
IT'S ENTIRELY FUNDED BY PRIVATE DONATIONS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN, UM, STUDYING THE IMPACT, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF PUBLIC ART FOR SOME TIME.
AND THERE ARE MANY PROJECTS THAT WE CAN POINT TO THAT SHOW THAT JUST, UM, THAT THIS ARTWORK IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO PAY BACK WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND ECONOMIC IMPACT WAS IN HOUSTON.
A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE IS NEW YORK CITY WATERFALLS.
THAT'S A PROJECT THAT WAS UP IN NEW YORK CITY FOR FOUR MONTHS BY OLI ELIASON.
IT IS SUCH A WELL-STUDIED EXAMPLE.
IT WAS A $15.5 MILLION PROJECT IN 2008 FOR FOUR MONTHS INSTALLED, BUT DURING THOSE FOUR MONTHS, BROUGHT IN $53 MILLION IN INCREMENTAL SPENDING.
SO WE LOVE EXAMPLES LIKE THAT THAT REALLY SHOW THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT PUBLIC ART HAS FOR A COMMUNITY AND FOR A CITY.
PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME TO EXPERIENCE THIS, AND WHEN THEY COME, THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND MONEY IN HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS TAKE SORRY.
HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE TO BE? OH, UM, UH, WE, WE ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT THAT, UM, WE'LL BE, UH, BREAKING THE RIBBON, UH, LESS THAN TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING VARIABLES YET WE STILL HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO A LOT OF DESIGN WORK WITH THE, WITH THE PARK AND THE STAKEHOLDERS.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH SWA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRM WHO'S SITTING HERE TODAY.
UM, AND ALSO LIN BECK CONSTRUCTION.
SO IF FOLKS WANT TO CHAT WITH THEM AFTER Q AND A, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
JOE TURNER, YOU WANNA COME UP AND SAY, THIS IS JOE TURNER, WHO'S OUR, ONE OF OUR STRATEGISTS AND FORMER PARKS DIRECTOR HIMSELF.
SO I DON'T SEE THEM, OR DO WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HARRISBURG TOURS HERE? NO.
SO I DON'T WANNA OVERLOOK THEM.
THEY'RE A MAJOR PARTNER WITH US, OR WE'RE PART OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE WHOLE PROJECT THAT THE, THE COMMUNITY HAS WORKED WITH ON THE HEART OF THE PARK, AND THAT'S THE MAIN PART OF MASON PARK.
AND THIS PIECE IS ALLOWING US TO COMP, TO COMPLIMENT THAT PIECE AND, AND, AND WORK THE UNITS TOGETHER FOR AN INSTALLATION STANDPOINT.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT RECOGNITION TODAY BECAUSE THEY ARE DEFINITELY A MAJOR PARTNER WITH US AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE THEM, PARTICULARLY WITH THAT PHASE.
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AND THEN IT WAS MENTIONED BY, I'M SURE KENNETH, UH, ABOUT THE, WHAT THE CITY IS DOING WITH THE COMMUNITY CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.SO IT'S GONNA BE A BIG REDEVELOPMENT IN WHAT'S CALLED A PHASE ONE PROJECT.
WHAT IS SO EXCITING ALSO ABOUT THIS PROJECT FOR US ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE IS THAT THIS WILL BE AN ICONIC SYMBOL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WORLDWIDE.
A LOT OF GREAT CITIES HAVE ICONIC STRUCTURES THAT REPRESENT THE CITY THAT ARE UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED.
AND THIS COULD, THIS CAN AND WILL BECOME A LANDMARK SYMBOL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY GOT CUTE LITTLE BUTTONS, SEE RIGHT HERE,
AND SO, UH, IT, AND IT'LL DRAW IN THOUSANDS OF VISITORS OVER THE YEARS AND AS WAS MENTIONED, ADD ECONOMIC VALUE AND IMPACT JUST LIKE OTHER MAJOR EVENTS LIKE SUPER BOWLS OR OTHERS OR OTHER, UH, VENUES.
AND IT, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE, YOU HEARD THAT IT WILL, UH, IT WILL BE A NET PRODUCER OF ENERGY BACK.
SO IT'S A DOUBLE GIFT TO THE CITY AS AN ICONIC STRUCTURE AS DRAWING IN TOURISM, ADDING ECONOMIC VALUE, AND THEN PROVIDING ENERGY TO THE CITY, THE EXCESS ENERGY TO THE CITY.
IT'S A WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL PROJECT AND WE'RE DELIGHTED TO, UH, TO, UH, BE, UH, WORKING TO BRING IT TO FRUITION.
KAREN LEE IS HERE, WHO WAS OUR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
ANYTHING ELSE, KAREN, YOU WANT TO ADD? OR RAY SHOULD ANYBODY ELSE WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE? YOU'RE THE, YOU'RE THE GO-TO GUY IN TOWN.
ANYBODY ELSE? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT INITIATIVE, KAREN, YOU WANNA COME UP HERE? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
AND THANK YOU TO JOE TURNER AND KAREN LEE FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP ON THE THIS PROJECT.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, LAND ART GENERATOR INITIATIVE IS GIFTING THIS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO THEY WILL BE THE RECIPIENT OF THIS MONUMENTAL PUBLIC ART PIECE.
AND, UH, AND JUST TO KNOW THAT YES, IT'S ALL, THE FUNDING FOR IT IS TOTALLY PRIVATE THERE, THERE WILL NOT, NO TAX DOLLARS, NO TAX DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT IN, IN, UH, THIS.
AND WE'RE ALSO RESERVING ABOUT $1.5 MILLION FOR REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE.
SO THE CITY WILL NOT HAVE TO INCUR THOSE COSTS EITHER.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT FUNDING? NO QUESTION ABOUT FUNDING.
I'M LOOKING AT THE PROCESS OF THE POTENTIAL.
WE HAVE TWO MULTIPLE LARGE EVENTS COMING.
2016, WE HAVE FI FUND 2018, WE HAVE THE, UH, REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.
DO WE FEEL THAT WE MIGHT BE AVAILABLE THEN? 2028? YES.
AND THE MATERIALS WE'RE USING, ARE THEY, UH, THIS IS THEIR DAY? TALK ABOUT MATERIALS THAT, THAT ID THAT'S ACTUALLY RAISES A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
WHAT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST WORK OF ART OF ITS SCALE.
THAT IS, YOU COULD CALL IT REGENERATIVE ART.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT YES, THERE'S CARBON EMBODIED IN THE END IN THE MATERIALS AND THE STEEL THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THIS HURRICANE PROOF ARTWORK.
UM, AND, AND SO WE ESTIMATE THAT BY AROUND YEAR SIX OR SEVEN OF ITS, OF ITS LIFE, WHICH WE HOPE IS A HUNDRED YEARS
UM, BY THAT SIX YEAR MARK, SEVEN YEAR MARK, IT WILL HAVE THROUGH THE CLEAN ENERGY THAT IT GENERATES, UM, PAY OFF THAT ENTIRE UPFRONT CARBON DEBT THAT EMBODIED CARBON.
AND AT THAT POINT IT WILL BE BETTER FOR THE PLANET THAT THIS ARTWORKS EXISTS ON ITS SURFACE.
THEN IT, FOR IT WERE NOT TO EXIST.
UM, I HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT, UM, IT, AT THAT POINT IT WILL ONLY BE A NET POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, UH, PROJECT.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND WE'RE GONNA BE DOING OUR BEST TO KEEP VERY FINE TUNED DETAIL OF THE, THE, THE TONS OF CARBON THAT ARE IN THE PROJECT, THE, AND, UH, AND THE TONS OF CARBON THAT ARE OFFSET BY THE ELECTRICITY OVER TIME SO THAT WE CAN ACCURATELY BE UNDER THE SHADE OF THE ARCH WITH ALL OF YOU ALL TO CELEBRATE THAT DAY WHEN IT BECOMES, UH, REGENERATIVE POINT NOT BUILT IS IN DOWNTOWN.
WELL, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY SPENT, UM, WE SURVEYED PROBABLY NEARLY 40 DIFFERENT SITE LOCATIONS AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
EACH ONE WITH ITS OWN COMPLEX SET OF CRITERIA AND ISSUES.
AND, UM, THE, THE WHOLE TEAM HAS COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT MASON PARK IS THE PARK THAT SATISFIES MOST, UM, CLEARLY THE, THE SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THE ARTWORK.
UM, IT'S NOT SUPER EASY BECAUSE AS YOU UNDERSTAND NOW,
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IT IS FOLLOWING THE, THE SUN PATH OF HOUSTON ACROSS THE SKY GENERATING ELECTRICITY ALL HOURS OF THE DAY IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.IT CANNOT BE OR SHOULD NOT BE SHADED BY A TALL BUILDING NEXT DOOR TO IT OR ANY POTENTIAL BUILDING THAT COULD BE CONSTRUCTED IN THE FUTURE.
SO WHAT MASON PARK PROVIDES IS A VAST, BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE WITHIN WHICH TO SET THIS ARTWORK AND KNOW THAT IT WILL BE UNSHADED PREDOMINANTLY WE'RE ABSOLUTELY, UM, THERE MIGHT BE A TREE OR TWO WE WANNA SAVE THAT'LL SHADE IT A LITTLE BIT IN THE EVENING OR THE MORNING.
UM, AND SO THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT IT WON'T HAVE ANY SHADE ON IT, IT MIGHT, UM, BUT FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DAYLIGHT SUN HOURS, IT'S GONNA BE, UM, GENERATING ELECTRICITY.
THOSE SOLAR MODULES ARE THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN MONOCRYSTALLINE, SILICON PHOTOVOLTAICS.
AND THEY WILL LAST AT LEAST 30 YEARS, PROBABLY 40.
THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY WILL SORT OF FALL OFF A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME, BUT 40 YEARS FROM NOW, THE CITY COULD COME TOGETHER AND SWAP OUT THOSE MODULES FOR THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY.
WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT'S GONNA BE? IT PROBABLY IS GONNA BE TWICE AS EFFICIENT AS WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
AND THEN THE ARTWORK CAN CONTINUE TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY FOR DECADES, DECADES BEYOND THAT.
SO THIS'S IS A MULTI-GENERATIONAL WORK.
AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE EAST END DESERVES IT.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY
WE DON'T WANT GO WEST, WE WANT GO EAST.
WE KNOW WE SURVEYED THE CITY FOR THE LAST YEAR BEYOND YEAR AND A HALF, AND THE EAST END IS THE BRIGHT COMMUNITY FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE KNOW THAT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OF US, FRANCIS, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ROBERT, ELIZABETH, UH, JOE, KAREN, WE WENT FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION TO LOCATION.
DOZENS AND DOZENS AND DOZENS OF LOCATIONS LOOKING AND IT, NUMBER ONE, YOU NEED PLENTY OF CONTIGUOUS SPACE WHAT TO SEVERAL ACRES AND YOU NEED TO HAVE IT NOT SHADED AND IT NEEDS TO BE IN AN AREA WHERE YOU COULD HAVE ADEQUATE PARKING AND GET PERMITTING AND PUBLIC RESTROOMS, AND IT NEEDS TO BE FIT WITHIN THE MASTER PLAN OF THE AREA AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON.
AND WHEN YOU ADD ALL THOSE REQUIREMENTS, IT WAS, THERE WERE NOT A WHOLE LOT OF, YOU KNOW, OPTIMAL LOCATIONS AND OF COURSE OF THE OPTIMAL LOCATIONS.
EAST END WAS A BEAUTIFUL, UH, BEAUTIFUL LOCATION WITH A WONDERFUL MASTER PLAN THAT THIS FIT IN SO NICELY.
AND I WANTED TO MENTION ON THE, UM, ON THE, YOU KNOW, WHY NOT DOWNTOWN OR SOME OTHER, IN ADDITION TO YOU DON'T WANT TALL BUILDINGS SHADING IT BECAUSE THE ARC NEEDS THE SUN TO COME ACROSS IT.
THERE'S ALSO THE SUNDIAL EFFECT IN ADDITION TO CREATING THE ENERGY, WHEREAS ALONG THE ROOF OF IT, THERE WILL BE THESE FEARS WHERE THE SUN WILL PROJECT LIGHT IN DIFFERENT COLORS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS A, AS IF IT'S A SUNDIAL, IT TO BE A BEAUTIFUL LOCATION ALSO IN A VENUE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES FOR STUDENTS AND CHILDREN TO OBSERVE THIS.
UH, WE PLAN TO HAVE, UM, UH, IN IN TIME COMPLIMENTARY, UH, EDUCATIONAL, UH, PROGRAMS THERE AND, UH, UH, EVENT ROOMS AND, AND ALL YOU COULD HAVE PERHAPS CONCERTS AND LECTURES.
AND SO IT IS A WONDERFUL GIFT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TO THE EAST END.
AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE LEADERS WHO HAVE MADE THIS POSSIBLE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANK YOU MINA BAIRD AND BARBARA TOPER.
WE CAN TAKE MORE QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS AS WELL.
ROBERT, ELIZABETH, ROBERT, ELIZABETH, JOE, ALL THE GURUS WILL BE OVER HERE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS IF YOU WOULD LIKE.