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WELCOME, WELCOME TO DENVER HARBOR PARK, FORMERLY DENVER HARBOR PARK, CURRENTLY SELENA QUINTEZ PEREZ PARK.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S TRULY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO OVERSEE THIS PARK ALONG WITH 800, THAT'S JUST A JOKE.
ALONG WITH 381 PARKS THROUGHOUT THIS CITY.
IT'S TRULY A, A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
THIS PARK WAS ACQUIRED 19 45, 80 YEARS AGO.
YOU KNOW, THE PARK COVERS ABOUT 17 ACRES OF ESSENTIAL, ESSENTIAL PARK, UH, SPACE, AND A AND A VARIETY OF RECREATIONAL AMENITIES FOR ALL AGES.
YOU KNOW, TODAY MARKS A VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE AS WE BREAK BREAK GROUND ON A TRANSFORMATIVE PARK, UPGRADES THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS LONG DESERVED, YOU KNOW, THE UPGRADES, UM, ACTUALLY THEY'RE RE THEY'RE RESULT OF SIGNIFICANT COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND HARRIS COUNTY, COUPLED WITH FUNDING SECURED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANNA HERNANDEZ.
IT IS JUST A, A, A STELLAR EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER TO BENEFIT COMMUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE THING OUR ILLUSTRIOUS MAYOR HAS CHARGED ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS WITH WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO BE MORE EFFICIENT IN DOING SO.
SO, I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT AND FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, UM, AND TAKING THIS CITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
SO, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIM AND BRING HIM UP TO THE MIC.
YOU KNOW, AS WE GATHER FOR THIS CELEBRATION OF A LONG DUE TRANSFORMATION OF DENVER HARBOR PARK, AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE A ALL STAR LINEUP THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT NEVER GAVE UP KEPT THE DISCUSSION GOING.
BUT BEFORE WE GO ANY DEEPER INTO THIS CELEBRATION, I THINK WE NEED TO ALL PAUSE.
OUR EMOTIONS, OUR EMOTIONS ARE VERY DIVIDED.
LET'S JUST PAUSE A MOMENT AND OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR THE ONES IN HOUSTON AND ACROSS THIS STATE THAT HAVE LOST LOVED ONES IN KERRVILLE TRAGEDY.
DURING THESE TIMES OF TURMOIL, WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY IS ANXIOUS ABOUT THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, RIGHT ON DOWN TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITH AFFORDABILITY.
I DEAL WITH PROBLEMS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
I SEE OUR FIRE CHIEF MUNOZ HERE.
HE'S GOT A CREW WORKING IN KERRVILLE.
BUT AS WE MEET OUR CHALLENGES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FRIENDS, WE NEED A DAY LIKE TODAY.
WE NEED A VICTORY LIKE TODAY BECAUSE WHEN WE LEAVE HERE, WE WILL ALL DEAL WITH ISSUES.
BUT TODAY WE COME TOGETHER WITH UNITY COLLABORATION.
AND NO ONE PERSON MADE THIS HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, BOB BULLOCK, THE LONG TIME LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TAUGHT ME AS A YOUNG SENATOR, IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN GET DONE IF YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO'S GETTING THE CREDIT.
BUT IT'S ALSO WORTHWHILE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT LEADERSHIP MATTERS.
I HATE TO THINK HOW MUCH LONGER IT WOULD TAKE WITHOUT THE LINEUP OF OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER, OUR STATE REP, EVEN OUR DA HERE, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT'S A SAFE SETTING.
OUR STATE SENATOR, I CAN START GOING THROUGH THE NAMES JUDGE DINOS HERE AS OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S HOW WE ARE REPAIRING ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY AND THIS GREAT COUNTY.
THE NEGLECT THAT'S BEEN PRESENT FOR YEARS.
I NEED A DAY LIKE TODAY AS THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON.
'CAUSE I'M GOING ABOUT MEETING OUR CHALLENGES.
AND LORD KNOWS THERE'S BEEN NEGLECT OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR PARKS DIRECTOR, ALLEN, I ALWAYS SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS, BUT HE'S IN PROVEN A PARK.
AND THE NEAT THING IS, IT'S IN THE COMMUNITY.
[00:05:01]
I GET INVITED TO MEMORIAL PARK AND HERMAN, YOU KNOW,I WILL SAY PUBLICLY, WE GOTTA FOCUS ON EQUITY.
WE ALL KNOW MEMORIAL PARK AND ITS CONSERVANCY AND HERMAN PARK'S CONSERVANCY.
THEY GOT THE BEST OF EVERYTHING.
IT'S TIME FOR THE COMMUNITIES TO HAVE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING.
AND WE'RE DOING IT TODAY THROUGH PRECINCT COMMISSIONER, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE ARMANDO WALLY.
HE SAT ON THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE IT NEVER GOT LOST IN CONGRESS.
SYLVIA GARCIA, THIS IS WHAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS ALL ABOUT, COMING TOGETHER AND MAKING THINGS HAPPEN.
I'M GOING BACK TO CITY HALL WHEN I LEAVE HERE AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
I'M, I'M JUST AS FIRED UP AS YOU ARE, SO THANK YOU.
SO, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME TO GET TO WORK.
BEFORE, BEFORE
I THINK, UH, PREACHER WHITMEYER GOT US ALL FIRED UP, AND WE'RE GONNA PASS THE PLATE AROUND SO WE CAN COLLECT FOR TODAY'S OFFERING.
BUT LISTEN, UH, IT IS EXCITING AND ABSOLUTELY, UH, JUST PHENOMENAL.
LOOK AROUND, LOOK AROUND TO SEE THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY THAT IS HERE TO HELP CELEBRATE THIS IMPORTANT OCCASION.
GIVE YOURSELVES A NICE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
BUT I WANNA THANK, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND FOR THE COLLABORATION THAT WE ARE ENJOYING THAT IS HELPING TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE IEZ, WHO WAS FAST, FAST TO HELP TO PUT HER STATE APPROPRIATION TO WORK FOR THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY.
UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE ARMANDO WALLY, WHO SITS IN A VERY, VERY CRITICAL PLACE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, ENSURING THAT WHATEVER POT OF MONEY THE STATE OF TEXAS GETS THAT HARRIS COUNTY AND THE, AND OUR DISTRICTS GET THEIR FAIR SHARE.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE STATE REPRESENTATIVE WALLY, AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, WE WANNA MAKE THIS PARK AMONGST THE BEST.
AND, BUT IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE THE BEST, IT'S GOTTA BE AMONGST THE SAFEST.
SO I WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE JOINED BY MEMBERS OF PRECINCT SIX CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR THE CONSTABLES.
THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO HERE.
THE PARKS RANGERS ARE ALSO HERE.
BUT I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SEAN TIER, IS ALSO HERE.
SO IF THE CONSTABLES CATCH ANYBODY, IF HPD CATCHES ANYBODY, THE, IF THE PARK RANGERS CATCH ANYBODY, THEY'RE GONNA CUT 'EM AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S GONNA FRY 'EM.
BUT WE'RE ALSO, UH, HONORED TO HAVE OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, OUR STATE SENATOR, RATHER, OUR STATE SENATOR HERE, UH, UH, CAROL RADO.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR THE STATE SENATOR.
AND, UH, WE KNOW THAT THE PRESENCE OF LA CONTA IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS IN THE 29TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR SYLVIA GARCIA.
AND I WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO, UH, WHO HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER ADVOCATING, ADVOCATING FOR DISTRICT H BECAUSE DISTRICT H ALSO REPRESENTS DH.
AND THEN, UH, LOOK, THE COMMUNITY IS ALWAYS IN GOOD HANDS.
YOU HAVE A STRONG MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
YOU HAVE AN INCREDIBLE STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND FRIENDS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
YOU HAVE A STATE SENATOR WHO IS ALWAYS FIGHTING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
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A MEMBER COUNCIL THAT IS ALWAYS ADVOCATING.YOU HAVE A MAYOR THAT REMEMBERS OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT MAY BE OTHERS HAVE FORGOTTEN, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT DO NOT LET DENVER HARBOR BE FORGOTTEN.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR ANA GONZALES AND JUAN HERNANDEZ.
AND PRECINCT TWO COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA.
BUT LISTEN, THIS HAS BEEN A PROJECT THAT EVERYBODY HAS LONG LOOKED FOR, AND THIS IS PHASE ONE.
AND FOLKS, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ARE WORKING HARD TO PUT YOUR MONEY TO WORK WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO GET IT.
SO THIS IS A OVERALL, A $4 MILLION PACKAGE THAT WILL BE, UH, PART OF PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO.
PHASE ONE WILL INCLUDE THE TRAIL THAT YOU'RE SEEING.
IT WILL INCLUDE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WEST PARKING LOT.
AND THEN PHASE TWO WILL INCLUDE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CONCESSION STAND AND, UH, THE RESTROOM AND CREATE PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING FOR THE PARK.
SO WE ARE ABSOLUTELY EXCITED THAT THIS IS GOING TO HELP REVITALIZE, REVITALIZE THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK THAT SO MANY OF YOU CALL HOME AND THAT SO MANY OF YOU PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE BASE, UH, UH, UH, UH, UH, UH, SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL HERE IN THE PARK, RIGHT? COSAL, I MEAN A JUDGE, UH, UH, UH, UH, COSAL DADDY TREVINO.
AND, UH, NUMBER THREE OVER HERE.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR JUDGE TREVINO.
BUT A LOT OF, A LOT OF, A LOT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FAMILY PARK AND THAT'S WHY WE WANNA MAKE SURE TO PROVIDE, UH, THE RESOURCES AND ATTENTION THAT IT SO RIGHTLY DESERVES.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO, UH, GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT, AS THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO, NOBODY DOES THIS ALONE.
AND I WOULD JUST WANNA THANK THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
RAMON AND THE HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY ENGINEER.
I WANNA THANK THE PRECINCT TWO ENGINEERING TEAM WITH FASSINO AND JUAN HERNANDEZ AT PUBLIC WORKS A DIFFERENT JUAN HERNANDEZ, BY THE WAY,
BUT EVERYBODY HERE HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, FOLKS, YOU CAN'T GET IT DONE IF WE DON'T HAVE MONEY.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT STATE REPRESENTATIVE, A HERNANDEZ HAS BEEN STEADFAST COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT ALLOCATIONS FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT COME TO THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE LET US WELCOME STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANA HERNANDEZ.
WHAT AN EXCITING DAY, JUAN AND ANNA.
WE DO THAT, RIGHT? THIS DAY HAS BEEN YEARS IN MAKING, IN CONVERSATIONS THAT STARTED AT THE DENVER HARBOR CIVIC CLUB.
AND IF YOU KNOW JUAN, YOU KNOW, HE'S ALWAYS ASKING AND HE'S ALWAYS PUSHING, AND ESPECIALLY TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY? DON'T GIMME THE GENERAL ANSWERS IF WE'RE DOING THIS AND DOING THAT.
NO, SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR US? AND THAT IS HOW THIS CONVERSATION STARTED OF HOW CAN WE IMPROVE AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE? AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN DENVER HARBOR.
AND THIS PARK IS CENTRAL TO THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE SO MANY THINGS HAPPEN HERE WHERE YOU HAVE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL, YOU HAVE FOOTBALL, YOU HAVE CHILDREN COME IN, ENJOY THE POOL.
IT'S CENTRAL TO THIS COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE INVEST IN THIS PARK AND ALSO TO INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY IN THAT INVESTMENT.
AND SO I WANNA THANK OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND OUR MAYOR WHITMEYER AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS FROM THE CITY AND THE COUNTY BECAUSE THIS WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
AND IT TOOK LOTS OF COLLABORATION, NOT JUST WITH THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE STATE.
I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ARMANDO WALLY, WHO SITS ON APPROPRIATIONS THAT MADE SURE OUR MONEY STAYED IN THE BUDGET.
$2 MILLION FROM THE STATE AND OVER $2 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY.
AND ALSO OUR SENATOR, BECAUSE IT IS A BICAMERAL SYSTEM THAT WE CAN PASS THINGS IN THE HOUSE, BUT WE NEED THE SENATE TO ALSO SUPPORT IT.
AND THOSE MANY MEETINGS WHERE WE CAME TOGETHER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S NOT FOR OTHERS TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR US, BUT FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO
[00:15:01]
DESIGN THAT, TO SIT DOWN AND SAY, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.SO, AND I THANK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE HAD LOTS OF THOSE MEETINGS.
LUCY AND LISA, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING THAT, UH, VISION BOARD TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WANNA SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS WHAT WE WANT OUR TAX DOLLARS TO BE USED FOR.
AND SO TODAY IS A WONDERFUL DAY THAT WE'RE BREAKING GROUND, THAT WE SEE THAT COMING BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT, THAT WE COME TOGETHER, THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR ONE ANOTHER, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR OUR WONDERFUL CHILDREN, ALL OF OUR CHILDREN OVER THERE.
ARE Y'ALL EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW PARK, NEW IMPROVEMENT? MY, YO DUNNO.
MY, MY SWEETHEART, JUDGE VICTOR TREVINO THE THIRD, AND MY SON GREGORY LUNA, WHO'S AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE, HE USUALLY HIDES.
GREGORY, WHERE ARE YOU HIDING SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, UH, OUR BOY PLAYS BASEBALL, SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT FIELDS.
AND SO IT SENDS A MESSAGE WHEN YOU GO INTO A COMMUNITY AND SEE THE INVESTMENT THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN THAT COMMUNITY, THAT COMMUNITY MATTERS.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE BEST.
AND SO TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING THAT.
AND I WANT, AGAIN, WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT EVERYONE'S COLLABORATION.
I JUST HAVE A SMILE ON MY FACE.
I'M GONNA KEEP SMILING BECAUSE IT JUST KEEPS COMING, JUST ARRIVING.
CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA, I WANNA BRING HER UP TO THE POLL AND THANK HER FOR EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S DOING ON OUR BEHALF.
HOW YOU DOING, BUDDY? THANK YOU.
WELL, WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IS WE VOTED ON WHAT THE PRESIDENT CALLS THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, AND SOME OF US CALLED THE BIG UGLY BILL.
UM, REGRETTABLY GOT PASSED LAST WEEK, AND BECAUSE WE WERE UP ALL NIGHT AND, AND, UH, FOR TWO DAYS, UH, THEY DECIDED TO, TO GIVE US A BREAK.
AND, AND, UH, UH, THEY CANCELED VOTES THIS WEEK.
BUT I TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YES, I'M HOME, BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M SITTING AROUND WATCHING NOVELLAS EATING CHOCOLATE.
UH, WE'RE OUT THERE WORKING AND DOING WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING.
SO WHEN WE SAW THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING, OF COURSE, UH, WE WANTED TO COME BY.
I'VE BEEN VISITING SENIOR CENTERS ALL MORNING AND WE WERE AT THE, UH, VISITING WITH SENIORS AND I TOLD THE TEAM, WE'LL JUST COME OVER WHEN IT'S O WHEN THAT'S OVER.
BUT THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, UH, TO OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES, TO PUT SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT IN GETTING THE MONEY FROM PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY AND WHERE IS ADRIAN.
AND THANK YOU TO ADRIAN FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, BECAUSE FRANKLY, IN, IN TODAY'S BUDGET TIMES, THAT IS WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE.
ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER, WHETHER WE GET 1 MILLION HERE AND 1 MILLION THERE, OR 500,000 HERE TO JUST KIND OF PUT IT ALL TOGETHER TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE KNOW IS BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SOME FORCES OUT THERE WHO WOULD RATHER, WE NOT HAVE ANY MONEY AT ALL, BUT WE'RE GONNA KEEP FIGHTING.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STICK TO THE PRIORITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND, AND IF YOU TELL US THAT YOU HAVE A VISION OF A PARK HERE, WELL THEN BY HELL, WE'RE GONNA WORK ON IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT VISION BECOMES A REALITY.
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO FIGHT IN WASHINGTON, TO BRING BACK HOME MORE DOLLARS.
I USED TO TELL, I TELL THE MAYOR THAT WHEN I WAS CONTROLLER, I WATCHED THE MONEY.
NOW MY JOB IS TO BRING HOME THE MONEY.
AND OF COURSE HE SMILES AND SAYS, YEAH, BRING ME MORE
SO I'M WORKING HARD FOR YOU TO MAKE JOHN WHITMEYER HAPPY.
ALL RIGHT, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA MENTIONED, UH, SENATOR CAROL AL ALVARADO, WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEING FROM THE COMMUNITY? THANK YOU.
LOOK, I CAN'T, UH, THANK MY COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE ENOUGH FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN.
UH, WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE OF WHERE WE SIT IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, IT'S HARD TO GET THINGS DONE, BUT IT DOES MATTER, UH, WHERE YOU ARE IN LEADERSHIP.
SO, REPRESENTATIVE HERNANDEZ, THIS IS, UH, TRULY A GREAT MOMENT FOR YOU.
AND I JUST CAN'T BRAG ENOUGH ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE ARMANDO WALLY.
UM, BECAUSE OUR MAYOR DECIDED TO LEAVE THE SENATE, THERE WAS A VACANCY ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO BE ON IT.
AND IT WAS ALWAYS COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT I HAD SOMEBODY IN THE HOUSE THAT WAS WATCHING MY BACK AND WATCHING THE INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND BEING ON CONFERENCE.
AND THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE ARMAND WALLY.
BUT HIS WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND OF COURSE, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR MAYOR WHO HAS PUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT FIRST.
LET'S NEVER FORGET THAT HE HAS ALWAYS STOOD WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW THAT HE WILL ALWAYS HAVE OUR BACK.
AND OF COURSE, OUR COMMISSIONER.
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YOU KNOW, I GET TO GO TO SO MANY OF HIS GROUNDBREAKINGS AND RIBBON CUTTINGS BECAUSE HE'S DOING SO MUCH IN THE INNER CITY AND OUT IN THE COUNTY WHERE WE SHARE A LOT OF AREA.AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER HIM BECAUSE WHO IS AT THE TABLE WHO HOLDS THAT TITLE MATTERS.
AND YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO REMEMBER HIM A LITTLE LATER ON.
SO I WANNA PUT THAT PLUG IN INTO ONE AND HONOR THE COMMUNITY.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY.
CONGRESSWOMAN, WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HOME.
STANDING QUIETLY, WHERE ARE YOU? RIGHT HERE.
WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO MAKE A LITTLE NOISE, SIR.
WENDELL DIAZ, WE ARE IN DENVER HARBOR, RIGHT? DO WE SPEAK SPANISH? AND WE SPEAK ENGLISH.
WE'RE BILINGUAL BICULTURAL, AND WE'RE PROUD OF THAT.
ARMANDO WALL, YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
I WANT TO, UH, I GOT A PASSPORT TO COME IN TO DH FROM MY COLLEAGUE.
LOOK, I REPRESENT NORTH SIDE AND ALDE AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I I REPRESENT DISTRICT ONE 40 AND THE KIND OF FARTHER NORTHERN END OF THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, I, I DO GET PERMISSION.
I, I ACTUALLY, I ACTUALLY DID ASK FOR PERMISSION 'CAUSE THEY, PRECINCT TWO CALLED AND SAID, HEY, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK AT DENVER HARBOR? AND I SAID, WELL, HOLD ON.
I DON'T MIND SPEAKING, BUT Y'ALL NEED TO GO CLEAR WITH, UH, MISS, UH, HERNANDEZ IN 1 43.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA STEP ON ANYBODY'S TOES.
UM, AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE GOT PERMISSION.
I WANT TO THANK ALL YOU GUYS FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR THESE CHILDREN THAT ARE OUT HERE, UM, THAT ARE GONNA BE, UH, PARTAKING FOR THE SENIORS THAT CAN WALK, THAT CAN HAVE BETTER LIGHTING.
UH, IT IS JUST A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND TO BE IN THE POSITION THAT I'M IN.
I, I DO TRY TO BE A LITTLE MORE DISCREET AND, UM, UM, CARRY, CARRY A BIG STICK, BUT NOT TALK TOO MUCH.
UM, AND, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY FOR, UH, USING OUR POLITICAL CAPITAL.
REPRESENTATIVE HERANDEZ IS NICE, UH, UH, THE SENATOR ON NOW ON SENATE FINANCE.
TO, TO COLLECTIVELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST BE FRANK.
SOMETIMES WE'RE ON THE SAME SIDE IN POLITICS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, COMMUNITIES LIKE DH, COMMUNITIES LIKE DH MAYOR, UH, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED OTHER COMMUNITIES AND, AND WE LOVE THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
BUT FOR FAR TOO LONG, COMMUNITIES LIKE DENVER HARBOR AND ALDEEN AND NORTHSIDE AND THE EAST END HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.
AND SO I'M PROUD TO BE HERE WITH JUAN.
I I GO EAT A LOT OF TACOS AND DRINK A LOT OF COFFEE THERE.
UH, HE TELLS ME EVERY DAY, UH, YEAH, WELL,
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO JUAN AND THE COMMUNITY FOLK, OUR, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, BUT REALLY LET'S ALSO THINK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING, THEY'RE GONNA BE ADMINISTERING THE DOLLARS.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT, BUT I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
SO THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SHOUTED OUT.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ADMINISTER THE STATE DOLLARS.
THEY GET A BIG POT OF MONEY THAT WE, THAT I, I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO HELP FUND ON THE STATEWIDE LEVEL.
AND THEN WE USE OUR POLITICAL CAPITAL REPRESENTATIVE HERNANDEZ, UH, MAYOR.
WE USE OUR POLITICAL CAPITAL IN THE POSITIONS WE HAVE WITH THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE WITH, WITH, UH, DUSTIN BURROWS TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, UH, WE, WE, WE HELPED YOU PUT, WE, WE HELPED PUT YOU THERE.
NOW, NOW IT'S TIME TO PAY THE PIPER AND WE NEED TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, I, I, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE ANEZ FOR HER STEADFAST, UH, DOG AGNESS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THESE DOG, THESE DOLLARS STAY HERE.
THEY COME HERE, THEY'RE DIRECTED TOWARDS SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PARK THAT WE'RE HELPING MAYOR, NOT THE ONLY PARK THAT WE'RE HELPING.
UH, I KNOW WE GOT KEITH WEISS.
I KNOW WE GOT OTHER PARKS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET, UH, UH, MAYOR, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO GET KEITH WEISS TO PRECINCT TWO, UH, IN MY DISTRICT.
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M GLAD TO BE PART, PLAY A LITTLE PART IN THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT LOOK, THESE CHILDREN, THESE CHILDREN, THIS IS, THIS IS, WHAT'S IT ABOUT.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE PART, PART OF THIS, THIS LITTLE EFFORT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITIES LIKE DENVER HARBOR ARE NO MORE, UH, WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT RIGHT, MA'AM? YES.
JUST THE HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR WORKING TOGETHER AND UNDERSTANDING THAT PARKS ARE A VITAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
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OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HELPING PEOPLE FROM A, FROM A HEALTH STANDPOINT AND FROM A RECREATIONAL STANDPOINT.AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO, WHO'S WORKED WITH ME PERSONALLY ON IMPROVING PARKS AND PROGRAMS AND IN HIS DISTRICT.
IT'S A GOOD DAY IN DENVER HARBOR TODAY AS WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE A MILESTONE.
AND REALLY WE'RE CELEBRATING COLLABORATION.
UH, YOU SEE SO MANY LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT REPRESENTED HERE TODAY FROM OUR CONGRESSWOMAN, OUR STATE REPS, STATE SENATOR, COUNTY CITY.
THEY'VE ALL WORKED TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO THANK EACH OF THEM BECAUSE DENVER HARBOR, THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS FOR A WHILE.
UH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING TO GET US THIS FAR, BUT IT TOOK EVERY ONE OF THEM PUSHING AND ADVOCATING AND FIGHTING, UH, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO TO OUR CONGRESSWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS FIGHTING FOR US IN DC TO OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES WHO WORKED SO HARD IN AUSTIN, ALONG WITH OUR STATE SENATOR TO SECURE THIS MONEY, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, WHO IS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY INVESTING IN THIS PROJECT, UH, THROUGH PRECINCT TWO.
AND TO OUR MAYOR WHO MADE THIS A PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT IT THIS FAR.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS HIS SECOND TIME IN DENVER HARBOR IN TWO MONTHS.
UH, WE WERE HERE LAST MONTH FOR, UH, BEAT THE HEAT PRESS CONFERENCE.
HE'S BACK AGAIN THIS MONTH FOR THIS GROUNDBREAKING.
UH, SO HE'S HERE, HE'S PRESENT, HE CARES ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND HIS ACTIONS ARE BACKING THAT UP.
AND I KNOW HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE'VE STILL GOT WORK TO DO AFTER TODAY, RIGHT? WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROJECT CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, THAT WE DON'T GET STUCK IN, IN HURDLES AND, AND RED TAPE.
AND WE MOVE FROM PHASE ONE TO PHASE TWO AND SO ON.
UM, SO WE'RE ALL GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK TO DO THAT.
BUT LET'S CELEBRATE TODAY THE COLLABORATION THAT BROUGHT ALL OF THIS TOGETHER AND MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW I JUST LOOKED LIKE I JUMPED OUT OF THE POOL, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW, FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN FOR VOICES IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THOSE VOICES ARE LOUD AND WE HEAR YOU AND WE HEAR YOU.
WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND LOUD AND CLEAR.
SO I WANNA JUST THANK ANNA GONZALEZ AND ONE HERNANDEZ FROM THE DENVER HAR CIVIC CLUB.
WOULD YOU PLEASE COME UP AND HAVE A FEW WORDS? ALRIGHT, BE QUIET.
IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS MAN, MR. HERNANDEZ, TO START THE CONVERSATION AT HIS RESTAURANT, UM, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
AS I STAND HERE, SITTING HERE LISTENING TO ALL THE CONVERSATIONS, ALL THE SPEECHES I STILL REMEMBER AS A CHILD PLAYING BALL HERE.
UH, MY BROTHERS ALSO PLAYED BALL HERE.
AND I REMEMBER THE PARK HERE AT THE CORNER AT THAT PARKING LOT WAS THE LIBRARY.
AND THAT WAS A PLACE TO HANG OUT IN THE SUMMERTIME ALONG HERE AT THE GYM.
SO I HAVE VERY FOND MEMORIES OF LIVING HERE IN DENVER HARBOR.
SO WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FUTURE, NOT FOR US, BUT FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR THE CHILDREN OF DENVER HARBOR, SO THEY CAN ENJOY SOMETHING.
AND AS HE MENTIONED, HE WAS THE ONE THAT STARTED THE FIRE TO THE, UM, POLITICIANS HERE AND GOT STATE REPRESENTATIVE ON HERNANDEZ STARTED.
AND THEN AFTER COVID, WE USED TO HAVE OUR MEETINGS AT JUDGE TINO'S, UH, COURTHOUSE.
'CAUSE THE CENTER HERE WASN'T OPEN.
AND THEN LISA FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW, SORRY LISA, WE, WE DID GIVE YOU A LOT OF HELP BACK THEN, BUT WE FINALLY HERE AND, UH, WE THANK YOU ALL FOR, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY STARTING WITH THE MAYOR.
I WANNA START ALSO THANKING OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE VAN HERNANDEZ AND ARMANDO WALLY, OUR STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, OUR COMMISSIONER.
UM, JUST WANNA, COMMISSIONER AND I SAT YESTERDAY, WE SAW EACH OTHER YESTERDAY.
AND IF YOU DRIVE DOWN CREST, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY.
AND WE, WE KIND OF JOKED ABOUT IT YESTERDAY.
UH, THE WELCOME SIGNS YOU SEE ON THE CREST ESP WERE DONE BY A GRANT THAT I APPLIED FOR.
UM, EACH YEAR HE, UH, PRECINCT TWO SUPPORTS GRANTS FOR THE COMMUNITIES.
'CAUSE I ALWAYS WONDERED, PEOPLE DRIVE THROUGH DENVER HARBOR AND WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO SEE SOMETHING NICE PRETTY WHEN PEOPLE
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DRIVE INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD? SO THOSE WELCOME SIGNS WERE DONE BY A GRANT, BY HIS OFFICE.AND THEN I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR, OUR COUNCILMAN.
UM, WHEN MARIO DECIDED TO RUN AND HE SPOKE TO ME, I TOLD HIM, PLEASE DON'T FORGET DENVER HARBOR.
A LOT OF TIMES WE GET FALSE PROMISES AND NOTHING HAPPENS.
AND FOR SOME YEARS WE WERE JUST NEGLECTED.
AND SINCE HE'S BEEN IN OFFICE, I CAN TELL YOU, UH, HIS ASSISTANT TY TY'S AROUND HERE, I CONSTANTLY CALL HIM EVERY WEEK ABOUT ISSUES WE'RE HAVING HERE IN DENVER HARBOR.
THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CLEANED UP.
UM, IF IT WASN'T FOR OUR COUNCILMAN AND HIS ASSISTANT TIME, A LOT OF THIS THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULDN'T BE DONE AS WELL.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK THE MAYOR AS WELL.
AND, UM, FOR HIS PUBLIC SAFETY, WE SEE THE POLICEMEN AROUND HERE, AND IT MAKES, GIVES ME A GOOD SENSE OF FEELING WHEN I SEE THE POLICEMEN.
NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE TO ARREST PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE LETTING US KNOW THEY'RE WATCHING OVER TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN AND OUR SENIORS SAFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UM, BEFORE DUE, I DON'T WANNA TALK TOO MUCH.
I WANNA PRESENT EVERYBODY, UM, IF I CAN.
UH, WE GAVE THE DENVER HARBOR CIVIC CLUB, GAVE EVERYONE A PLAQUE THAT'S HERE AND IT READS WITH OUR GREATEST APPRECIATION.
WE HEREBY HONOR, WE HEREBY HONOR, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AN HERNANDEZ MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, STATE REPRESENTATIVE ARMANDO WALLY, COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA, COUNCILMAN MARIO CASTILLO, AND OUR STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO ON THIS DAY, JULY 8TH, 2025, AN APPRECIATION FOR BEING A SUPPORTER OF THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY WITH GRATITUDE FROM THE DENVER HARBOR CIVIC CLUB.
WELL, THANK YOU'ALL FOR COMING.
WE, WE GOT A REAL GOOD CROWD TODAY.
HEY, BUT LOOK, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT THIS TEAM BACK HERE, THE MAYOR AND EVERYBODY HERE.
I MEAN, SO, AND ANOTHER THING, WE GOT AN AWESOME MAYOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL KNOW THAT.
SO LET'S GIVE 'EM A BIG SHOUT OUT.
BUT NO, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS PARKS IS FOR EVERYBODY.
IT'S DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE AND THE KIDS IN DH AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED YOUR SUPPORT BECAUSE IT, IT DON'T STOP HERE, RIGHT, ADRIAN? THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I SAID.
HEY, BUT UH, YOU KNOW WHAT, BETWEEN ME AND ADRIAN, WE'RE GONNA PUT A STROBE LIGHT ON THE FLAG POLE SO HE'LL KNOW WHERE DH IS AT.
WE'RE ABOUT, WE'RE ABOUT READY TO WRAP UP, BUT I WANNA RECOGNIZE FORMER JUDGE RICHARD VERA, ARE YOU, ARE YOU HERE GUYS? THE JUDGE IS HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT.
AND ALSO I WANT TO THANK THEN TOWER PARKS TEAM THAT'S WORKING DAY TO DAY.
COULD YOU RAISE YOUR HANDS PLEASE? FROM CUTTING GRASS TO OFFERING PROGRAMS TO RUNNING THE POOL ITSELF, WHICH OPENS AT ONE O'CLOCK TODAY.
SO, UM, BEFORE WE WRAP UP, I Y'ALL WANNA BRING UP SIR? HEY, BEFORE, BEFORE WE CLOSE UP, WE GOT FOOD, WE GOT ICE CREAM, WE GOT EVERYTHING ON THE SIDE OVER HERE.
AND, UH, THIS STUFF WAS DONATED AND I'LL TELL YOU WHO DONATED LATER.
YOU KNOW, JUAN KNOWS HOW TO WORK IT WELL.
I GO TO HIS RESTAURANT AND THEN HE, YOU KNOW, HE'S, HE'S BRINGING THE FOOD AND THEN HE WON'T SERVE IT UNTIL I COMMIT TO DOING SOMETHING FOR DA.
I WANNA WRAP UP WITH A FEW WORDS IN SPANISH FOR OUR MEDIA.
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CAROL ABDO GARCIA GONZALEZ.OVER TO THE PHOTO AND GET STARTED.