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I KNOW IT'S MONDAY, BUT COME ON.
UH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING TO COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE GROUNDBREAKING AT ANDOVER PARK.
I'M JUSTIN SCHULTZ, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
WE ARE A NON-PROFIT THAT FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS HAS BEEN INVESTING IN PARKS AND GREEN SPACE THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON REGION.
WE HAVE INVESTED IN LARGE PARKS, MASON PARK, MCGREGOR PARK, BUT WE ALSO HAVE INVESTED IN SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
AND THE REASON THAT INVESTMENT IN SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS IS SO IMPORTANT IS FOR THE REASON THAT YOU SEE WITH EVERYONE HERE.
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ARE, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SUPPOSED TO PAUSE WHEN THE PLANES GO OVER
I'M A LITTLE BIT OF A LOUD TALKER.
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ARE ANCHORS AND COMMUNITY HUBS AROUND THIS CITY.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD PARK HAS HELPED TO FOSTER GENERATIONS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE GONE ON TO DO AMAZING THINGS.
BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INVESTING IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
AND ALL OF THE PARTNERS THAT ARE UP HERE TODAY ARE HELPING TO INVEST A TOTAL OF $60 MILLION IN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ALL AROUND THIS CITY.
AND IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS THAT ARE UP HERE, THESE PROJECTS AND THESE PARTNERSHIPS DON'T GET DONE WITHOUT A HUGE CAST OF CHARACTERS.
AND SO I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR CORPORATE DONORS, OUR INDIVIDUAL DONORS, AND A NUMBER OF FOUNDATIONS WHO HAVE HELPED US TO BE ABLE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS LIKE WE'RE GONNA DO IN ANDOVER PARK.
NOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WHEN HE CAME INTO OFFICE SAID, I REALLY WANT TO INVEST IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS IS WHERE I WANNA FOCUS ATTENTION, WAS MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
HE SAID, NEIGHBORHOODS ARE CRITICAL TO THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS OF OUR CITY AND TO THE RESILIENCE AND TO THE VITALITY OF OUR CITY.
AND HE KNEW THAT THE PARKS BOARD WORKING WITH HOUSTON PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT WAS THE RIGHT WAY TO INVEST IN THESE PARKS LIKE ANDOVER PARK.
AND SO I'M SO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH MAYOR WHITMEYER ON THIS PROGRAM AND I WOULD LOVE FOR HIM TO COME UP AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
AND THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT'S HERE TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE LEGISLATURE.
YOLANDA JONES, CAROL ABTA TO SOUTHWEST AIRLINE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE.
THIS IS WHY YOU GET UP AND GO TO WORK.
IT'S WHY I WAS WILLING TO LEAVE THE LEGISLATURE AND COME BACK TO HOUSTON AS A HOUSTONIAN.
I KNOW A LOT OF US DID NOT HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION, OR WE HAVE PARENTS WORKING TWO JOBS THAT CAN'T GET US TO HERMAN PARK OR MEMORIAL PARK.
THAT'S WHY NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ARE SO CRITICAL.
AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT PARTNERED WITH THIS, NOT ONLY JUST IN NOVA, BUT ACROSS HOUSTON.
THE EXPERIENCE WE'RE SEEING TODAY.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY, REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, MS. WRIGHT, MS. DUKE, AND OTHERS, IS THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
YOU SEE, I KNOW FOR A FACT AND OVER IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR MANY YEARS.
IT'S ALSO WHY ELECTIONS MATTER IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER.
ANOTHER THING I SAY TODAY, ELECTIONS MATTER.
AND TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF EARLY VOTING.
KENNETH ALLEN IS AN OUTSTANDING PARKS DIRECTOR.
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I'M SO PROUD OF THE TEAM WE HAVE AT CITY HALL, WHETHER IT'S PARKS OR PUBLIC WORKS HEALTH DEPARTMENT, I COULD GO ON THE TEAM OF DIRECTORS THAT ARE PASSIONATE, PROFESSIONAL, HONEST, AND THEY JUST WANT TO GET THINGS DONE.THANK YOU TO THE PARKS BOARD, JUSTIN, FOR WORKING AS A PARTNER ACROSS HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, HOUSTON'S A GREAT CITY.
ALL MAJOR CITIES HAVE CHALLENGES.
I COULD GO ACROSS THE GREAT COUNTRY.
ALL MAJOR CITIES HAVE CHALLENGES.
THE DIFFERENCE IS HOUSTON'S MEETING IS CHALLENGES.
AND PEOPLE FEEL IT, THEY SENSE IT.
AND ALSO BEFORE THIS NEXT PLANE COMES UP, I WANT TO TELL YOU, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
LEAVE HERE AND GO BACK TO WORK TO MOVE HOUSTON FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA START TIMING ALL THE TRANSITIONS FOR THE PLANES.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR ACKNOWLEDGING AND FOCUSING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS IS WHAT MAKES HOUSTON, AS THE MAYOR SAID, AND I, WE'RE JUST SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH THE MAYOR AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I'M NOW GOING TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE WHO I'M SURE Y'ALL ALL KNOW, BUT SOMEONE WHO IS ALWAYS THERE WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PARKS IN GREEN SPACE IN HER DISTRICT.
THIS IS SOMEONE WHO HAS HELPED TO SECURE $1 MILLION FOR ANDOVER PARK IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION FOR THIS PARK.
AND THAT IS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES.
SO LET ME SAY, MY NAME IS JOLANDA JONES.
I'M THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 1 47.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WORKED INTIMATELY WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UM, TO TRY TO GET MONEY OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS IT FROM ALL OVER THE STATE AND THEY AIN'T ALWAYS TRYING TO GIVE IT, UH,
AND SOMETIMES THEY JUST QUITE FRANKLY DON'T LIKE HOUSTON.
SO, UM, SO AS A KID, I'M, I'M NOT FROM THIS AREA, ALTHOUGH I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT THIS AREA.
UH, I WAS A KID WHO, UH, DEPENDED ON PUBLIC NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
I DEPENDED ON, UH, EMANCIPATION PARK, AND I ACTUALLY LEARNED HOW TO SWIM IN BOTH OF THOSE PARKS.
UM, AND THEY WERE FREE
AND A LOT OF TIMES IN OUR CITY, YOU, THE MAYOR BROUGHT UP MEMORIAL PARK, SO I'M JUST GONNA USE IT.
UH,
AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY INVEST MONEY IN, IN PARKS WITH CERTAIN KINDS OF CONSTITUENCIES.
AND VERY OFTEN THEY IGNORE, FORGET.
I MEAN, FIGURE OUT ANYTHING, USE ANY WORDS YOU WANT TO ABOUT PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE MOSTLY BLACK AND BROWN.
AND SO I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I'M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND THE LEGISLATURE, UH, TO, TO HELP SECURE $1 MILLION.
AND SO, AND, AND YOU JUST WANT SOMEWHERE FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES TO GO AND BE SAFE AND PLAY AND GET OFF THEIR COMPUTERS AND PUT THEIR FEET IN THE GRASS.
THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY.
BUT THIS IS THE BEGINNING AND I'M PROUD TO BE HERE FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING.
AND SO I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PARKS BOARD AND MY ELECTED COLLEAGUES TO STAND UP.
I HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO GIVE TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD ON THE OCCASION OF THE ANDOVER PARK GROUNDBREAKING.
SO, UM, THERE'S SOMEBODY, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH IT.
BUT, OKAY, SO THIS IS A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PARKS IN THIS CITY THAT, THAT YOU COULD HAVE GIVEN THIS MONEY TO.
AND INSTEAD YOU CHOSE TO BLESS ANDOVER PARK.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JOE JONES, THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE DISTRICT 1 47, THIS CERTIFICATE IS PROUDLY PRESENTED TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
ON THE OCCASION OF THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE RENOVATION OF ANDOVER PARK, WHICH IS, UH, SEVERELY OVERDUE, WE RECOGNIZE THE BOARD FOR PRIORIT, PRIORITIZING ANDOVER PARK AND THE GARDEN VIAS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS GROUNDBREAKING REFLECTS A POWERFUL TRUTH.
EVERY CHILD DESERVES A SAFE PLACE TO PLAY.
EVERY FIRM FAMILY DESERVES A SAFE PLACE TO GATHER, AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES A MEANINGFUL PUBLIC INVESTMENT.
I WORKED HARD TO HELP SECURE THIS 1 MILLION DOLL,
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AT LEAST $1 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING FOR ANDOVER PARK THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, AND HELPING BRING THIS RENOVATION TO LIFE.WITH THE NEW RECREATION, AMENITIES, WALKING TRAILS, IMPROVED LIGHTING AND ACCESSIBILITY, THIS PARK WILL BETTER SERVE THE FAMILIES IN GARDEN VS.
THANK YOU HOUSTON PARKS BOARD FOR MAKING ANDOVER PARK A PRIORITY, HONORING THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND HELPING BUILD A PARK WHERE OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN CAN THRIVE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND CAN I GET MY MAYOR AND YOU GUYS TO COME UP HERE? YOU WANT ME GET YOU TO STAND UP? UM, WE'RE GONNA STAND IN FRONT OF THIS REAL QUICK.
LET'S JUST STAND IN FRONT OF Y'ALL.
GIVE IT UP FOR REPRESENTATIVE JONES.
SHE IS IN AUSTIN, FIGHTING FOR THIS DISTRICT AND SECURING REAL MONEY FOR DISTRICT 1 47.
SHE DID NOT HAVE TO FIGHT IN THE LEGISLATURE LAST SESSION TO TRY TO SECURE MONEY FOR THIS PARK.
AND I WILL SAY THERE ARE, AS SHE MENTIONED, A LOT OF PARKS IN HOUSTON.
SO THE FACT THAT SHE WENT, SHE FOUGHT FOR Y'ALL, SHE GOT A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THIS PARK.
NOW Y'ALL ARE VERY LUCKY THAT Y'ALL DON'T JUST HAVE A SINGLE ELECTED OFFICIAL OR A COUPLE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO LOVE TO SUPPORT PARKS AND GREEN SPACE AND PARKS AND GREEN SPACE ARE AN EASY THING TO SUPPORT BECAUSE EVERYONE LIKES PARKS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO SUPPORT THEM.
AND SO THE NEXT PERSON I'M A CALL UP IS SOMEONE WHO EVERY TIME WE ARE OUT AT A PARK, SHE IS THERE, SHE IS SHOWING UP, SHE IS ADVOCATING FOR THE, NOT ONLY THE IMPORTANCE OF PARKS, BUT TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO PARKS.
AND THAT'S YOUR STATE SENATOR, SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO.
YOU KNOW, JOLANDA, WHEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL, I REPRESENTED ANDOVER.
AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO THE TEXAS HOUSE, I LOST IT.
'CAUSE THE LATE, AND BLESS HIS HEART, MAY REST IN PEACE.
GARNET COLEMAN REPRESENTED THIS AREA.
AND THEN WHEN I GOT ELECTED TO THE SENATE, I GOT THIS COMMUNITY BACK AND OVER.
AND MS. WRIGHT, YOU AND I WERE REUNITED ONCE AGAIN.
AND YOU AND I HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND SO IT JUST TO PLAY A SMALL ROLE TODAY.
AND MAYOR, I WANNA THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATE YOU.
I KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS YOU RAN FOR MAYOR.
YOU LEFT THE SENATE WHERE YOU WERE VERY COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY, AND YOU CAME HOME TO HELP DO THINGS LIKE THIS.
SO LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR OUR MAYOR AND HIS LEADERSHIP, AND WE LOOK FORWARD FOR THAT CONTINUING FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS.
AND OF COURSE, YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, UH, THERE FOR US.
AND WE HAVE FINE PEOPLE, OUR PARKS BOARD AND THE PARKS DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, PLACES LIKE MEMORIAL PARK, HERMAN, THEY HAVE THEIR CONSERVANCY, THEY HAVE THEIR SPECIAL POTS OF MONEY THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO RAISE.
AND SO THINGS LIKE THIS ARE SO IMPORTANT WHEN WE CAN BRING THE STATE AND, AND, UH, GIVE ANOTHER SHOUT OUT TO REPRESENTATIVE JONES FOR BRINGING THAT MONEY HOME, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE CITY, IT ALL COMES TOGETHER.
BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF FOLKS UP HERE WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT PARKS AND WHO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE LINE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AND I'M SO HAPPY FOR THE ANDOVER COMMUNITY.
AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE JONES.
YOU KNOW, I ASKED JUSTIN, COULD I GET BACK UP FOR THIS NEXT INTRODUCTION.
I'VE SPENT MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, RUNNING AS A SENIOR AT, WHEN I WAS ATTENDING UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, KNOCKING DOORS TO GET ELECTED.
I THINK IT'S A, IT'S CERTAINLY A PASSION OF MINE.
IT IS A CALLING IF YOU DO IT RIGHT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK EVERYONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE IS A PUBLIC SERVANT, WHETHER YOU'RE EVER ON THE BALLOT OR NOT.
AND I THINK SOMEDAY WE'RE GONNA BE JUDGED.
WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE? SO I ASKED JUSTIN, COULD I INTRODUCE OUR COUNCIL MEMBER?
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YOU KNOW, BEING MAYOR IS A TOUGH JOB.I WISH I HAD TIME TO JUST TELL YOU THE CAUSE I GET, YOU KNOW, BROKEN WATER MAIN NEAR THE MED CENTER.
IF WE DON'T GET A CREW OUT THERE, FIX THAT 40 INCH PIPE.
METHODIST WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ITS OPERATIONS FOR THE DAY.
PUBLIC SAFETY, WE HAD THE STORMS. I CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, BECAUSE HE WAS A STAFFER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BEFORE HE BECAME COUNCIL.
HE DID, HE GOT ME STARTED THE FIRST DAY AND WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON FIXING HOUSTON.
AND WHEN HE SAW THAT WE WERE GONNA BE HERE TODAY, HE PARTNERED WITH ME TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ARRANGED OUR SCHEDULES TO BE HERE.
SO LET ME JUST PUBLICLY TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, THE DEFINITION YOU WANT TO GOOGLE PUBLIC SERVANT, GET THINGS DONE, IS MY GOOD FRIEND JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, EVERY WORD.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, RIGHT? UH, WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO SERVE COMMUNITY, UM, AND THEN DO IT JUST, JUST BECAUSE YOU LOVE, UH, INTERACTING AND ENGAGING WITH FOLKS LIKE YOURSELVES, UH, IT, IT REALLY IS A BLESSING.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SERVE YOU ALL.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA FIRST START OFF BY OF COURSE THANKING THIS.
YOU KNOW, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE UP HERE BECAUSE AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, JUST IN THIS, UH, BRIEF PROGRAM, THIS WORK CANNOT BE DONE, CANNOT BE DONE ALONE.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A DEFICIT CHALLENGE FOR OVER A DECADE.
SO WE NEED TO PARTNER UP WITH ENTITIES LIKE THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, LIKE OUR STATE DELEGATION.
SO I WANT TO THANK, UH, OUR REPRESENTATIVE, YOLANDA JONES, OUR SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, THOSE TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO THE STATE.
AND IT, BUT NOT FOR AN ADMINISTRATION LIKE MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND BRING BACK OVER $250 MILLION LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO BACK OUT THERE NEXT YEAR TO BRING BACK MORE MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND DOVER PARK, UM, IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, BE A STAFFER FOR 10 YEARS OUT OF THE DISTRICT HIGH OFFICE.
AND IN DOING THAT, AND OVER SOUTH YOUTH FARON WAS ONE OF MY CIVIC CLUBS THAT I VISITED EVERY MONTH.
SO MS. DUKE, MS. WRIGHT, MS. UH, GALE SIMMONS, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE TROPICANA RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, WE STILL LOVE YOU.
UM, AND MS. THOMAS, SHE'S NOT HERE.
WHERE IS SHE? IS SHE HERE? MS. THOMAS IS SOMEONE THAT LITERALLY WOULD TEXT CALL AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE ILLEGAL DUMPING.
CAN YOU ADDRESS IT? THAT WORK IS IMPORTANT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. ROY FOR BEING HERE AS WELL, WHO WAS ALSO CIVIC CLUB PRESIDENT FOR ANDOVER.
IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER, DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO IT'S A PRIVILEGE, IT'S A, IT IS AN HONOR TO SERVE YOU AS YOUR DISTRICT I COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE MAYOR'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNER, UH, A TREMENDOUS PARTNER IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE RIGHT SIZING DEPARTMENTS COURSE CORRECT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, AND THAT WORK IS IMPORTANT.
IF NOT THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME GOOD MUSIC.
I THINK THAT'S A WRAP IT UP BOX FOR US,
UM, BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, DIRECTOR ALLEN, HE'S A, HE'S AN AMAZING PARTNER AS A DIRECTOR FOR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SOMEONE THAT HAS WORKED, UM, ALMOST, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR, WELL, ALMOST 30 YEARS, 37, 37 YEARS.
SO YOU CAN COUNT EVERY YEAR, BUT IN EVERY LEVEL OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SO SOMEBODY THAT'S PASSIONATE ABOUT PARKS, SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS NEIGHBORHOODS, UNDERSTANDS PROGRAMMING, THIS IS THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB.
AND I'M, I'M THANKFUL THAT THE MAYOR SELECTED SUCH A GREAT LEADER TO LEAD OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SO ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT, I, ON BEHALF OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND OVER SAUDI FARON, UH, TROPICANA, WE ALSO HAVE BAY OAKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, UH, BELFORT.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT HELPED PUT THIS TOGETHER.
UH, THIS PARK IS GONNA BE AMAZING, AMAZING IN A FEW MONTHS.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS AND OVER SALVIE FAIR LAWN.
MS. WRIGHT, I LOVE YOU, MS. WRIGHT.
ANYTHING YOU NEED, WE'RE HERE.
UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER SORT OF STOLE WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY NEXT, BUT PART OF THE REASON AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN PARKS LIKE ANDOVER IS FROM THE SUPPORT OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE CITY'S PARKS DEPARTMENT LED BY DIRECTOR ALLEN OVERSEES ALMOST 400 PARKS.
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ARE PARKS THAT ARE AS SMALL AS A HALF AN ACRE AND AS LARGE AS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES.AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CLEAN AND THAT THEIR EQUIPMENT IS USABLE AND THAT THEY'RE PROGRAMMED AND THEY DO SO MUCH.
AND OVER THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, I'VE HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH DIRECTOR ALLEN AND HIS TEAM WHO ARE UNBELIEVABLE AND CARE SO MUCH ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERY ONE OF THOSE ALMOST 400 PARKS IS THE VERY BEST IT CAN BE.
AND SO I'M SO HAPPY TO INTRODUCE ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTNERS, DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE
AND THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS ALREADY SAID.
I'D LIKE TO JUST START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, NOT ONLY TO ANDOVER PARK, BUT ALL THE PARKS IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
IT'S BECAUSE OF HIS COMMITMENT AND HIS KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT PARKS MEAN TO PEOPLE, NOT JUST HERE, BUT ACROSS THIS CITY.
WE MAINTAIN JUST ABOUT 40,000 ACRES OF LAND WITHIN A 640 MILE RADIUS.
AND ANDOVER PARK IS JUST ONE OF 385 PARKS THROUGHOUT THIS CITY, WHICH DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
60 COMMUNITY CENTERS, 37 POOLS.
THERE'S NO WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK ALONE.
SO PARKS BOARD HAS BEEN A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR IN US ENHANCING AND IMPROVING PARKS AND TRAIL SYSTEMS ACROSS THIS CITY, OUR PARK SYSTEM.
WE WANT IT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST PARK SYSTEMS IN THE NATION.
AND WE CAN'T DO THAT JUST WITH OUR CITY BUDGET.
AND WE'RE GETTING THAT TIP, WE'RE GETTING THAT HELP AS I SPEAK NOW OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THERE'S A $300 MILLION INVESTMENT IN PARKS THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM.
YEAH, 60 MILLION ALONE WITH NEIGHBORHOOD, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS JUST LIKE THIS ONE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT'S CONTRIBUTED FROM, FROM THE STATE, YOU KNOW, NATIONALLY WITH GRANT AND LOCALLY.
I AM SO PROUD AND HONORED TO BE YOUR PARKS DIRECTOR.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD WORK.
WAIT TILL YOU'RE REELECTED, MAYOR
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL BE MADE HERE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
WE'LL GET A NEW PLAYGROUND WITH SHADE FEATURES, A NEW VOLLEYBALL COURT, A WALKING LOOP TRAIL.
THE CURRENT ONE WILL BE REMOVED AND EXPANDED.
NEW EXERCISE STATION, NEW SIDEWALKS AROUND THE PARK, SECURITY LIGHTING, A NEW SITE, FINISHINGS INCLUDING PICNIC TABLES, BENCHES, AND GRILLS.
ANOTHER MAJOR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS PROJECT IS ACCESSIBILITY.
ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVITY.
GET A LITTLE TONGUE TIED EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
SO THERE WILL BE ACCESSIBLE SWINGS AND EXERCISE EQUIPMENT AND THE SIDEWALK AND TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS WILL MEET A DA REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS GREAT.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT EVERYBODY IN THIS PROCESS.
SO THE CITY HAS COMMITTED ABOUT $250,000, UH, TO THE PROJECT.
AND I WANNA APPLAUD AGAIN, REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES FOR THAT $1 MILLION COMMITMENT.
AND OF COURSE, ONCE THIS PARK IS FINISHED AND COMPLETE, WE MAY GET A SKYDIVER THAT HELP US CELEBRATE
BUT ONCE EVERYTHING IS COMPLETE, DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS WILL BE MAINTAINED BY CITY STAFF.
UM, I WANT ALL CITY EMPLOYEES THAT WILL HELP MAINTAIN THIS PARK AFTER WE'RE DONE FOR YEARS TO COME TO.
THANK YOU GUYS AND YOUR TEAMS FOR YOUR DAY-TO-DAY COMMITMENT WHEN IT'S 95 AND A HUNDRED DEGREES OUTSIDE.
YOU GUYS ARE OUT HERE MOWING, DE LITTERING
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AND TAKING CARE OF THINGS.FROM FENCING TO SIDEWALKS TO THE TURF ITSELF AND THE TREES.
GUYS TAKE A LOOK AT THE TREES.
DON'T THEY LOOK BEAUTIFUL? SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING.
AND THEN THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS DONE WITH PARKS BOARD, WORKING WITH THE CITIZENS AND CIVIC CLUBS, SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, OUTSTANDING WORK.
I INVITE YOU GUYS TO STOP BODY OFFICE, GIVE US A CALL AND, UH, LET US KNOW LIKE YOU'VE BEEN DOING WHAT NEED TO BE DONE HERE.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, WITH THAT IN MIND, I'M TRULY GRATEFUL, AGAIN FOR THE SUPPORT FROM EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR AGAIN, TO ALLOWING ME TO DO MY JOB WITH, WITH THE PUBLIC, UH, WITH CITIZENS AND WITH STAFF.
I WANNA ALSO THANK GSD LISA JOHNSON.
WHERE ARE YOU? SHE'S HIDING BECAUSE, UH, THE AGGIES LOST
AND, AND, UM, I CAN'T WAIT TILL WE RIBBON.
KENNETH MENTIONED, UH, THE $250,000 THAT IS COMING FROM THE CITY.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HELPED TO SEND THAT MONEY TO ANDOVER PARK.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER'S OFFICE HERE WITH US TODAY.
UM, OF COURSE, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, WHO HAS BEEN SUCH A HUGE SUPPORTER OF PARKS AND TRAILS AND THERE IS MORE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT AGAIN, I'M SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO COME INTO A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS, TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY, TO HEAR WHAT Y'ALL WANT IN YOUR PARK.
NOT WHAT WE THINK SHOULD BE HERE, BUT WHAT Y'ALL WANT IN YOUR PARK.
AND WE DID THAT THROUGH GOING TO THE ANDOVER SOUTHVIEW CIVIC CLUB.
WE DID THAT BY WORKING WITH, UH, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ALVAREZ AT GREG ELEMENTARY.
WE DID THAT BY COMING TO THE PARK AND HAVING A POPUP BY DOING SURVEYS.
AND EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE FRONT AND CENTER HELPING US AND GUIDING US ON THAT PROCESS.
AND I'M SO HONORED AND SHE'S VERY POPULAR.
I'M SO HONORED THAT UP HERE TODAY WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, MS. WRIGHT IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ANDOVER SOUTHVIEW CIVIC CLUB AND HAS BEEN A FIXTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I WOULD LOVE FOR HER TO COME UP AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY.
EVEN THOUGH I HAVE MY TABLET, I'M NOT GONNA BE TALKING VERY LONG BECAUSE SOMEBODY TOLD ME I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES ANYWAY, SO
SO I HAVE TO BE BRIEF AND PERHAPS VERY BRIEF
MY NAME IS REBECCA JOHNSON BANKS WRIGHT.
I, AS YOU COULD PROBABLY TELL, AM A PROUD AND OVER PLACE RESIDENT.
WE HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR AT LEAST 54 YEARS.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE AROUND HERE HAVE BEEN HERE PROBABLY LONGER THAN I HAVE.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF IS OUR CITY COUNCIL, AND WE THINK HE'S THE BEST ONE.
AND ALL OF HOUSTON, WE USED TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE, BUT SHE DECIDED WE WERE UP HIGHER AND WE WERE LIKE THAT
UM, I STAND TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE ANDOVER SOUTHVIEW FAIR LAWN TROPICANA VILLAGE.
TROPIC COUNTY VILLAGE AND BIO OAKS COMMUNITIES.
THOMAS, YOU SUPPOSED TO SAY WHOHOO.
HE'S TRYING TO SNEAK OUT WITH THE HAT.
BUT WE THREE, WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY FIVE OF US AND WE WORK TOGETHER.
IF WE ARE HAVING SOMETHING OR HAVING A MEETING, THOMAS OR GAIL OR WHOEVER THEY'LL CALL.
I GOT THAT FROM BACK IN A LONG TIME.
WE USED TO HAVE ONE OF OUR OLD PRESIDENTS, HE'S NOT OLD FORMER PRESIDENTS.
AND HE WAS VERY, UH, CONCERNED THAT WE MAINTAINED THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SOME MORE RESIDENTS HERE FROM TODAY.
UH, THE PROBLEM IS A LOT OF US ARE KIND
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OF RETIREDSO YOU HAVE TO DO ALL STUFF ON SATURDAYS OR A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE DAY.
I, I EXPRESSED THAT TO YOU, TO THE LADIES FROM THE PARK DEPARTMENT, BUT
I I KNOW YOU DO
THEY WOULD POSSIBLY BE ABLE TO BE HERE IF IT WAS LATER.
BUT EVERYONE FROM TROPICANA VILLAGE, BIO OAKS, SOUTHVIEW, FAIRLAND, ANDOVER, JUST GIVE US A QUICK WAVE.
WE APPRECIATE MAYOR QUI GIVING US SOME, SOME MONEY,
ONE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE WAS FROM TROPICANA VILLAGE, BUT LIKE WE SAY, THOSE, OUR COUSINS, BROTHERS, SISTERS OR WHATEVER.
AND SO HE GREW UP RE HE GREW UP WHAT HE WAS TELLING US TODAY.
HE GREW UP OVER HERE DOING, UH, BASEBALL PRACTICE.
SHOUT OUT WHAT ALL DID YOU DO? THAT'S WESLEY SIMMONS.
BUT THEY WERE, WE WERE ACTIVE.
THEY WERE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE HIM COMING TODAY.
SOME MORE PROBABLY WOULD BE HERE, BUT OUR BOYS AND OUR GIRLS HAVE MOVED AROUND.
WE'VE HAD A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY.
UM, WHEN WE ALSO THANK COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ BECAUSE WHEN HE HEARD THAT MAYOR WHITMEYER HAD GOT SOME CONNECTIONS AND WAS GETTING SOME MONEY, HE SPOKE UP FOR ANDOVER.
WE, WE FEEL LIKE HE'S OUR, UH, GROWN UP BIG KID GRANDPARENT BECAUSE
I, WHEN HE FIRST STARTED WORKING FOR THE CITY AND WE THANK HIM.
UM, THIS ALSO IS THE LOCATION OF OUR NATIONAL ANNUAL NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
WHEN THE, THE, UH, PANDEMIC CAME THROUGH, WE COULD COME TO DANDO PARK BECAUSE WE HAD SPACING AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO TRIED TO KEEP IT UP.
WE DON'T HAVE THIS TRASH HANGING AROUND.
THANK YOU TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO COME AND VERY SELDOM DO OUR GRASS GROW UP REAL HIGH.
WHEN YOU DRIVE BY HERE, YOU CAN SEE A NICE LOOKING PLACE.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR PROPERTY VALUE.
OUR, UM, JUST OUR WELLBEING IS TO BE ABLE TO PASS BY PART.
THE GREEN SPACES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
WE APPRECIATE AND EAGERLY AWAIT THE CARE AND IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED FOR ANDOVER PLACE, ANDOVER PARK IN ANDOVER PLACE.
WE APPRECIATE IT AND WE THANK YOU.
AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE PARTNERS WHO HAVE HELPED TO MAKE TODAY POSSIBLE IN WHAT WILL SEEM LIKE THE BLINK OF AN EYE.
WE WILL BE BACK HERE CELEBRATING THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THIS PARK, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO SO WITH NEW EQUIPMENT, NEW WALKING TRAILS, SAFETY IMPROVEMENT, ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THAT'S ALL BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY RAISED YOUR HAND AND SAID, WE WANT SUPPORT FOR OUR PARKS AND YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, LISTEN TO YOUR CALLS FOR ACTION AND ARE ACTUALLY MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S UP HERE FOR, AGAIN, HELPING TO MAKE TODAY HAPPEN.
LET'S GO TAKE SOME PICTURES AND WE'LL SEE Y'ALL BACK HERE IN A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR.