WELCOME TO THE 2022 BUILD GARLAND DAY. 
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THIS IS OUR SECOND ANNUAL BUILD GARLAND DAY. 
          JUST SAYING THOSE WORDS IS A TESTAMENT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE AND WE’VE CONTINUED TO MAKE PHENOMENAL PROGRESS EVEN IN THE MORE CHALLENGING TIMES. 
          >>MUSIC>> STOP NUMBER ONE: THE GALE A. FIELDS RECREATION CENTER, ONE OF SEVERAL REC CENTERS BEING RENOVATED AND EXPANDED ACROSS THE CITY. 
          "TWO, THREE" CHEEERS MR GALE WAS OUR FIRST AFRICAN- AMERICAN SUPERVISOR IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. 
          HE WAS NOT ONLY INVOLVED WITH THE CITY BUT ALSO INVOLVED WITH CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL." IN ATTENDANCE… MR. FIELD’S FAMILY MEMBERS, INCLUDING HIS WIFE GEORGIA FIELDS. 
          “IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE. 
          AND WE APPRECIATE SO MUCH THE SERVICE THAT GALE PROVIDED THIS COMMUNITY FOR SO MANY YEARS IT’S ONLY FITTING THAT THIS FACILITY BE NAMED AFTER HIM.” RENOVATIONS STARTED IN MAY OF 2021. 
          AMONG THE IMPROVEMENTS: A NEW GYM FLOOR, NEW FLOORING, PAINT, COUNTERTOPS, A NEW ROOF ALONG WITH A SHADED PATIO RIGHT OFF THE UPGRADED MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM. 
          : “WE FOUND OUT DURING PANDEMIC THAT OUTDOOR OUTDOOR AMENITIES ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND NOW GALE FIELDS HAS AN OUTDOOR SHADED PATIO FOR THE COMMUNITY’S USE.” "I LIKE IT A LOT" (LAUGHS) SHE'S EXCITED TO BE HERE. 
          “IT’S AMAZING. HE STARTED SOMETHING YEARS AGO WHEN HE MOVED HERE TO GARLAND. 
          . I DON’T THINK HE THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE EVOLVED INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY HE HAD A PASSION TO HELP OTHERS AND HE CONTINUES TO DO THAT.” THE NEW FITNESS EQUIPMENT..ALREADY GETTING GOOD USE. 
          “I ENJOY HERE. I SO ENJOY SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXERCISE MACHINES, I REALLY LOVE.” 
          >>MUSIC>> NEXT STOP, DORFMAN PARK, ONE OF 25 PLAYGROUNDS BEING RENOVATED OR REPLACED. 
          “THIS IS AWESOME. IT’S A GREAT PLAYGROUND AND THEME THIS IS FABULOUS. AND I LOVE IT” THE PLAYGROUNDS ARE PART OF THE 117 MILLION DOLLARS OF PARKS AND RECREATION IMPROVEMENTS APPROVED BY VOTERS. 
          EACH PLAYGROUND IS UNIQUE WITH ITS OWN THEME, TAILORED TO EACH NEIGHBORHOOD, MADE FOR KIDS OF “ALL AGES”. 
          “THE LION. THIS IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE UNITED STATES. 
          WE CAN SEND THE WORD OUT AROUND THE COUNTRY TO PARENTS. 
          I'VE GOT FOUR GIRLS AND THEY'RE STARTING TO GET PAST THE AGE OF HANGING OUT AT PLAYGROUNDS BUT THERE WERE MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS I WANTED TO FEED MY KIDS TO THE LION LION >LAUGHTER> AND NOW YOU HAVE THE METAPHORICAL OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO RIGHT HERE IN GARLAND.” THE NINE NEW PLAYGROUNDS CURRENTLY OPEN COMPLETE PHASE ONE OF THE PROGRAM. 
          THE SEVEN PLAYGROUNDS IN PHASE TWO ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED BY LATE SUMMER. 
          >MUSIC> >COUNTDOWN> THE THIRD RIBBON-CUTTING OF THE DAY TOOK PLACE AT THE TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE FACILITY. 
          THE FACILITY WAS BUILT BACK IN THE 1950’S. 
          IT WAS IN DESPERATE NEED OF MAJOR RENOVATIONS. 
          : “TO TRULY APPRECIATE THE STOP, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEFORE. 
          THIS IS REALLY THE NERVE CENTER FOR TRAFFIC FLOW AND TRAFFIC CONTROL IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.” THE NEWLY IMPROVED FACILITY MAKES A BETTER USE OF SPACE, MAXIMIZES THE EFFICIENCY OF THE EXISTING BUILDING AND IMPROVES WORKFLOW. 
          "IT JUST MAKES IT EASIER HAVING ALL OF THIS HERE NOW AND MONITOR IT DAILY AND SOMEONE CAN KEEP AN EYE ON IT IF NECESSARY." “ALL CITY SIGNS, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, SCHOOL FLASHERS, SIGNS, STOP BARS, CROSSWALKS, AND LANE LINES ARE TAKEN CARE OF HERE. 
          "A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO YOU ALL HELPED GET US PURCHASE THIS SIGN PRINTER" CITY LEADERS GOT A BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR OF THE FACILTY “WOW I HAD NO IDEA THAT SUCH MANUAL CUTS WENT INTO THIS THING SIGN SHOP” AND GAINED A NEW APPRECIATION FOR WHAT TRANSPORATION STAFF DOES EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          “THIS VISIT HAS BEEN VERY EDUCATIONAL.” >MUSIC> CITY LEADERS ALSO GOT A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE NEW POLICE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE BUILDING. 
          THE SAME SPOT WHERE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO THEY BROKE GROUND FOR THE 18,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY. 
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"IT'S GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL" FOR SECURITY REASONS, WE CAN’T SHOW MUCH OF WHAT THE INTERIOR LOOKS LIKE, BUT THANKS TO GARLAND VOTERS, THE NEW BUILDING INCLUDES MORE SPACE TO MEET NEW STORAGE AND HANDLING STANDARDS. 
          IN FACT, IT DOUBLES THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE EXISTING PROPERTY ROOM SPACE. 
          IT WILL IMPROVE EFFICIANCY AND INTRODUCE EFFECTIVE EVIDENCE-HANDLING CONTROLS FOR THE GARLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT >MUSIC> THE GRAND FINALE OF BUILD GARLAND DAY THE OPENING OF THE BRAND NEW, 23,000 SQUARE FOOT ANIMAL SHELTER AND ADOPTION CENTER. 
          >ONE, TWO AND A GREAT BIG THREE> >APPLAUSE AND CHEERS> “TO SAY THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. 
          PEOPLE IN GARLAND HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS FOR MANY YEARS NOW.” GROUND WAS BROKEN IN DECEMBER OF 2020, THE PROJECT PUT ON THE FAST TRACK. 
          THE NEW FACILITY MORE THAN DOUBLES THE CAPACITY OF THE OLD SHELTER, , ALLOWING FOR UP TO 224 DOGS, 141 CATS AND EXOTIC ANIMALS. 
          >DOG BARKING> “OUR EXISTING SHELTER WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN THE EARLY 60’S, IT HAD SOME UPDATING IN THE EARLY 90'S. 
          OTHERWISE IT WAS OUTDATED, OUTSIZED, IT JUST WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH HOW ANIMAL SERVICES HAS DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS. 
          IT WAS STILL, WHEN IT WAS BUILT IT WAS STILL WHAT WAS CALLED A POUND. 
          THE ATTITUDES TOWARDS ANIMAL CARE HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE THE 60'S. 
          “WE HAVE A DIGITAL X-RAY MACHINE THAT WILL ENABLE US TO BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE A LOT OF THINGS NOT JUST FRACTURES BUT SOFT TISSUE STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE THE BODY. 
          WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO BLOOD WORK HERE. 
          WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE A LOT OF THINGS WERE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO AT THE OTHER SHELTER. 
          WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEED, WHEREAS WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO A LOT OF THAT BEFORE. 
          "HE LIKES ME" OTHER FEATURES INCLUDE SOUND CONTROLLED WALLS, STATE OF THE ART HVAC UNITS, ADOPTION SUITES, SIX PLAY YARDS, MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SURGERY AND TREATMENT ROOM AND EVEN SPACE FOR PETS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS. “THINK ABOUT THAT, WHEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAPPENS AND THERE’S ANIMALS IN THE HOUSE, SOMETIMES A FAMILY BLOWS UP BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE ANIMALS? NOW WE HAVE A SAFE HAVEN TO CARE FOR THEM WHEN THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.” “NOW THAT WE HAVE STATE OF ART FACILITY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADD ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING OUR ANIMAL CRUELTY DIVISION. 
          IN LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE HAVE REMOVED OVER 200 ANIMALS ANIMALS FROM CRUELTY SITUATIONS. NOW WE HAVE AN AREA TO HOLD THEM DURING THE COURT PROCESS.” "SO MY APPRECIATION IS FOR THE CITIZENS OF GARLAND WHO VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY FOR THE 2019 BOND PACKAGE." “I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER WAY TO END THAT DAY THAN HERE. 
          THIS IS THE PERFECT ENDING TO A REALLY GREAT DAY.” >MUSIC>
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.