[State of the City on February 15, 2024.]
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I. TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING. I KNOW THAT. EVERYONE'S BUSY. EVERYONE HAS THINGS TO DO. THERE'S A MILLION. YOU KNOW, IT JUST NEVER STOPS. AND SO, UM, I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU, UH, GIVING US A LITTLE TIME HERE THIS EVENING. UH I HOPE YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT OUR DEPARTMENT TABLES. UH, YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CITY OF GARLAND, YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE EVERY DEPARTMENT REPRESENTED, UM AND LOTS OF INFORMATION TO, UH, TO SHARE WITH YOU. THOSE TABLES WILL BE OPEN FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER THE PRESENTATION. UM, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, SOME SOME SPECIAL GUESTS THAT WE HAVE THIS EVENING. UH, WE HAVE SOME OF OUR CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH US. AND THEY'VE ALL SOME ARE OVER HERE, AND SOME ARE OVER THERE, SO I'M JUST GONNA TALK. UH, FROM DISTRICT ONE. MAYOR PRO TEM JEFF BASS. HE'S HERE. TRUST ME ON THIS FROM DISTRICT TWO. DEBORAH MORRIS. FROM DISTRICT THREE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM ED MOORE.
FROM DISTRICT FIVE. MARGARET LUT. DISTRICT SIX CARISSA DUTTON. SOMEWHERE OVER THERE.
AND I THINK I JUST FROM DISTRICT SEVEN, DYLAN HENDRICK. NOW. IF ANY OF THEM HAVE SNUCK IN BEHIND ME, SOMEBODY LET ME KNOW, BUT I THINK THAT'S ALL. I THINK I GOT ALL OF THEM. UH AND, UM, I. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY PREVIOUS FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS SO WE'LL JUST TELL THEM THANK YOU. NEXT TIME WE SEE YOU. UH, WE DO HAVE SOME OF OUR OBVIOUSLY, UH, A LOT OF OUR CITY STAFF HERE, UH, FROM OUR CITY MANAGEMENT STAFF, WE HAVE CITY MANAGER JUDD REX. DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MITCH BATES.
BACK OVER THERE. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER CRYSTAL OWENS. I THINK THEY INTENTIONALLY STANDING WHERE I CAN'T SEE HIM AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER PHILIA RUDIO. THEY'RE ALL OVER THERE ALL OVER THERE TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. I THINK I GOT THEM ALL IF I DIDN'T INTRODUCE HIM. THANK YOU. AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU, OBVIOUSLY. AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT LOTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, MEMBERS HERE AND IT JUST PEOPLE FROM FROM EVERY ASPECT OF THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT. AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS ADDRESS, UH, WILL BE REBROADCAST ON CG TV AND OUR VIDEO STREAMING STARTING ON THE 15TH AT SEVEN O'CLOCK NOW WE WERE GONNA DO IT ON THE 14TH BECAUSE IT THE WAY I FELT IT WAS LIKE THE PERFECT VALENTINE'S DINNER ENTERTAINMENT. YOU AND THE ONE YOU LOVE WATCHING ME TALK ABOUT THE CITY OF GARLAND, MAN. YOU DONON'T NEED ROSES IF U HAVE THAT ON TV, BUT WE'LL BE OUT ON THE 15TH. SO 2023. WAS YET ANOTHER VERY EXCITING YEAR HERE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. LOTS OF NEW PROJECTS, LOTS OF NEW EVENTS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE YOUR MARK HERE IN GARLAND. SO LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE MHM. MHM. SECRETARY. INFORMATION. SEVEN. THANKS. SO. ONE SPORT, THE MORE YOU PUT IT IN, THE MORE YOU GET OUT. RIGHT NOW HE'S PUNCHED HIS TICKET TO THE OLYMPIC TRIALS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU DREAM ABOUT QUALIFYING FOR THE CHILD. PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, NASA AND THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON. PEOPLE CAN EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF SPACE TRAVEL, THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IN ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS. GARLAND MANUFACTURING HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SPACE INDUSTRY. THAT'S MEXICO. BLUE MY CASE IS WHAT YOU SAY SO. REPEAT AFTER ME. I JUDSON J, REX I JUDSON J REX. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM? 123 THE CEREMONIAL DIRT TURNED TODAY
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FOR CONSTRUCTION THAT HAS ALREADY BEGUN ON LOS I 30. OK? GOOD JOB. NO, NO, NO. NO BIKE.JUST A GIRL. OK? TOMORROW ROACH WILL BEGIN ON THE NEXT WHITTLING HIS WAY THROUGH REQUEST HELPING THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TAKE ON THE LIFE THROUGH ART. SO IT THE ORGANI.
I. AND. YOU. I. NO. I CUT IT OFF. GARLAND IS THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING MARKET IN THE METRO AREA , FOLLOWED BY PLANO, THE WORST CITY IN THE STATE FOR HOUSING COSTS DOWN IN AUSTIN, AND THAT IS YOUR MORNING RUSH. THAT WAS A LOT AND YES, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER A PAINTBALL, UH, TEAM. I'M SURE YOU'LL ALL WANT TO PRACTICE SHOOTING AT US, AND THAT'S HOW THAT WILL WORK OUT. WELL OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND HERE ANY TIME THIS YEAR, YOU CAN YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW EXCITED WE ARE ABOUT OUR NEWLY REDESIGNED SQUARE. UH, IT WAS TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING, AND HAS BEEN COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED, UH, FROM FROM ITS PREVIOUS VERSION, AND YOU KNOW, IT REALLY HAS BEEN NOW LAID OUT AND DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. WHATEVER THEY ARE FROM SITTING DOWN TO HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE.
KIDS PLAYING IN THE PLAY AREA. WALK YOUR DOG OR WE CAN HAVE CONCERTS THERE.H IT IS REALLY BECOME A HUB FOR US AND MORE THAN 10,000 FOLKS JOINED US FOR THE GRAND OPENING ON OCTOBER 14TH AND WE WERE ALL VERY EXCITED ONE JUST TO BE TOGETHER AND TWO JUST AT THE CONSTRUCTION WAS OVER AND THEN THOUSANDS MORE THAN THAT. HE JOINED US FOR CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE, AND YOU KNOW THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN ITS CORE AREA HAS EXPANDED TO ALSO INCLUDE A NEW VISITOR CENTER. WE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY AT 519 STATE STREET ON THE SQUARE. WE HAVE A LIBRARY KIOSK, PUBLIC RESTROOM FACILITY AND THREE NEW MURALS AND WE'VE COMPLETED OR ALMOST COMPLETED STREETSCAPES ON 14 BLOCKS AROUND THE SQUARE. TALK ABOUT THE VISITOR CENTER. YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD ONE. BUT IT WAS VERY HIDDEN. UM, IT WAS. IT WAS REALLY PART OF, UH, OF OUR, UH, VISIT GARLAND. BUT WE WANTED TO BRING IT OUT. BRING IT UP FRONT. UM AND SO WE HAVE IT IS NOW ACTUALLY, I CAN SEE IT FROM WHERE I'M STANDING RIGHT OVER HERE ON 501 STATE STREET. IT'S BASICALLY THE CORNER STATE AND FIFTH IN THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE VISITOR CENTER IS, OF COURSE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY OF GARLAND. UH, WE HAVE INFORMATION ON LOCAL ATTRACTIONS, DESTINATIONS. DINING SHOPPING. WE HAVE LOTS OF BROCHURES AND MAPS OF THOSE THINGS AROUND THE AREA. WE ALSO HAVE A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF GARLAND AND TEXAS. GOODIES LOTS OF GARLAND T SHIRTS . UH SO I WOULD IF YOU WANT TO CHECK THEM OUT. THEY'RE HOURS ARE 11 A.M. TO 7 P.M. TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AND YOU TWO CAN GET YOUR OWN COPY OF GARLAND DOLI. NEXT 519 STATE STREET.
OTHERWISE SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW IT AS THE JONES HARDWARE. BUILDING. IN ADDITION TO OUR NEW VISITOR CENTER, WE HAVE THIS IT IS A IT HAS BEEN A REDEVELOPMENT DREAM OF OURS FOR MANY YEARS. IN OCTOBER, THE CITY REACHED AN AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE THE JONES HARDWARE BUILDING. AND ACTUALLY, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE JUST CLOSED ON THAT PROPERTY ON THURSDAY. SO I WANNA THANK, UM,
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OUR CITY STAFF, UM AND THE JONES FAMILY FOR WORKING TOGETHER. TO GET THAT PROCESS TO GET IT TO WHERE BOTH SIDES WERE HAPPY WITH THE ARRANGEMENT AND WE CAN. CERTAINLY WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD ON IT. THE IDEA IS TO OPERATE, DEVELOP AND OPERATE A NEW FACILITY, WHICH WOULD BE A MIXED USE COMMUNITY SPACE WITH DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITIES. SO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT COMING SOON. SO YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER BUILDING NEAR DOWNTOWN HAS CHANGED. RECENTLY REC. WE CELEBRATED ONE OF OUR GARLAND LEGENDS LAST JUNE, UH, WHEN SIGNAGE WAS UNVEILED FOR THE RONALD E JONES MUNIPAL BUILDING AT 800 MAIN STREET. UH, THIS IS OUR FORMER MAIN STREET MUNICIPAL BUILDING. UH, THE COUNCIL MOVED FORWARD ON REDEDICATING THIS BUILDING FOR MAYOR JONES. I WORORK FOR THE CY FOR 29 YEARS, SIX OF THOSE AS AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THEN SERVED SIX YEARS AS MAYOR. AND UH UH, IT IS IN A BUILDING THAT HE HAD ACTUALLY WORKED IN AS FAR AS WHEN IT CAME ONLINE. SO IT WAS A VERY GREAT HONOR TO, UH, TO RENAME THAT AFTER HIM. AND IT WAS ABOUT 1000 DEGREES THAT DAY.TWO. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE. IT'S THE MOST. CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE. WELL. OBVIOUSLY AFTER A TWO YEAR HIATUS, UH, FOR CONSTRUCTION. WE ALSO HAD A PANDEMIC IN BETWEEN ALL OF THAT CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE RETURN TO THE SQUARE LAST YEAR. UH, AND IT WAS IT WAS, UH, I MEAN, REALLY? THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE I COULD SAY OTHER THAN LOOKING. LOOK AT THAT. IT. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE NIGHT. UH, LOTS OF FOOD, LOTS OF ACTIVITIES, TRADITIONAL TREE LIGHTING AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS FOR CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE TO BE BACK ON THE SQUARE. AND OF COURSE, WE HOSTED A LOT OF LIVE MUSIC ACTS OVER THIS YEAR, UM, IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN WICKHAM.
WE CONTINUE TO PUT THESE ON IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN WICKHAM KIN. WE CONTINUE TO PUT THESE ON THROUGH ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION. UH, WE HAD OUR BAND TOGETHER ON THE SQUARE SHOWS SOUND OF SUMMER CONCERT SERIES ARE LIVE AT THE PLAZA SERIES. ALL WERE DESIGNED TO WANT TO BRING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN AND REALLY, WE ARE MAKING GARLAND A LIVE MUSIC. HAVE AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO COME TO THESE EVENTS. THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE, AND CERTAINLY THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE IN DOWNTOWN. AND YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF LIFE IS REALLY MORE THAN JUST PUBLIC SPACES.
THE CITY OF GARLAND. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR NEW DESIGNATION AS AN OFFICIAL CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT. THE STICK. THIS DESIGNATION REPRESENTS GARLAND'S LONG COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES AS WELL AS HIGHLIGHTS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BANKHEAD HIGHWAY AND ITS IMPACT ON GARLAND. GARLAND BOSO, A LOT OF SHOPS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPECIAL EVENTS. A LOT OF THAT IS THANKS TO TOURISM. A LOT OF THAT ISAS BEEN GOING ON WITH THE BANKHEAD HIGHWAY. UH AND AS IT CAME THROUGH, WHICH IS NOW MAIN STREET, UH, SINCE THE 19 TWENTIES. YOU KNOW, THE CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT. IT INCLUDES A LOT OF INSTITUTIONS. ONE THE GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER, THE LANDMARK MUSEUM, THE PLAZA THEATER. UH AND YOU KNOW, THE AREA HAS A LOT OF FEATURES. PARKS INDUSTRIAL SPACE THAT HAVE BEEN REPURPOSED FOR ARTIST STUDIOS. HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, THE HEART OF THE DISTRICT. OBVIOUSLY THOUGH, IS DOWNTOWN GARLAND FILLED WITH LOTS OF INDEPENDENTLY OWNED BUSINESSES, UH, THAT SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN OPERATING HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND YOU KNOW, CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICTS CAN BE FOCAL POINTS FOR GENERATING BUSINESS, ATTRACTING TOURISTS AND REALLY STIMULATING DEVELOPMENT AND FOSTERING CIVIC PRIDE. THE OFFICIAL DESIGNATION ALLOWS CULTURAL DISTRICTS IN QUALIFYING RESIDENT ART GROUPS TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL DISTRICT FUNDING THROUGH THE TEXAS COMMISSION OF THE ARTS. AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW GARLAND WAS ONE OF JUST TWO CITIES THAT WERE CHOSEN LAST YEAR FOR THIS DESIGNATION, AND THERE ARE ONLY 54 IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS. SO IT IT IS OBVIOUSLY BRINGING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO GARLAND. UH, WE HAVE HAD SOME VERY NOTEWORTHY NOTABLE GUESTS JOINING US. WE HAD LEANNE RIMES AT OUR GRAND OPENING. WE HAD AND THAT SIGNED IT WAS ACTUALLY HANGING OVER THE STAGE WHEN SHE WAS PERFORMING.
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WE'VE ALSO HAD, UH ACADEMY AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER RON BOSEMAN FOR THE IT CAME FROM TEXAS FILM FESTIVAL. UH, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, LEANNE RHYMES WORK. BUT RON BOSEMAN WAS A 1963 GRADUATE OF GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL, AND HE PRODUCED A COUPLE OF FILMS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF ONE BEING THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. AND THE OTHER BEING SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. SO EVENTS AND PROGRAMS 2023 WAS ANOTHER YEAR OF CONTINUING OUR CELEBRATION OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY HERE IN GARLAND FROM EVENTS OF ALL TYPES, UM, WE HAD EVERYTHING FROM PARADES TO CONCERTS. UM SOME OF THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMMING EVENTS FROM 2023. MADE THE STAPLES P ACROBATS. LITTLE JOE Y LA FAMILIA, AND IT CAME FROM TEXAS FILM FESTIVAL. WE ALSO HAD OUR 77TH ANNUAL LABOR DAY PARADE WITH THE NOON EXCHANGE CLUB. AND SO WE HAVE ALSO BEEN REACHING A LOT OF NEW AUDIENCES WITH OTHER EVENTS SUCH AS BIG HEART DAY, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT AND BIG ART DAY AFTER DARK. SPEAKING OF BIG ART DAY, BIG ART DAY IS A SPRING ARTS FESTIVAL PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GARLAND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION, AS WELL AS GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT VISIT GARLAND AND, OF COURSE, THE CITY OF GARLAND. BIG ART DAY CELEBRATES AND SHOWCASES ARTISTS AND THE ARTS IN GARLAND. VISITORS TO BIG ART DAY CAN VIEW AND PURCHASE ARTWORK IN THE ART MARKET, WHICH IS ACTUALLY USUALLY SET UP RIGHT HERE. UM AND YOU CAN EXPLORE EXHIBITS AT THE GRANVILLE AND FOR THE KIDS. YOU CAN PRETEND AND ADULTS YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN INTERACTIVE HANDS ON, UH, ART PROJECTS AND ENJOY LIVE ENTERTAINMENT. WE CELEBRATED THE TALENT AND CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF OUR ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AT GARLANDS, INAUGURAL WHAT DID I MISS? ASIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL AT WINTERS PARK BACK IN MAY. THE FIRST OF ALL INCLUDED CULTURAL PERFORMANCES FROM LOCATIONS INCLUDING THAILAND, LAOS, CHINA, INDONESIA, VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, THE PHILIPPINES, SINGAPORE, MYANMAR, INDIA, JAPAN, KOREA AND HAWAII. AND IN ADDITION TO THE CULTURAL NATION PARADE WHEN THE LION DANCES IF YOU SEEN WE HAD LOTS OF, UH, LOTS OF ART PERFORMANCES, AND, UH EVERYBODY HAD A GREAT TIME AS YOU CAN TELL. WE ALSO HOSTED OUR SECOND ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IN JUNE AT AUDUBON PARK. WE COMMEMORATE THE EMANCIPATION OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE WITH A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM, UNIFICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPEAKERS IN LIVE MUSIC WERE THERE WE HAD FOOD TRUCKS. WE HAD CHILDREN'S ACTIVITY. ALL OF IT CENTERED AROUND A REFLECTION ON THE DAY'S HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, AND ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE PLANNING FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL IS GOING ON AS WE SPEAK. SO LOOK FOR THAT. AND. OR SOMETHING. DIA DE LOS MUERTOS. OUR ANNUAL FREE EVENT HONORS PAST LOVED ONES AND FEATURES LOS MATINS MEXICO 2000 MARIACHI AND BALLET FOLKLORICO STUDENT PERFORMANCES BY GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS ILLT, TEXAS AND MORE AS USUAL. THERE'S ALWAYS FOOD TRUCKS. THERE'S ALWAYS BOUNCE BOUNCE HOUSES, AND THEN WE HAVE THE ALTAR DISPLAYS AS WELL. AND ALL OF THESE EVENTS ARE FAMILY FRIENDLY. GARLAND AND BEYOND. LOVE THAT GO ON LANDMARK MUSEUM IN THE CITY HOSTED GARLAND AND BEYOND SPACE EXHIBIT AT CITY HALL FROM MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, VISITORS LEARNED ABOUT MANNED SPACE TRAVEL THROUGH EXHIBITS AND ARTIFACTSTS PRESENTED BY NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON IN DOWNTOWN WAS ALSO FILLED WITH SPACE THEMED ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING MOVIES LIKE APOLLO 13 OVER AT THE PLAZA . WE ALSO HAD NASA SOLAR SYSTEM AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS THAT EVERYONE CAN JOIN IN ON AS WELL. HOW YOUR POWER FROM YOUR HOME AND YOUR WHENEVER OUT OF THIS.AND YIKES! ANOTHER GREAT EVENT. WE CELEBRATED A MILESTONE IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY, 100 YEARS OF SERVICE FROM GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT GP N. L'S 100 TH ANNIVERSARY. THANK YOU. GARLANDS CELEBRATION TOOK PLACE IN APRIL AT WINTER'S PARK. AND GUESS WHAT? WE HAVE LIVE MUSIC. WE HAD FOOD TRUCKS. WE HAD ACTIVITIES FOR EVERYONE. WE HAD BLINDLY AND DEMONSTRATIONS AND REALLY, IT WAS JUST A GREAT WAY FOR GARLAND POWER AND I TO SAY THANK YOU. SO IT TURNS OUT 2023 WAS VERY BUSY.
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WE UNVEILED PLAYGROUNDS, SPLASH PADS AND, OF COURSE, OUR DOWNTOWN SQUARE. AND REALLY, WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS FULFILLING THE PROMISE WE MADE WITH THAT THE VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED FOR THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM. WE ARE PUTTING THAT MONEY ON THE GROUND IN PROJECTS ALL ACROSS THE CITY. ALL 26 OF THE CITY'S NEW AND IMPROVED PLAYGROUNDS ARE NOW OPEN. EACH PARK FEATURES ITS OWN UNIQUE PIECES AND AMENITIES. WE HAVE A DINOSAUR THEMED PLAYGROUND AT SPRING PARK GREEN BELT. WE HAVE A LION SHAPED CLIMBING STRUCTURE AT DORTMUND PARK. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT ALL OF THAT PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT WHEN WE DO THE OPENINGS ON THESE ARE THOROUGHLY TESTED BY YOUR CITY COUNCIL. THERE'S VIDEO OF THAT SOMEWHERE. THIS IS A PLAYGROUND.THIS IS A PLAYGROUND. SPLASH PADS, NEW SPLASH PADS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TEXAS SUMMER, I WOULD THINK ABOUT PUTTING A SPLASH PAD IN MY YARD. WE HAVE INSTALLED SEVERAL OF THEM ALREADY THIS YEAR LAST YEAR, THE EMBRY AND NO WIND SPLASH PADS OPEN IN MID 2023. EMBRY PARK FEATURES AN ALL AGES SPLASH PAD WITH VIBRANT ABOVE GROUND ELEMENTS AND IN GROUND ELEMENTS THAT BRING A FOUNTAIN FIELD. WE HAVE RECEDED WALL, UH, FOR THE PARENTS TO STAY DRY IF THEY SO CHOOSE WHILE THEY'RE WATCHING THE KIDS AND YOU KNOW THIS ALSO, WE'VE ADDED RESTROOMS HERE AS WELL. THE LONG WIN, PART SLASH PAD OFFERS A VARIETY OF FEATURES, INCLUDING SPRAY JETS AND WATERFALLS AND IS AN IDEAL SPOT TO COOL OFF IN THE SUMMERTIME. THIS PARK ALSO INCLUDES 17 ACRES OF LAND, INCLUDING PAVED TRAILS, PICNIC AREAS AND ALL PURPOSE COURTS. THE WATSON PARK SPLASH PAD COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION LATER IN THE YEAR AND WILL BE ACTIVE. COME SPRINGTIME. THE FOURTH INTERACTIVE WATER FEATURE IS ACTUALLY OUT HERE ON OUR DOWNTOWN SQUARE, AND IT'S AROUND THE KIDS AREA. THE FIST FLASH PAD WILL BE COMING TO RICK ODEN PARK IN 2026 RICK ODEN PARK OVER ON MILLER ROAD IS OPEN AND READY TO ENJOY. IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY UPGRADED. NEW AMENITIES AT THE PARK INCLUDE NEW PLAYGROUND SHADE STRUCTURES, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. THERE ARE BENCHES AND WATER FOUNTAINS THROUGHOUT THE PARK. WE ALSO FEATURED NEW RESTROOMS, WALKING TRAILS, PICNIC TABLES, UPDATED BASKETBALL COURTS, BASEBALL FIELDS, AND THERE'S ALSO THE SKATE PARK. JOHN COMER SKATE PARK. WHICH I WILL TELL YOU IS USUALLY MUCH MORE CROWDED THAN THAT. UM AND THAT IS THE SECOND LARGEST SKATE PARK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. TINSLEY PARK ON ANITA DRIVE FEATURES THE NATURE THEMED INSPIRED BLACK PLAYGROUND WITH CLIMBING ROCK STRUCTURES RESEMBLING A WOLF'S HEAD. UH AND THE GIANT TURTLE TURTLE, UM, AND THERE'S A SLIDE THROUGH THE CLIMBING ROCKS. UM AND AGAIN THAT WAS TESTED BY YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. LASTLY THE CITY OPENED A NEW PLAYGROUND IN ADDITION TO ONE OF OUR FIRST FLASH PADS AT LON WIN, UH, PARK AND THAT PLAY, YOU KNOW THAT PARK IS WONDERFUL. IT'S A LONG GLENBROOK. UM LOTS OF TREES, LOTS OF SHADED AREAS, AND THEY ALSO WE ADDED AT THAT PARK, ONE OF OUR LIBRARY KIOSKS. LIBRARY SERVICES IN GARLAND ARE CONTINUING TO BROADEN IN 2023 GARLAND LIBRARY SERVICES EXPANDED BEYOND THE FOUR LOCATIONS TO OFFER SERVICES ON THE GO. THE LIBRARY IMPLEMENTED TWO INITIATIVES TO EXTEND ITS REACH TO PATRONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THE FIRST INITIATIVE WAS LIBRARY ON THE GO, WHICH IS A REFURBISHED SHIPPING CONTAINER THAT CAN BE PLACED IN DIFFERENT AREAS AROUND THE CITY. THE SECOND INITIATIVE IS GO LIBRARY GO A SET OF MATERIALS, KIOSKS AND DISPENSERS SIMILAR TO VENDING MACHINES WHERE PATRONS CAN USE THEIR LIBRARY CARDS TO CHECK OUT POPULAR READING MATERIAL AND DVDS. 24 7. THE FIRST KIOSK IS ON STATE STREET IN DOWNTOWN JUST ADJACENT TO CITY HALL. A SECOND KIOSK WAS ADDED AT LONG W ON CENTERVILLE ROAD. AND THE TWO KIOSKS IN THE LIBRARY ON THE GO AT THREE LOCATIONS TO THE FOUR ALREADY IN OUR SYSTEM. CENTRAL LIBRARY EXPRESS. THIS OPENED BACK IN MAY OVER RIGHT OVER HERE ON AUSTIN STREET, JUST DOWN FROM THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, THE FORMER GARLAND WOMEN'S ACTIVITIES BUILDING IS HOSTING SERVICES WHILE THE CENTRAL LIBRARY IS UNDERGOING A MASSIVE RENOVATION.
THE TIPPERARY LOCATION MAINTAINS THE SAME HOURS OF OPERATION AND STA AND THE STAFF IS THERE TO PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICES NORTH GARLAND LIBRARY MORE THAN I'M SORRY I MISSED THIS. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT ELSE I HAD GOING. ON THAT DAY, MORE THAN 100. SIDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS CAME OUT TO PAINT 163 BY 13 FT MURAL ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE NORTH GARLAND LIBRARY. THIS IS AS IT
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RUNS ALONG APOLLO ROAD. THE EVENT RAISED AWARENESS ABOUT THE 2019 BOND PROJECT AND CELEBRATED THE RENOVATION OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW WEST GARLAND LIBRARY. SPEAKING OF WEST YOU GET ALL THE. WE BROKE GROUND ON THE NEW WEST GARDEN LIBRARY LAST JULY, AND WE ARE PLANNING FOR A GRAND OPENING IN ABOUT A YEAR. IT'S BEING BUILT ADJACENT TO THE HABAR REC CENTER TO REPLACE THE EXISTING WALNUT CREEK BRANCH LIBRARY THAT WE LONG OUTGREW THAT THAT LOCATION THE NEW 18,700 SQUARE FOOT LIBRARY WILL HAVE COMPUTERS FOR ADULTS AND TEENS. STUDY ROOMS OUTFITTED WITH VIDEO CONFERENCING CAPABILITIES AND A DEDICATED MAKERSPACE FOR TEENS TO LEARN AND CREATE CONSTRUCTION IS UH, TO BE COMPLETE IN LATE 24 THE GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION EARLY 25, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, LOTS OF BAT. LOTS OF GLASS. LOTS OF NATURAL LIGHT. UM, REALLY, TO MAKE IT INVITING FOR EVERYONE, UM AND JUST IT IT, MAKING IT A COMFORTABLE SPACE FOR KIDS. ADULTS TEENS, UH, IT WILL ALSO HAVE AN OUTDOOR PATIO SPACE AND AN ART PLAZA THAT IT WILL SHARE WITH THE RECREATION CENTER NEXT DOOR THAT WILL BE ADJACENT TO THE NEWLY EXPANDED AND RENOVATED HOGGLE REC CENTER. THAT CONSTRUCTION, UH, SHOULD FINISH THIS YEAR. IT WILL FEATURE A NEW GYM, A NEW, MULTI PURPOSE ROOM AS WELL AS A RENOVATED KITCHEN AREA. THE CENTRAL LINE. YOU ALL RECOGNIZE THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, DON'T YOU? WELL. IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW. BUT IT'S GOING TO LAST SUMMER, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY BEGAN A MODERN TRANSFORMATION THAT WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS VIDEO PRODUCTION AND MAKER SPACES. THE RENOVATED LIBRARY WILL HAVE AN UPDATED MODERN INTERIOR AS WELL AS EXTERIOR. UM AND A RENOVATED CHILDREN'S AREA THAT WILL FEATURE A SLIDE. A GRAND STAIRCASE, A NEW CIRCULATION DESK. NEW MULTI-PURPOSE ROOMS, UPDATED TECHNOLOGY MAKER SPACE AUDIO VISUAL SPACE. UH I MEAN, THIS. THIS WILL BE, UH, JUST THE ABSOLUTE CROWN JEWEL OF OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM. UM AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE SOME OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING SPACE AS WELL. THE RENOVATIONS SHOULD BE COMPLETE BY LATE 24 AND WE WILL REOPEN SOMETIME IN EARLY 25. RECREATION CENTER AND AQUATIC FACILITY. BACK IN JULY. WE BROKE GROUND. THIS IS OVER ON HOMESTEAD PLACE.UM, HOPEDUH, PARK? UH, THE NEW FACILITY WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 37,000 SQUARE FEET AND BOAST A DOUBLE GYMNASIUM AS WELL AS NEW FITNESS ROOM. IT'S GONNA HAVE AN ELEVATED WALKING TRACK AROUND THE UPPER STORY, WATERSLIDES LEISURE POOL. UH, NEW BASKETBALL COURTS AND PICKLEBALL COURTS.
ANYBODY IN HERE? ARE THERE ANY PICKLEBALL PLAYERS IN HERE? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. ALL RIGHT , WELL, JUST TO JUST TO TOUCH ON THE PICKLE BALL THING WE GET ABOUT 100 REQUESTS FOR PICKLEBALL COURTS A DAY, I THINK AND HAVE FOR PROBABLY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WE I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE ARE ADDING PICKLEBALL COURTS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, AS FAR AS CAPACITY, SO JUST NO MORE COURTS ARE COMING. THE YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL RECREATION CENTER WAS BUILT IN 1968. IT WAS DEMOLISHED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THE CONSTRUCTION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS YEAR AND WE ANTICIPATE OPENING MID 25. SURF AND SWIM. LONG LONG, LONG AGO, SURF AND SWIM CAME INTO GARLAND AND HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE FEATURE . UH, FOR OUR PARK SYSTEM. UH, IN 2024, WE'LL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW SERF AND SWIM AQUATIC FACILITY. UM THIS IS GOING TO AS YOU CAN SEE. FEATURE A LAZY RIVER SPLASH PADS, CHILDREN'S POOL, A TRANQUIL LEISURE POOL. NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT SOUNDS GOOD. SO WE ANTICIPATE OPENING FOR THAT IN THE SUMMER OF 26. THIS IS THE BOB DAY. UH, TENNIS COMPLEX. WE BROKE GROUND ON THAT. UH GOSH, MAYBE A MONTH AND A HALF AGO ON POSSIBLY ONE OF THE COLDEST WINDIEST DAYS EVER. UM THE FACILITY IS NAMED AFTER FORMER MAYOR AND LIFELONG TENNIS PLAYER . UM IN GARLAND RIZ. BOB DAY. UH, THIS THIS CENTER IS GONNA BE PART OF THE TUCKER PARK, WHICH IS OUT ON 66. IT'LL FEATURE A 3700 SQUARE FOOT PRO SHOP 12. TENNIS COURTS FEATURING TWO PREMIER COURTS WITH TERROR SPECTATOR SEATING, A SPECTATOR. BILLION FOOD TRUCK BAYS, PICNIC
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AREA PERIMETER, FENCING SITE AND COURT LIGHTING AND ALSO SIDEWALK AND TRAIL CONNECTIONS TO THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WE BROKE GROUND ON THIS LIKE, SAY ABOUT A MONTH AGO. WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY 18 TO 20 MONTHS FOR A CONSTRUCTION. SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER. DESIGNED FOR THE NEW AND IMPROVED GARLAND SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER IS UNDERWAY JUST OVER HERE ON AVENUE A. THIS IS THE SAME LOCATION. UH, WHERE THE SENIOR CENTER PREVIOUSLY WAS HAD TO BE DEMOLISHED. BUT WE HAVE TAKEN THIS OPPORTUNITY. UM WE HAVE COLLECTED LOTS OF INFORMATION FROM OUR SENIOR CENTER USERS TO KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT OUR PROGRAMMING SHOULD BE. SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THAT DESIGN, UH, WORK THROUGH THIS YEAR. FIRE. I'M NOT SAYING THERE'S A FIRE. FIRE STATIONS.MAYBE. OUR PROJECT TEAM IS VERY CLOSE TO COMPLETION OF DESIGN OF FIRE STATION ONE AND CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BEGIN THIS YEAR. UH, THAT'S THE TOP PICTURE. YOU SEE THERE.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GONNA GET RELOCATED. IT'S JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM US HERE. IT'S GONNA BE RELOCATED BETWEEN AVENUES B AND D, EAST OF FIRST STREET FIRE STATION. ONE WILL PROVIDE IMPROVEMENTS IN FIREFIGHTER SAFETY AND HEALTH WITH UPDATED BUNK ROOM FACILITIES, TRAINING FACILITIES AND WILL ACCOMMODATE MODERN FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT, WHICH HAS GOTTEN MUCH LARGER OVER THE YEARS. SO WE TO UPSIZE THAT FIRE STATION SIX IS ALSO BEING REDESIGNED AND RELOCATED AS PART OF OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY IN INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS OUR RESPONSE TIME. UH, THIS IS ON, UH, THE BUSH TURNPIKE AT, UH, CAMPBELL AGAIN. IT FEATURES UPDATES, UM, THAT ALSO HELP WITH OUR FIREFIGHTERS, HEALTH AND SAFETY. NEW BUNK AREAS, KITCHEN AREAS. UH, WE LEARNED A LOT DURING COVID, UH, OF TRYING TO KEEP OUR FIREFIGHTERS SAFE. AND SO ALL THESE NEW FACILITIES WOULD WHO WILL HAVE ALL OF THOSE THOSE FEATURES AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THAT STATION BEING OPEN, UH, THIS YEAR. YEAH. 635. 635. 635. THIS IS A VERY LONG PROJECT THAT WE ARE ROUGHLY GETTING CLOSE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE END OF HOW ABOUT THAT? YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT. THE MIDDLE OF THE END OF THIS IS A FOUR YEAR $1.7 BILLION TEXT DOT PROJECT. UH, FOR GARLAND FOR 635 EAST IT BASICALLY, IT COUNTS 11 MILES FROM 635 OF 635 FROM CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY ALL THE WAY OVER TO I 30 THE AT THE WEST END. UH THE CURRENT FOCUS IS TO OPEN A STRETCH OF PERMANENT WESTBOUND LANES BETWEEN GARLAND AVENUE AND PLANO ROAD. ON THE OTHER END OF THE PROJECT. THE FOCUS HAS BEEN ON OPENING THE CONNECTOR RAMPS BETWEEN 635 AND 30. AND COMING UP VERY SOON. UH, THE GALLOWAY BRIDGE WILL BE TAKEN OUT IN ORDER TO BUILD THE NEW GALLOWAY BRIDGE THAT GOES OVER FOR THAT INTERSECTION. UM, AND THIS IS. THIS IS A HUGE PROJECT THAT I KNOW. IS A MESS. BUT AT THE END IS GOING TO BENEFIT GARLAND GREATLY. NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES. WE HAVE WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS HERE IN GARLAND. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THEM. ONE IS THE WHERE THE HEART IS PROGRAM. THIS IS WHERE WE PARTNER WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO ENCOURAGE NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT. WE WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS. WE WORK WITH NONPROFITS AND BUSINESSES, FAITH BASED GROUPS AND VOLUNTEERS TO REALLY SHOULD, YOU KNOW, MAKE PHYSICAL CHANGES TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL AS SOCIAL CHANGE OF GETTING THE NEIGHBORS TOGETHER. UM AND THEN WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN WESTERN HEIGHTS, WHICH IS BASICALLY, UH, SHILOH WALNUT AREA. THE NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD. WE'RE MOVING TO, UH, IS THE QUI CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS BOUND BY MILLER SWAN QUALE HIGH MEADOW DRIVE, DANBURY DRIVE, BASICALLY, THE SUBDIVISION PLOTS OF QUAIL CREEK, MONICA PARK HEIGHTS AND MILL CREEK CROSSING. WE HAD AAA MEET AND GREET, UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKENDS AGO. AND YES, IT WAS COLD. IT WAS COLD AND BLUSTERY.
BUT WE DID HAVE COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS AND WE HAVE A MEETING OUR WE'LL START OUR PLANNING MEETINGS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMING UP ON FEBRUARY 22ND. ANOTHER GREAT PROJECT OR PROP IS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SIMULATE REINVESTMENT, UM, IN OUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UH, HERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO WE DEVELOPED A HOME IMPROVEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS A 50% CASH REBATE UP TO $10,000 ON APPROVED EXTERIOR REMODELING OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE APPROVED PRIOR TO THE WORK BEING STARTED, AND THE MINIMUM INVESTMENT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS PROGRAM IS
[00:35:02]
$1000. AND I WILL TELL YOU, UM WE OPENED UP THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM ON JANUARY 9TH. AND BY FEBRUARY 5TH. ALL OF THE FUNDING WAS COMMITTED. IT IS A WILDLY POPULAR PROGRAM THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANY WAY WE CAN TO EXPAND. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. YOU CAN GO TO GARLAND NEIGHBORHOODS.ORG. LOTS OF SPECIAL EVENTS, SOME OF WHICH WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, UM, SOME OF WHICH WE'RE GONNA KEEP TALKING ABOUT. WE'VE UH YOU KNOW, LOTS OF THE EVENTS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE BIG ART DAY ON APRIL 6TH ASIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL ON MAY 18TH OUR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION ON JUNE 15TH DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ON NOVEMBER 2ND CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE DECEMBER 5TH MAR CALENDAR FOR ALL AS I KNOW YOU YOU'RE GONNA MARK ALL THOSE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE HAVE SOME NEW EVENTS COMING. ARE YOU READY? GUESS WHAT'S COMING BACK TO THE SQUARE. WHAT COULD IT POSSIBLY BE? THAT HAPPENS IN JULY. YES. WE ARE BRINGING OUR FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION BACK TO DOWNTOWN. WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT DOWN HERE SINCE 2008. RED WHITE AND YOU WILL TAKE PLACE DOWN HERE ON JULY. 3RD UM, OBVIOUSLY, WE WILL HAVE, UH, MUSIC AND FOOD AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE AREAS ONLY ALL DRONE SHOW. NOW SOME OF YOU ARE HERE FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THE SQUARE. YOU SAW THE DRONE SHOW THERE. IMAGINE BIGGER THAN THAT. WE ARE GONNA HAVE THAT SHOW DOWN HERE AND I'VE SEEN A SMALL PREVIEW OF IT. AND IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE GONNA WANNA SEE. AND SO BRINGING THAT BACK TO DOWNTOWN IS AWESOME . ALSO UH, ANOTHER CELEBRATION THAT HERITAGE CROSSING IS TURNING 50 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR, AND SO STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS ABOUT THE PARTY AT THE PULLMAN CAR IN LATE SEPTEMBER. THAT WOULD BE JUST OVER THERE SOMEWHERE FOR THE BUILDING IN BETWEEN US. ALL RIGHT. IT IS ELECTION SEASON ONCE AGAIN. THE CITY OF GARLAND WILL HOLD OUR GENERAL ELECTION ON SATURDAY, MAY 4TH TO ELECT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR DISTRICTS 12 AND FIVE AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE SEVERAL ON THERE FOR AMENDMENTS TO OUR CITY CHARTER. CANDIDATES HAVE UNTIL THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH TO FILE FOR A PLACE ON THE BALLOT. AND SO BE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ON THE BOND PROS OR NOT BOND, THE CHARTER UPDATES. YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THAT ON OUR ELECTION PAGE AT GARLAND TX.GOV. SO. WE COVER A LOT OF INFORMATION. I MEAN, AND WE HAVE LOTS OF WAYS THAT WE GET INFORMATION OUT TO YOU AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SIGN UP FOR ALL OF THEM. UM YOU KNOW, AND YOU CAN DO THAT THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS. YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY GET THAT INFORMATION FROM OUR CITY PRESS. UM THROUGH OUR CITY. PRESS BRIEFS. GARLAND ALERT SYSTEM, MY GARLAND. ALL OF THIS CAN BE FOUND ON THE HUB THAT YOU NEED TO GO TO IS OUR CITY'S WEBSITE. THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING STARTS AND THEN BRANCHES OUT TO THE OTHER LOCATIONS. UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALSO TO VISIT GARLAND TX.COM THAT HAS ALL OF OUR ENTERTAINMENT SHOPPING EVENT TYPE INFORMATION. UM I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SIGN UP FOR ALL OF THOSE. AND I BET THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HERE TONIGHT. WHO PROBABLY HELP YOU SIGN UP FOR THAT. SO THAT IS HOW YOU STAY IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CITY OF GARLAND. SO. IT IS TE THAT IS, THAT IS REALLY A VERY FAST LOOK AT A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON HERE IN THE CITY. WE ARE AGAIN. A LOT OF IT IS FOCUSED ON OUR 2019 BOND PROGRAM. THE COUNCIL MADE A COMMITMENT TO CLEAR THAT LIST OUT AND WE ARE DOING THAT. AND AS YOU NOTICE FROM THE PRESENTATION, WE ARE SORT OF IN THE THICK OF THE BOND PROGRAM. AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE LOTS OF PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. I'VE BEEN LOTS MORE THAT WILL COME ONLINE OVER THIS YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR. BUT WHAT I WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW. UM IS THIS IS THE TIME WHEN WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL MAYOR'S BAKER MARK AWARD, AND THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T PUT SEVERAL YEARS BACK, AND IT REALLY IS FOR THOSE TO RECOGNIZE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT HERE IN GARLAND.AND THIS YEAR WE ARE HONORING SEVERAL TWO GROUPS, SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE REALLY MADE THEIR MARK HERE IN GARLAND SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE BEING UNITED FC. AND THE VIETNAMESE
[00:40:04]
AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER OF GREATER DALLAS. AND. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INFORMATION. I TELL YOU, UM THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE OVER A HAVE DONE SO MUCH WORK, UM IN IN THEIR IN THEIR RESPECTIVE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR. UM I HAVE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THESE FOLKS OVER THE YEARS AND WE HAVE SHARED LOTS OF MEALS TOGETHER.
COUNTLESS CELEBRATIONS. UM AND I AM I AM TRULY HONORED, UH, TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. YOU. GIVE YOUR INFORMATION BEING IN UNITED FC IS A VIETNAMESE AMERICAN AMATEUR SOCCER CLUB AND A NONPROFIT SPORTS ORGANIZATION WHOSE MEMBERSHIP IS COMPRISED OF SOCCER PLAYERS AND PROFESSIONAL BUNESS LEADERS FROM THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONS BE UNITED WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2016 IN GARLAND. THEY PLAY IN MULTIPLE LEAGUES AROUND DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA.
THEY ALSO HOST ONE OF THE BEST SOCCER TOURNAMENTS YOU'LL EVER SEE IN THE DFW. ASIAN AMERICAN, UH, SOCCER. COMING UP ON THEIR FIFTH ANNUAL THIS YEAR DUE 22ND 23RD. UH, BUT THEY THEY FOCUS.
YOU KNOW, THEY THEY FIRST THEY JUST WANTED TO GET TOGETHER AND PLAY SOCCER. THEY JUST WANTED TO PLAY SOCCER. BUT THE ORGANIZATION HAS REALLY GROWN FAR BEYOND THAT THEY ARE THEY ARE STRIVING TO ENCOURAGE MORE. PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, WITH THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY DOING OUTREACH DOING COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE, UH, BLOOD DRIVES VOTER REGISTRATION. UH, JUST LOTS OF THINGS TO JUST BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. UM AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. SO AND ALSO THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH IS OVER ON BELTLINE. HERE IN GARLAND IS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH THE MISSION OF PRESERVING AND SPREADING AWARENESS FOR VIETNAMESE CULTURE, LANGUAGE AND HISTORY. IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1984, AND ITS MAIN PURPOSE WAS TO ASSIST THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY. UM IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE AROUND THE CITY. IT JUST, UH BECOMING PART OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, THEIR CULTURE, THEY THEY THEIR PURPOSE IS TO HELP MAINTAIN THEIR CULTURE, THEIR LANGUAGE. THEY HAVE AN EVER GROWING COMMUNITY.
UH, AGAIN, THEY ARE INVOLVED IN A LOT OF COMMUNICATION BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY. LOCAL STATE FEDERAL, UM AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED FC AND THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO COME FULL PLACE. WE SORRY. WHICHEVER. I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT I MISSED OUT ON. COME OVER HERE.
ALL RIGHT. DAN IF I TAKE THIS MICROPHONE, IS THAT GONNA CAUSE PROBLEMS? WILL BEG YOUR PARDON? THAT'S THE KIND OF ATTITUDE I LIKE. SO PLEASE DON'T FALL OFF THE STAGE. SO REALLY, I. I JUST WANT TO THANK THESE FOLKS. UM, THEY THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY ACTIVE. IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES. BUT THEY REALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR, TWO YEARS HAVE REALLY BRANCHED OUT TO WHERE THEY ARE GIVING OUT TO THE ENTIRE CITY. UM AND SOME OF THAT STARTED OUT VERY SIMPLY, JIMMY.
SO HIS FRIENDS JUST ONE OF MY SOCCER, I SEE THOSE THE TOUR AND THE NEXT SCENE BY THE FIRE WITH THAT TO BRINGS IN 32 TEAMS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND CANADA. OR RETURN HERE IN GARLAND, TEXAS. UM, AND IT IS EXCELLENT RUN TOURNAMENT. THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE CITY. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, UM AND GPS PAST PRESIDENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MISS SCOTT, I THIS IS JIMMY T, BY THE WAY. WELL DO YOU HAVE OF THE UNITED INVOLVED WITH US? WE ARE HUMBLE AND WE ARE GRATEFUL.
TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, UM, FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE. UM, WE APPRECIATE IT. I AM. UH JINNY TR I'M A HAS IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED BALL CLUBS. UH I TOLD I CAN TALK
[00:45:04]
ABOUT IN THE PAST, WHICH IS WHAT WE DONE SOME LAST IN 2023 AND PART OF THIS WE TAKE YOU SEE GARDEN. WITHOUT US SUPPORT, ALL MANUL IT. 2020 23. I MEAN, SORRY. AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO TWO SOCCER TOURNAMENTS WITH R CD G AND THE BASIC G PARK RECREATION. DEPARTMENT AND FIVE DEPARTMENT OC. UH SO WE WILL BRING IN 94 TEAM FROM FOUR STATES. ONE TEAM FROM CANADA, UM , TO OUR TO OUR BEFORE, AND YOU ALSO SO, UH, WE ALSO DO THE 1ST 1ST RESPONDENT FOR THE MONTH. SO WE RAISED MONEY FOR OUR, UH, FOR THE JOURNEY OF OUR FIRST RESPONDENT TEAM. I ALSO WE PARTICIPATE IN A LOT OF ACTIVITIES. UH, FOR THE COACH, EVEN, UH, UH, A NICE AND MARKET NICE AND A LOT OF REALLY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH THAT UM, THAT HELP US A LONG WAY AND WE WANT TO DO IT. WE ALL WE HAVE. 25 BOARD MEMBERS HID SOCCER PLAYERS 15 STYLE OR ADVISORS, AND WE GOT ADVISORS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO NOW I LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE NEXT UH, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF VIETNAM UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB WITH THE TIMING. WHY DID YOU FIND LEG? I TRY TO MAKE A QUICK EVEN EVERYONE, UH, ON BEHALF OF B AND UNITED FC. PROUD TO BEGIN. THIS EVENT. BEFORE I INTRODUCE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS. UM. THEN LANDED. I MOVE BACK TO MEET THE I KNOW. IS, UH I. OF BEING IN A BUNCH OF AND HE'S ALSO THE, UH NOT EDITORS. AND NEWS. AND ALSO THIS FANCY, THEN IS ALSO HOW THE ADVISORS. SO WE ARE TO OH, LOOK ON THIS EVENT. ONLY. FOUR SO THE FIRST EVENT WILL BE THE DANCE ASIAN AMERICAN SOFT SO IT WILL BE THAT WILL ON UH, ONLY SECOND AND ONLY THIRD. ALSO HAVE FOOD FESTIVAL ON JULY 5TH AND JULY 6TH. ALSO HAVE RESPOND TO THEM AND THIS. HERE IS, UH, 18. BUT IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN 18 OR FIRST RESPONDERS, AND WE ALSO. THE SAME SIGNATURE EVENT ON OCTOBER 18 OCTOBER, 19 ON THE FOOT AND MUSIC FESTIVAL. SO THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE ON MUSIC. THE FESTIVAL, IT FAMILY SAIGON ON JULY 5TH. LIKE SIX. SO AND ALSO ON OCTOBER OF 18 AND 19 , SO I WOULD LIKE TO BUY ALL YOU TO ME AT THIS. I GO HOME. SUPERMARKET AND. P A LOT AND ALSO THAT THAT GOOD MONEY THANK YOU VERY. AUDIENCE. I ASK YOU CERTAINLY NOT PLACE. UH WE HAVE A V BASED COMMUNITY. HE B SO JUST OFF OF BETTER. SANDWICHED IN 1984. LIKE NANCY'S PARENTS.GENTLEMAN WHO COULDN'T JOIN US THIS EVENING BECAUSE THEY ARE FLOODING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THEY ENJOY LIFE? YES, UM BUT YOU KNOW, THE CENTER IS A GREAT UM, UH, REALLY GOOD IN THESE COMMUNITY. IT IS NOW YOU KNOW THERE AND IT'S NOW UP WITH WE STARTED WITH MOTOR REGISTRATION DRIVES, AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS NOW A PUBLIC LOCATION. THAT IS AWESOME. HERE IN DALLAS COUNTY, SO I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE. YOU ARE THE CURRENT PRESIDENT. AND YOU ARE DOING FANTASTIC JOB. AND THEN WE CAN GET VERY NERVOUS SOMETIMES. PEOPLE ARE SERVING AS. SO YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION. BUT NOW AGAIN, YOU POSITION AS A LEADER. THAT IS A LOT OF PRESSURE.
YOU'RE DOING IN TENNESSEE JONES. THAT'S M. NOW WE JUST SAID IN ADVANCE OUT OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER. I THINK WE'RE BOTH STILL GETTING LITTER OUT OF OUR HAIR FROM THE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS.
I WANNA THANK, YOU KNOW, LIKE GIVING UP TO DO FOR. RIGHT SO THANK YOU, MAYOR SCOTT. UM SO AS
[00:50:06]
YOU HEARD THAT GREAT INTEREST WE ARE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF GREATER DALLAS AND RE LOCATE HERE IN GARLAND 3221 L A ROAD. UM NOT ONLY ARE WE TRYING TO PRESERVE OUR CULTURE AND, UM, HOW ANYONE IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN WITH THE COMMUNITY WE ARE TRYING TO BE THAT BRIDGE TWEEN THE LOCAL OFFICIALS AND STATE AND FEDERAL ANYTHING? WE DON'T WANT TO BE APART COMMUNITY. SO WE WANT OUR VOICE TO BE HEARD, AND PART OF THAT IS HARD LANGUAGE. V HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE. RIGHT, SO WE TRY TO REACH THAT GAP. AND UM AS A LOT OF YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW P THAT YOU MAKE. THEY WERE PART OF THE VIETNAMESE BOUGHT THE DIRECTOR OF THE COURT 21. 20 TO 23 AND LIKE YOU SAID, THEY STARTED OUT AS JUST WANTING TO PLAY FOOTBALL SOCCER. SO HE QUITS AND THEY LAUGH AND THEY STARTED THEIR OWN FORMS. AND I'M BLACK THAT BEING PART OF DNASE AMERICAN COMMUNITY, JACK YAN, SOME SORT OF I DON'T KNOW ENGLISH SO THAT THEY ARE NOW RENTING OUT MORE C FOR SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE PEOPLE TO HELP THAT BREAKS. SO UM, AS YOU HEARD FROM THIS GUY PART OF THE LAST FEW YEARS, UM TO BRING THE VOICE TO SO THAT WE CAN BE OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE NOW WITH BUILDING CENTER OFFICIAL VOTING CENTER NOT ONLY FOR THE ELECTION DAY, BUT ALSO EARLY BELIEF. SO ANY TIME THAT PEOPLE WANT TO VOTE WE HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN. AND NOW WITHIN DALLAS COUNTY. WE CAN VOTE IN. SO THAT IS A GREAT GREAT NEWS TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND I WE JUST WANTED TO BE A PART OF THE AND A PART OF THIS RACE IN YOUR FATHER. AND NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR GOVERNMENT MEMBERS AND I'M HERE TODAY WE HAVE OUR VICE PRESIDENT. INTERNAL AFFAIRS, MR ROAN. MY GUYS ON THERE DO THE MONTHS. PROGRAM DIRECTORS THIS GAME THERE. I PLEASURE. MS. VICTORIA WITH. AND LI HAS GONE BEST. CINDY TO ONE SO IT WAS. IT WAS GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE. IT'S A NICE REALLY APPRECIATE FOR YOU INVITED US AND THEN WE WOULD LOVE TO ALWAYS CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THIS GREAT CITY. THANK YOU. I AND. THAT I MIGHT GIVE YOU. UM AND SOME CHALLENGE STORIES. AND. SO I GET LOTS OF THE. OK? WE HAVE NOTHING LEFT. I DON'T CARE.THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY SO YEAH, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST I WANNA THANK THESE FOLKS. THEY THEY ARE. YOU KNOW? THEY ARE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, UH, AND THROUGH SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER AND A LOT OF EVENTS. WE'VE GOT FRIENDS. I APPRECIATE THAT FRIENDSHIP. I APPRECIATE INTEREST FOR I APPRECIATE INTEREST SCORE IN THE 70. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. YEAH.
I WOULD LIKE. OH, YES. SO. AGAIN I. I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. UM AND TAKING THE TIME TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CITY AND WHAT'S GOING ON? UM AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA REPROS THESE, UH SO YOU, CAN YOU IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU MISSED, UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE OUR BOOTHS OPEN, UH, HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT. BUT BEFORE YOU GO. WE HAVE A DRAWING. I MIX IT ARE THESE WELL MIXED DO I NEED TO YEAH. FOR THIS LOVELY. FOR THIS LOVELY FLORAL ARRANGEMENT, WHICH COULD REALLY BENEFIT SOMEBODY FOR TOMORROW. ALL RIGHT. SO HERE WE GO. THEY HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO WIN, RIGHT? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. DEBBIE GWYN. THAT. OH, ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA COME AROUND HERE. HOW ABOUT THAT? THERE'S A LOT GOING ON HERE THAT THIS MA. THANK YOU.
[00:55:16]
I GENTLEMEN, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR YOU TONIGHT. UH, THE BOOTH WILL BE OPEN AND I'LL BE AROUND.DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.