[2024 Capital Bond Program CBTF Meeting on September 26, 2023.]
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WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED IN ABOUT TWO MINUTES, SO JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW.
WE CONVENE, UH, BOND TASK FORCE MEETING TO ORDER.
EXCITING DAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE INPUT IS.
SUBCOMMITTEES HAVE PRESENTED, UH, THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS NOW, I THINK BETWEEN NOW AND IN NEXT FOUR WEEKS, WE'LL HAVE CLOSE TO 11 TOWN HALLS.
YOU KNOW, SOME HERE, SOME WITHIN DISTRICTS.
SO ALL THAT FEEDBACK WILL BE SO IMPORTANT.
BEFORE WE FINALLY DELIBERATE HERE AND GIVE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR.
WITH THAT, UH, JENNY, YOU HAVE A VIDEO YOU ARE SHOWING, SO HERE YOU ARE.
SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WANTED TO GO OVER THE, THE PURPOSE OF THESE TOWN HALLS.
UM, AND THAT'S TO GATHER INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM.
THIS FEEDBACK, UH, THE FEEDBACK WILL BE PROVIDED TO COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION FOR THE, UM, AS THEY DEVELOP THE DRAFT BOND PROGRAM THAT'LL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU A BRIEF VIDEO AND AFTER THAT WE'LL HAVE, UM, A, A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW.
AND FROM, UM, AFTER THAT WE'LL GO STRAIGHT INTO SPEAKERS.
SO WITH THAT, IF WE COULD START THE VIDEO.
WE ARE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES, SO IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK TO, YEAH, WE CAN JUST DO THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UH, WE'LL JUST GO TO THE POWERPOINT, UH, JENNY.
SO TODAY, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE GOING OVER THE COMMUNITY BOUND TASK FORCE, UH, THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, THE TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS.
WE'LL GO OVER NEXT STEPS AND REVIEW THE PROPOSITION RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO STRAIGHT INTO SPEAKERS.
SO AS I'M SURE MOST FOLKS HERE ARE AWARE, IF WE HAVE A COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE, THAT AND AN ADDITIONAL FIVE, UM, SUBCOMMITTEES ALL MADE UP OF REPRESENTATIVE, OR ALL MADE UP OF MEMBERS WHO ARE NOMINATED BY THEIR MAYOR OR COUNCIL.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE, UM, IS TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, AND THE COMMUNITY
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TO IDENTIFY THE PRIORITIES OF THE UPCOMING BOND.THEY'LL, THE COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE WILL BE PREPARING A DRAFT 2024 BOND PROGRAM AND WILL PRESENT THAT TO COUNCIL IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO THIS, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE OVERALL NEEDS INVENTORY.
UM, THIS ONE SHOWS IT AT $17.4 BILLION.
UM, I DID ADD TWO LINE ITEMS IN THERE FOR HOUSING AND FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH NORMALLY ISN'T IN OUR NEEDS OF INVENTORY.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD COLUMN THERE SHOWS THE RECOMMENDED, UH, ALLOCATION AMOUNT BY THE SUBCOMMITTEES.
UM, AND THAT COMES IN AT 1.8 BILLION.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE 1.8 IS EXCEEDING OUR BOND CAPACITY OF 1.1.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL CUTS AND THAT'S WHY IT'S, UM, SO IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE.
SO THIS MAP, UM, AND UH, THE QR CODE WILL TAKE YOU TO THIS MAP, BUT IT SHOWS ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN SELECTED BY THE COMM, UH, THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE.
AND THIS, UM, AGAIN, IS THE FIRST CUT FROM THE $16 BILLION NEEDS INVENTORY.
UH, THE TOTAL RECOMMENDED DOES EXCEED OUR $1.1 BILLION, UH, ES, UM, BOND VALUE.
AND UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHY YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION YOU'LL BE SEEING A QR CODE WITH A DINOSAUR ON IT AND THAT DINOSAUR QR CODE WILL TAKE YOU TO THE MAPS.
I THINK, UH, VIRTUAL SPEAKERS TOLD ME THEY WERE HAVING, UH, AUDIO ISSUES OR, UH, OKAY.
SO WITH THAT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, CLOSE TO 50 SPEAKERS.
SEEMS LIKE LOT, LOTS OF, UH, I THINK NEARLY EVERY AREA OF, UH, BOND HAS BEEN COVERED, SO EXCITED TO HEAR WITH THAT, WE START WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER.
UM, SO I'M GONNA, UH, CALL OFF THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO HAS HANDOUTS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND BRINGING THOSE DOWN, NOW WE CAN, UM, BRING THOSE TO CANDY WHO IS RIGHT HERE WAVING OUR HAND, UM, SO WE CAN GET THOSE DISTRIBUTED, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKER SPEAKERS ARE GONNA BE PAT SHAUGHNESSY, UH, GREGORY DIMAS, KYLE OGDEN, TED PAELLAS, AND ELIZABETH BENTLEY.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING DOWN, UM, WE'LL START WITH PAT SHAUGHNESSY AND YEAH, AND AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE WHERE I THINK THE TASK FORCE WILL LISTEN TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, STAFF WILL TAKE YOUR INFORMATION AND GET BACK TO YOU.
THERE WON'T BE INTERACTION GIVEN THE TIME, BUT I THINK WE'LL DEFINITELY GET BACK AND, UH, TAKE YOUR INFORMATION.
AND IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC TASK FORCE MEMBER YOU WANT TO HAVE TO REACH OUT, PLEASE LET STAFF KNOW AND THEY'LL BE GLAD TO GET TO YOU.
YOU CAN BEGIN, COULD YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER? YOU HAVE TO PUSH THE BUTTON.
I AM REPRESENTING THE 26 FAMILIES WHO LIVE ON BRIAR RIDGE AND FALL MEADOW IN THE SPRING CREEK SUBDIVISION IN FAR NORTH DALLAS.
AND WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THE ALLEY THAT WE SHARE BE REPLACED WITH MONEY FROM THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM.
I SPOKE ABOUT THIS EARLIER ON AUGUST 15TH AND DESCRIBED HOW THE CITY COMES IN PERIODICALLY AND PUTS DOWN MORE ASPHALT PATCHES.
SURE ENOUGH, THE CITY CAME IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AND PUT DOWN YET MORE ASPHALT PATCHES.
OVER THE PAST 57 YEARS, THE ALLEY HAS BEEN PATCHED REPEATEDLY, SO WE HAVE VERY THICK LAYERS OF PATCHES AND VERY THIN LAYERS OF PATCHES AND WE HAVE CRACKS ALLEYS, AND WE HAVE UNPATCHED ALLEYS.
IT CONTINUES TO MAKE FOR A VERY ROUGH RIDE REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU ARE DRIVING.
AND WE STILL HAVE STANDING WATER.
A NUMBER OF ALLEYS IN OUR SUBDIVISION WERE REPLACED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT NOT OURS.
ACCORDING TO A GOOGLE SEARCH, CONCRETE SIDEWALKS LAST BETWEEN 20 AND 40 YEARS.
CONCRETE DRIVEWAYS AND CONCRETE BUILDINGS LAST FOR 50 TO 60 YEARS.
THE MICHIGAN CONCRETE ASSOCIATION REPORTS THAT CONCRETE DRIVEWAYS AND PARKING LOTS WILL
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LAST 30 TO 40 YEARS.AND TECH CIVIL ENGINEERS, A TEXAS FIRM, REPORTS THAT CONCRETE STREETS LAST FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS.
OUR ALLEY IS AT THE OUTER AGE LIMIT AT 57.
WE CARE ABOUT OUR ALLEY AND WE HOPE THAT IT CAN BE REPLACED AND NOT PATCHED.
I RESIDE IN THE REDBACK AREA OF DISTRICT THREE.
MY, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK EACH ONE OF YOU.
I TWO SAID IT WHERE YOU SAID AT FOR THE 2017 BOND.
SO I KNOW THE WORK YOU'RE DEALING WITH THOUGH.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS BOND.
BUT THE REASON I'M DOWN HERE AS A CITIZEN OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND JUST LIKE THE LADY THAT JUST FINISHED, I'M HERE ABOUT ALLEYS.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE RED BEAR AREA, IT'S MADE UP OF THREE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
DISTRICT FOUR, DISTRICT THREE, AND DISTRICT EIGHT.
80% OF THE HOUSES IN THAT AREA, I THINK IT'S 86% OF THE HOUSES IN THAT AREA DRIVE THROUGH AN ALLEY TO GET TO THEIR GARAGE.
THEY ARE TERRIBLE, Y'ALL, I'M ASKING THAT, THAT WHATEVER THE STREETS, I THINK IT'S JUST A CATEGORY GOES FOR THAT WE FIX THE ALLEYS.
THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS A PARK ENFORCEMENT POLICY OR, UH, OR ORDINANCE.
IF YOUR CAR IS IN THE FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS, YOU WILL GET A CITATION.
BUT I HAVE PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TELLING ME THEY CAN'T GO DOWN THE ALLEY BECAUSE IT BROKE THE FRONT END OR IT MESSED UP THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT POTHOLES THAT'S NINE TO 10 INCHES DEEP AND ABOUT 14 INCHES WIDE, THE ALLEYS ARE PITIFUL.
I WASN'T FOR SURE OF THE AGE OF THE CEMENT.
I'M GLAD SHE SPOKE OF THAT BECAUSE MINE IS 60 YEARS OLD THEN IF THAT'S WHAT THEY GOING BY.
THE AGE OF CEMENT, I THINK IT'S NOT FAIR TO GIVE A PERSON A CITATION BECAUSE THEY PARKED IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE THEY, I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GO DOWN THE ALLEY, IT'S GONNA TEAR UP YOUR CAR, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S ONE OF THE CARS THAT'S LOW TO THE GROUND LIKE A CORVETTE.
I HAVE FOUR CARS MYSELF, INCLUDING MY DAUGHTER'S CAR.
I'M NOT GONNA DRIVE ALL THEM EVERY DAY.
SO IF I PARK IT IN THE FRONT, IT'S GONNA SIT THERE MORE THAN 24 HOURS.
SO I VIOLATED ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, COSTING ME ANOTHER PROBLEM.
AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU PARK THE WAY MY STREET IS MADE IT, IT TURNS FROM, IT GOES FROM MY HOUSE.
ACTUALLY THE STREET IN FRONT OF ME IS NORTH TO SOUTH, BUT ABOUT ANOTHER 200 YARDS, IT MAKES A SHARP LEFT WHERE IT'S GOING FROM EAST TO WEST AT THAT ARCH, WHEN PEOPLE PARK IN FRONT, A POLICEMAN, A FIREARM, ANYBODY IN THE AREA CAN'T GET AROUND THAT.
AT THE SAME TIME, IF SOMEBODY'S COMING ACROSS THE STREET FOR A KID OR SOMETHING, YOU'RE ASKING FOR DANGER.
AND THE REASON IT'S SO PACKED IS BECAUSE OF THE ALLEY CONDITION I SENT THE BOARD, I SENT IT TO COUNCILMAN, UH, AT THAT TIME CASEY THOMAS OFFICE.
IT WAS FORWARDED TO THE BUNK BONDS OFFICE OF THE CONDITION OF THE ALLEYS, AND I LISTED THOSE FOUR ALLEYS IN THAT LETTER TO THEM.
I JUST COULDN'T FIND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES TO SEND IT TO YOU, BUT PLEASE PUT MONEY ASIDE.
THEY DID IT FOR 17 FOR A COUPLE OF ALLEYS, BUT WE GOT FOUR.
THAT'S JUST IN TERRIBLE CONDITION.
HI, I'M KYLE OGDEN, PRESIDENT, C E O OF THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION.
SO WHAT IF THERE WAS A PLACE OF DEEP MEANING AND PURPOSE WHERE THE SOUL OF THE CITY RESIDED IN THE CULTURAL LIFE OF THE CITY, WAS INSPIRED AND GUIDED IN SUCH A WAY SO AS TO ELEVATE THE WELLBEING OF ITS BELOVED PEOPLE? EVERY GREAT CITY HAS A SYMPHONY HALL OR ART MUSEUM THAT ANCHORS AND ARTS DISTRICT AND SHAPES THE ARTISTIC INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
SOMEDAY EVERY GREAT CITY WILL HAVE A THANKSGIVING SQUARE, UH, AN INSTITUTION GUIDING THE SOCIAL CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY TOWARDS THE HIGHEST AND BEST IDEALS, VALUES AND VIRTUES, ATTAINABLE FOR AND BY ITS PEOPLE.
WE'RE PLANNING A MAJOR PROJECT TO CREATE A THANKSGIVING CULTURAL DISTRICT IN AND AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE SQUARE TO INCLUDE TAKING IN A LANE OF BOTH PACIFIC AVENUE AND IRV A WE PLAN TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE AND THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO POSITION THE THANKSGIVING CULTURAL DISTRICT AT THE CENTER OF DALLAS'S CULTURAL JOURNEY TOWARDS A RICH, INCLUSIVE, PLURALISTIC COMMUNITY.
WHAT WILL DISTINGUISH THE THANKSGIVING DISTRICT IS THE THEME OF INCLUSION AND BELONGING.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE GENSLER TEAM TO CREATE A VISITOR EXPERIENCE, UNLIKE ANY OTHER.
THE NEW THANKSGIVING DISTRICT WILL ATTRACT SUBURBAN AND OUT OF TOWN CULTURAL TOURISTS AND WILL ALSO BE A MAGNETIC
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NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITY.THE DISTRICT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE WALKABILITY OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE CONVERSION OF THE 1600 BLOCK OF PACIFIC AVENUE TO A CURBLESS PEDESTRIAN FIRST EUROPEAN STYLE SQUARE WHERE CARS ARE SUBORDINATE AND RESTRICTED TO LOW SPEEDS.
THE DISTRICT IS SITUATED IN A DENSE CONCENTRATION OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS, A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH WELL OVER A THOUSAND APARTMENTS AND CONDOMINIUMS. THIS WILL BE A FABULOUS NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITY FOR DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS, ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PLAZAS AND GREEN SPACES, AND WILL MAKE AN IMMEDIATE POSITIVE IMPACT ON OCCUPANCIES AND RENTS.
THE DISTRICT WILL REPRESENT THE BEST IN CONTEMPORARY PLACEMAKING WITH KIOSK HOUSING, POP-UP, DINING AND SHOPPING, OUTDOOR ROOMS AND GATHERING SPACES, AND EVEN A RESTAURANT OR EVENT SHELL ON THE WESTERN TIP OF THE PROPERTY.
WE NEED THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THIS DISTRICT A REALITY.
I KNOW THERE ARE LOTS OF WORTHY OPTIONS AS HOW TO SPEND THE CITY'S MONEY, BUT I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE ADVANTAGES OF OUR PROJECT.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO RAISE $2 FROM PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY FOR EVERY $1 OF PUBLIC FUNDING, PROVIDED OUR PROJECT WILL RAISE PROPERTY VALUES AND DRAMATICALLY INCREASE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
THE INCREASED VISITOR ACTIVITY WILL CREATE NEW SALES TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY.
IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS NOT AN EXPENSE, BUT RATHER AN INVESTMENT AS OUR PROJECT WILL PAY FOR ITSELF, URGE YOU TO STUDY AND UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT CLYDE WARREN PARK AND AT AND T PLAZA HAVE HAD ON DOWNTOWN INCREASING VISITOR HEADCOUNT AND SPENDING, AS WELL AS ELEVATING PROPERTY VALUES AND THE ASSOCIATED TAX REVENUES.
I LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING YOU WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PROJECT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
MY NAME IS TED PALLE AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE MIDTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
I REPRESENT THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE TAXPAYERS FOR ABOUT $3 BILLION WORTH OF REAL ESTATE IN DISTRICT 13.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY I GOT THE LIST TODAY TO SHOW THE BOND PROJECTS THAT WERE ON A SELECT LIST AND THE FOUR PROJECTS THAT OUR DISTRICT WITH ME AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADVOCATED ARE NOT ON THE LIST.
IT'S QUITE SURPRISING TO ME THAT AN AREA OF 30,000 PEOPLE, MOSTLY IN A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER TO BE MINORITIES AND IN A LOWER INCOME BRACKET, CAN'T GET BASIC STREETS.
UNDERSTAND THE, A BOND PROGRAM SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A CAPITAL PROGRAM TO INFUSE THE CITY.
IT'S AN INVESTMENT PROGRAM, YOU'RE BORROWING MONEY.
A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT I SEE OUT HERE BEING ADVOCATED FOR ARE WHAT I WOULD SAY THAT MR. BROECK SHOULD BE LOOKING AT HIS MAINTENANCE ITEMS. BUT I SEE HIS CHAIR IS VACANT TODAY.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE VICK BOROUGH OF THE MIDTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, NEED FURTHER TRANSPORTATION ACCESS TO BOTH SIDES OF THE DISTRICTS AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO WALK AND RIDE BICYCLES THROUGH THE DISTRICT.
WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IN GETTING BOND ALLOCATIONS FOR THE VICKERY AREA AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO SECURE SOME OF THESE ROADS WITH WHAT WE CALL SHARED PATHWAYS FOR BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS.
WE HAVE TWO SEGMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT A THIRD AND A FOURTH ON THE WAY.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GO BACK AND REVISIT THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE POINT SCORING SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT THE FAILURE THAT I SEE IN IT IS THAT NO ONE GETS TO HAVE A FORUM TO DISCUSS HOW THE SCORING IS ACTUALLY DONE FOR THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, AS A NOVICE IN THIS AREA, YOU KNOW, I RANK OUR PROJECTS A LOT HIGHER THAN I SEE SOME OF THE SCORES THAT MUST HAVE COME IN TO DISPLACE US.
SO WITHOUT MY PROJECTS ON THE BLOCK, I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE STILL ON THE BLOCK.
AND I THINK IN PARKS AND RECREATION, THERE'S A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE VICTORY PORTION OF OUR MIDTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF THE YOUTH THAT WE HAVE THERE.
AND THERE'S ALSO SOME PARK DEVELOPMENT FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED IN A CERTAIN ASPECT OF THIS FOR A SPRAY AREA FOR FAIR OAKS PARK, WHICH IS REAL EXCITING BECAUSE I RIDE MY BICYCLE DOWN BY THE ONE THAT'S OFF THE RIDGE TRAIL TOWARDS WHITE ROCK LAKE.
AND EVERY WEEKEND WITH THIS HOT TEMPERATURE,
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IT'S BEEN PACKED TO THE, TO THE GILLS.SO IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET THOSE PROJECTS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT MINE ARE OFF THE LIST, THE ONES THAT WILL REALLY HELP THE PEOPLE FUNCTION IN OUR AREA, I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR THE OTHERS.
SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THEM AND IN ALL POSSIBILITY FUND THEM.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH BENTLEY.
UM, SO I'LL CALL OFF THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS AS WELL.
UH, MARIAN WILLIAMS. VICKY, UM, OH, I'M SORRY.
I'M ON VIDEO CALL AND I DON'T SEE THAT I'M SHARING.
I THOUGHT I WAS SHARING MY SCREEN, BUT I'M NOT.
UM, ANYWAY, I'D LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR, UM, MA'AM, CAN YOU GET YOUR VIDEO ON PLEASE? MY VIDEO? OH, START VIDEO.
OKAY, THIS IS, THIS IS THE NE THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVE IN, IN NORTH DALLAS.
IT'S FOUNDED BY HILLCREST OVER HERE.
THIS IS MCCALLUM AND THIS IS, UM, DAVENPORT.
UM, I'M SORRY, THIS IS, YEAH, THIS, BUT THESE STREETS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW ARE NOT PAVED.
EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE AREA IS PAVED, BUT THESE STREETS ARE ASPHALT AND WITH THE LE WEATHER THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, THE ASPHALT IS CRACKING AND GOING DOWN THE STREET, THIS IS STARBUCKS LANE, AND THEN THIS IS SHELL FLOWER, BUT IT'S ALL ONE STREET THAT IS ALL ASPHALT AND IT'S NOT, IT'S REALLY NOT THAT WIDE.
THERE ARE SOME TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE PARKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET AND, UM, YOU CAN TELL THAT IT'S HARD TO GET THROUGH.
AND WHEN IT'S TRASH DAY WITH THE TRASH CANS OUT FRONT, IT'S EVEN WORSE.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO, ALONG THIS AREA, THERE ARE ALSO SOME CULVERTS THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT HAVE BEEN DUG AND THOSE HAVE TO BE CLEANED OUT EVERY FEW YEARS.
AND THERE'S EVEN STANDING WATER IN SOME OF THEM.
UM, THERE ARE IN THE AREA, THERE ARE SOME OF THE, THOSE, UM, DRAINAGE DITCHES WHERE THE, BUT IT'S SET BACK IN WET, OUR PEOPLE'S LAWNS WHERE IT REALLY SHOULD BE.
UM, THAT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE PART OF THE, THAT ACTUALLY SHOULD BE PART OF THE SIDEWALK.
THERE SHOULD BE A SIDEWALK THERE.
SO I'D LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR PAVING THESE STREETS AND MAKING THEM SAFER FOR PEOPLE THAT WALK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
OKAY, SO THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, UH, WE HAVE ARE MARIAN WILLIAMS, VICKI MARTIN, CARMEN, UH, PARA DESSI TANNER, AND SONYA GOLD.
IF YOU'RE IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU COULD COME DOWN.
L MARIAN WILLIAMS V MARIAN WILLIAMS. SO, OKAY, MOVE ON TO VICKI MARTIN.
I RESIDE AT 82 30 CLAREMONT DRIVE AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE FERGUSON ROAD INITIATIVE OR F R I A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS STRATEGICALLY WORKED FOR 28 YEARS TO GET THE WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATION CENTER BUILT IN FAR EAST DALLAS.
IN 2013 F R I HELD A D I S D ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST CALLED BEAUTIFUL POSSIBILITIES.
THE PURPOSE OF THE CONTEST WAS TO HELP NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN UNDERSTAND WHAT A RECREATION CENTER IS AND HOW IT CAN IMPROVE THEIR LIVES.
THE WINNING ESSAYS FROM EACH OF THE SCHOOLS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET THIS EVENING.
MICHELLE ZAGO ENDS HER ESSAY BY SAYING, AND I QUOTE, OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE A BETTER PLACE WITH A RECREATION CENTER.
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KIDS DON'T HAVE GOOD INFLUENCE, WHICH LEADS THEM TO MAKE BAD CHOICES IN LIFE.THIS CENTER WILL INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITY OF CHILDREN LIKE ME TO HAVE BRIGHT FUTURE.
THIS LITTLE GIRL IS NOW 23 YEARS OLD AND SHE, ALONG WITH HER COMMUNITY, CONTINUES TO WAIT.
PLEASE PLACE THE WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATION CENTER ON THE BOND BECAUSE IT'S OUR TURN.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CARMEN PARRA AND I LIVE ON EL PATIO DRIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.
THE STORY OF WHITE ROCK HILLS CENTER IS THE TALE OF TWO CITIES TO THE WEST OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH NO POVERTY AND HIGHLY EDUCATED FAMILIES.
TO THE EAST OF THE TRACKS ARE MIXED INCOME COMMUNITIES MADE UP OF STABLE SINGLE HOMES AND A TRANSIENT MULTIFAMILY POPULATION.
FEW OF THESE APARTMENTS HAVE PLAYGROUNDS OR SWIMMING POOLS.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY WITH GREAT NEEDS.
A BAYLOR STUDY BREAKS ZIP CODE 7 5 2 2 8, A KEY ZIP CODE IN THIS AREA AS A 4.8 ON THE COMMUNITY NEEDS INDEX.
THE HIGHER THE SCORE, THE GREATER THE NEED.
PARKLAND HOSPITAL INDICATES THAT 33% OF CHILDREN LIVING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE RECREATION CENTER SITE SUFFER FROM ASTHMA.
THIS AREA QUALIFIES AS FOOD, CHILDCARE, AND INFRASTRUCTURE DESERTS.
THE WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATIONAL CENTER WILL SERVE AS A SAFE HAVEN FOR CHILDREN AND SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH, THUS GIVING FAMILIES IN OUR AREA THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS OTHERS IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY.
WE ARE TIRED OF WAITING BECAUSE IT'S OUR TURN.
I RESIDE AT 2 7 0 7 RUNNING BOOK.
THE WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATION CENTER WAS SERVED IN OVERALL POPULA POPULATION OF 70,000 WITHIN A THREE MILE AREA WITHIN 1.5 MILE RADIUS.
THE CENTER WILL SERVE 19 DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND 16 AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS.
CHILDREN FROM THESE APARTMENTS ATTEND THREE SCHOOLS WITH AN AVERAGE POVERTY WEIGHT OF 95% AND 2014 THE ADVOCATE ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD DISCUSSED THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS FOR A RECREATION CENTER.
SAMUEL GRAHAM RECREATION CENTER SERVES THE SOUTHEAST TIP OF THE COMMUNITY.
HARRY STONE RECREATION CENTER SERVES THE UPPER HALF, BUT A LOT OF THE LARGE MIDDLE CHUNK ALONG FERGUSON ROAD IS LEFT OUT.
THE MAGAZINE ALSO WROTE IT'S GOING TO BE AN ECONOMIC GENERATOR WITH THIS AREA DESPERATELY NEEDS.
WE SEE IT AS A CENTER AND ANCHOR FOR MIXED INCOME HOUSING AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENT.
AND THESE PLANS ARE BEING MADE TO ADVOCATE FOR BOND MONEY IN 2016 AND THAT YEAR, THE CITY OF DALLAS MANAGED TO FORK OVER $1,200,000 TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
IN THE FALL OF 2015, JACOB ENGINEERING DETERMINED THE CENTER'S PROGRAMMING NEEDS, COST, AND CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN ELEMENTS.
THIS 30,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING WOULD BE NESTED IN THE SIDE OF A 40 FOOT SLOPE.
IT WOULD INCLUDE A COMMUNITY GARDEN, OUTDOOR AM AMPHITHEATER, A WATER FEATURE, TEACHING KITCHEN, RECREATION AND FITNESS ROOM.
OUTDOOR FITNESS AND PICNICS AREA.
ITS PARKING LOT WILL BE ADJACENT TO THE TRINITY FOUR SPINE TRAIL, ALLOWING HIKERS, CYCLISTS, AND RUNNERS TO CONNECT WITH WHITE ROCK TRAILS.
THE CENTER IS THE FINAL PHASE OF THE COMMUNITY DRIVEN PLAN THAT WILL PROVIDE INTERGENERATIONAL SPORTS, WELLNESS, TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS THAT MEET WELL-DOCUMENTED COMMUNITY NEEDS.
WE HAVE THE LAND FOR THE CENTER.
WE HAVE WORKED TO BRING PARKS NEXT DOOR TO THE CENTER SITE.
WE HAVE A NEW STREET WITH SIDEWALKS AND BIKE PATHS
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THAT WOULD LEAD FROM THE CENTER CENTER TO THE TRINITY FORD SPINE TRAIL SCHEDULED TO OPEN LATER THIS MONTH.WE NEED THE CITY TO COMPLETE THEIR APARTMENT TO US AND GET THIS PROJECT ON THE BARN.
WE WENT INTO BOTH BUS HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE IT'S OUR TURN.
AND THEN I BELIEVE WE HAVE SONYA GOLD VIRTUALLY.
CAN YOU SEE ME? HELLO? HI, CAN WE, UM, WE CAN'T SEE YOU.
HI, MY NAME IS SONYA GOLD AND I LIVE ON ORBITER DRIVE NEAR ORBITER PARK IN DISTRICT 10.
I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO INCLUDE A MASTER PLAN FOR ORBITER PARK IN THE BUS.
SOME OF THE THINGS THE PARK NEEDS ARE SAFETY MEASURES, FENCING AND LANDSCAPING TO PROVIDE A BUFFER FROM ROYAL LANE TRAFFIC, MORE BENCHES AND SEATING NEAR THE PICKLEBALL COURT, A WALKING TRAIL THROUGH THE PARK, A NEW ENTRANCE TO THE PARK AND PARKING LOT TO PROMOTE GREATER USE.
A WELL THOUGHT, THOUGHT OUT MASTER PLAN THAT INCLUDES ALL NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE PARK, AND A GOOD MASTER PLAN IS KEY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS WE HAVE ARE DAVE WOODARD, FATIMA RAMIREZ, UM, JOSE, JOSE DE LA CRUZ, VALERIE BALLARD, AND ROBERT KENT.
IF YOU COULD COME TO THE FRONT IF DAVE WOODARD, I BELIEVE HAS CANCELED, UH, FATIMA RAMIREZ.
MY NAME IS FATIMA RAMIREZ, A MOTHER OF TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND THE FOUNDER OF ELA QUE OF PLEASANT GROVE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE, WHICH IS LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST DALLAS.
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WE HAVE LARGE, BEAUTIFUL, MATURE TREES.
KEATON GOLF COURSE, PIEDMONT HIKING TRAIL, AND THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST IS A FEW MINUTES AWAY FROM MY HOME.
TODAY I COME IN REPRESENTATION OF THE PARENTS OF DISTRICT FIVE AND WE ARE ASKING FOR A NEW AND IMPROVED PLAYGROUND FOR OUR CHILDREN.
THE PARENTS OF DISTRICT FIVE KNOW ABOUT THE BENEFITS OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES RECEIVE FROM OUTDOOR PLAY.
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, OUTDOOR PLAY PROMOTES CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY, AND CRITICAL THINKING.
STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT CHILDREN WHO SPEND MORE TIME IN NATURE EXPLORATION HAD IMPROVED LEARNING OUTCOMES.
THEREFORE, IN THE SPRING OF THIS YEAR, I STARTED AN OUTDOOR MOMS GROUP CALLED ESQUELA DEVOS, WHICH MEANS FOREST SCHOOL AT GATEWAY PARK AND PLEASANT GROVE, WHERE MOMS AND THEIR LITTLE ONES HIKE THE TRAILS AROUND GATEWAY PARK.
WE FIRST HIKE AND THEN GATHER TO READ BOOKS.
ISLA DEKE BRINGS MOMS FROM ALL OVER NORTH TEXAS.
THEY COMMENT ON THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY AND UNFORTUNATELY NOTICE THE OUTDATED PLAYGROUND.
MY FAMILY AND I VISIT THE PARK DAILY AS WELL AS MANY OTHER FAMILIES I GET TO SEE OFTEN.
LAST YEAR I MET A LITTLE GIRL THAT COMES TO THE PLAYGROUND WHILE HER DAD WORKS WITH HER MOTHER BY A NEARBY TREE TO RECOVERY FROM A STROKE.
I ALSO MET A BOY WHO COMES EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH HIS GRANDFATHER WHILE HIS PARENTS WORK TWO JOBS WITH A BEAUTIFUL UPDATED PLAYGROUND.
MORE FAMILIES FROM DISTRICT FIVE WILL BE ATTRACTED AND COME TO ENJOY.
THE BENEFITS OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS HAS TO OFFER OUR CHILDREN WILL HAVE A SAFE AND FUN PLACE TO RUN FORM FRIENDSHIPS, BREATHE FRESH AIR AND USE THEIR CREATIVITY WHILE THEIR PARENTS RELAX AND OBSERVE WITH HAPPINESS.
A NEW PLAYGROUND MAY NOT SEEM IMPORTANT TO SOME, BUT TO A LOT OF FAMILIES FROM DISTRICT FIVE, IT MEANS A LOT.
THIS PARK MIGHT BE THE ONLY OUTDOORS SOME FAMILIES HAVE.
THIS PLAYGROUND MAY BE THE PEACEFUL PLACE THEY ARE LONGING FOR.
AFTER A LONG STRESSFUL DAY AT WORK, THE BENEFITS THIS NEW PLAYGROUND WILL PROVIDE ARE LONG TERM BECAUSE A PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY CHILD CAN ACCOMPLISH LIMITLESS DREAMS AND GOALS.
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I SAY THIS BECAUSE I AM THAT CHILD WHO GREW UP IN A LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD IN PLEASANT GROVE, BUT MY MOM MADE SURE WE PLAYED A LOT, WE READ AT OUR LOCAL LIBRARY AND HAD A LOVING HOME.I CAN PROUDLY SAY THAT THREE COLLEGE U T A GRADUATES ARE THE RESULT OF AN INVESTED COMMUNITY IN THEIR CHILDREN.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WAS MY WIFE AND IT'S HARD TO FOLLOW THAT UP, SO I'LL TRY.
I AM A NATIVE DALLAS SITE, GREW UP IN DALLAS, TEXAS AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT ALSO THE DISTRICT FIVE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
UH, AND HERE ADVOCATING FOR A NEW PARK AT GATEWAY PARK.
I GREW UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND AROUND 1995 TO 2000, THERE WAS A GREAT INVESTMENT MADE IN THE PARK.
IT TURNED THE PARK FROM A SOCCER FIELD INTO A WALKING PARK.
UH, THEY UPGRADED THE PLAYGROUND AND PLANTED HUNDREDS OF TREES.
I HAD THE BENEFIT OF ENJOYING THIS PARK THROUGHOUT, UH, MY EARLY CHILDHOOD AND REALLY DEVELOPED THOSE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS.
WHEN MY WIFE AND I GRADUATED U T A, WE WERE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH ROOTS, UH, AND LOOKING AT VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND DALLAS.
BUT WE COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THAT WE LOVED OUR DISTRICT FIVE PLEASANT GROVE AND WANTED TO ESTABLISH OUR ROOTS THERE.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT 20 YEARS SINCE THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN OUR PARK TO THE PLAYGROUND AND TO THE AREA AROUND IT.
THE IMPACT THAT THIS PARK HAD ON ME WAS ONE OF GENERATIONAL CHANGE.
AND WHEN I STAND HERE AND LOOK BACK, I THINK SOMEONE MADE THAT INVESTMENT IN OUR PARK AND I'M HERE TODAY TO MAKE THAT SAME INVESTMENT FOR OUR KIDS AND FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR DISTRICT FIVE.
DISTRICT FIVE FAMILIES SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DRIVE 15 TO 20 MINUTES ACROSS TOWN TO A DIFFERENT PARK AT THE, IN THE CITY OF DALLAS TO ENJOY AN UPDATED PARK.
THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF DISTRICT FIVE ALSO DESERVE THAT AS WELL AND TO ENJOY THAT WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
NOW, RATHER THAN COMPLAIN TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP OR GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND POST SOMETHING THAT NO ONE'S EVER GONNA READ, I STAND HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU COUNSEL TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN OUR DISTRICT.
I RESIDE AT 7 38 C BEACH IN DALLAS IN DISTRICT EIGHT FOR HALF A CENTURY.
I'VE BEEN A PROUD RESIDENT OF POPE TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE OAK CLIFF AREA.
TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU'RE URGING YOUR SUPPORT FOR BOND ALLOCATION OF $200 MILLION FOR DALLAS HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
IN MY ROLE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OPERATION TINY HOUSE, I RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS AND EMAILS FROM VETERANS.
MANY OF THEM ARE VIETNAM VETERANS.
I LIKE TO SHARE ONE OF MY MOST RECENT EMAILS THAT TOUCHED MY HEART.
HE WROTE, I AM A DISABLED VETERAN, 73 YEARS OLD, DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WOULD ASSIST ME IN REPAIRING MY HOME SO THAT I DON'T LOSE IT.
I HAVE NO COMPUTER, I CAN'T TEXT.
I HAVE A SIMPLE FLIP PHONE BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I CAN AFFORD.
MY MONTHLY WATER BILL IS NEARLY $600 AND I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO PAY MY WATER BILL AND MY HOUSE PAYMENT.
COULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME? I CALLED AND I SPOKE TO MR. CARR.
HE'S A RESIDENT IN PLEASANT GROVE WHO ECHOED WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY SENIORS.
I CAN'T AFFORD TO STAY IN MY HOME, NOR CAN I AFFORD TO MOVE ON MY INCOME.
I FEEL TRAPPED AS THE DAUGHTER OF A VIETNAM VETERAN, AS WELL AS A SISTER AND A NIECE AND A AUNT.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND OUR VETERANS.
THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR OUR FREEDOM.
FOUR CRITICAL POINTS TO CONSIDER.
VETERANS ARE OFTEN PROUD INDIVIDUALS WHO MANY ON MANY OCCASIONS WILL HESITATE TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE.
OUR ORGANIZATION IS CURRENTLY HOUSING VETERANS THAT WORK IN DALLAS
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AND ATTEND COLLEGE IN DALLAS.DUE TO THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OPTIONS, WE'VE BEEN FORCED TO HOUSE THOSE VETERANS OUTSIDE OF DALLAS COUNTY.
WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S CLOSE TO THE VA'S FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.
WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT DALLAS ISN'T JUST ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING UNAFFORDABLE.
AS A DEVELOPER IN SOUTHERN DALLAS, I CAN ATTEST TO THE SEVERE SHORTNESS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RENTAL UNITS.
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPLY HAS FAILED TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND AND IS EXPECTED TO WORSE, TO BECOME WORSE.
AS OUR CITY GROWS, DALLAS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO BETTER.
LET'S ENSURE THAT EVERYONE CAN PROUDLY CALL DALLAS THEIR HOME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, ROBERT KENT.
I'M GONNA CALL OFF THE THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS IF YOU WOULD MAKE YOUR WAY DOWN.
UM, WAYNE SMITH, TABITHA URIEL, REBECCA, UH, KORNBLUM, MELANIE FERGUSON AND TIFFANY DIVIS.
MY NAME IS ROBERT KENT AND I'M THE TEXAS STATE DIRECTOR FOR TRUST REPUBLIC LAND AND ALSO A CO-FOUNDER AND TRUSTEE WITH THE DALLAS PARKS COALITION.
IF YOU LOOK OUT IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE A LOT OF FOLKS WEARING GREEN OR WEARING BUTTONS LIKE THIS.
BUT EVERYONE WHO IS HERE SUPPORTING A PARKS PROJECT, UM, OR A TRAIL PROJECT OR RECREATION CENTER PROJECT, PLEASE STAND.
THIS WAS EVEN MORE PEOPLE THAN I EXPECTED.
WE ALL FIRST WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU FOR THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE INVESTED BEING ON THIS COMMITTEE, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LOT OF LATE NIGHTS AND LONG DAYS TRYING TO THINK THROUGH HOW TO TACKLE THIS BOND PROBLEM AND THIS BOND PROPOSITION.
I WANNA POINT TO THE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE AND DEMONSTRATE THAT EVERYONE HERE IS TAKING TIME OUTTA THEIR EVENING TO COME HERE AND ADVOCATE FOR PARKS 'CAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN PARKS AND THE POWER THAT PARKS HAVE ON OUR CITY.
WHEN I WAS HERE SPEAKING TO YOU A FEW WEEKS AGO, I TALKED ABOUT THREE THINGS, CLIMATE, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.
AND THOSE ARE STILL ITEMS AND ISSUES THAT MOTIVATE THE DALLAS PARKS COALITION AND WHY WE FULLY SUPPORT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S REQUEST FOR $399 MILLION.
THIS PAST SATURDAY, WE CELEBRATED THE FIRST DAY OF FALL WITH ANOTHER A HUNDRED DEGREE DAY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, LOOKING AT THE PACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT MAY BE THE REALITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME.
I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THOUGH THAT RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THAT WHEN NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ADEQUATE GREEN SPACE, THEY'RE UP TO SIX DEGREES COOLER THAN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T.
WE ALL KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 94 DEGREES AND A HUNDRED DEGREES OR A HUNDRED DEGREES AND 106 DEGREES.
SUPPORTING PARKS IN THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM WILL HELP US BRING PARKS TO EVERY PART OF DALLAS SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE READY FOR A WARMER FUTURE.
I MYSELF HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.
WE HEARD A LOT TODAY FROM FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS ARE IN RAISING HEALTHY, STRONG FAMILIES.
TIME SPENT IN THE OUTDOORS IS GOOD FOR KIDS AND GOOD FOR GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS THAT OUR CITY NEEDS.
AND YET TODAY, OVER 99,000 KIDS IN DALLAS STILL DO NOT HAVE A PARK WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF HOME.
THE BOND PROPOSITION WILL HELP US SOLVE THAT PROBLEM BY EXPANDING PARKS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE KNOW THAT PARKS HAVE A GREAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS STUDIES THAT DEMONSTRATE THIS, INCLUDING ONE FROM A FEW YEARS AGO THAT FOUND THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR THE CITY SPENDS ON ITS PARK SYSTEM, IT GENERATES $6 IN ECONOMIC IMPACT, EQUITABLE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT HELPS BRING EVERYONE IN DALLAS FORWARD WITH THE ECONOMY.
WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH HEALTHCARE COST SAVINGS, DRIVING TOURISM, SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND MORE.
HAVING A WORLD-CLASS PARK SYSTEM IS WITHIN OUR REACH.
THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT NEXT INVESTMENT THAT OUR PARK SYSTEM NEEDS.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO THINK DEEPLY ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT BOND AND MAKE SURE THAT PARKS ARE A TOP PRIORITY.
I HAD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WALK EVERY NIGHT AT GATEWAY PARK AND UM, I THINK THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE I COUNTED IT WAS MAYBE A FRIDAY NIGHT.
70 PEOPLE, UM, SOME OF THEM ARE USING THE SOCCER PITCH, SOME OF THEM ARE WALKING.
SOME OF THEM USE THE PLAYGROUND.
THE PLAYGROUND NEEDS SHADE, THE PLAYGROUND NEEDS NEW EQUIPMENT, BUT I LOVE THAT PARK AND IT DESERVES, UH, WE USE IT.
IT IS A LIFE FORCE AND UM, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY ESPECIALLY
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IMPORTANT DURING THE PANDEMIC.I'M HERE ALSO TO ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING ELSE, WHICH IS THE DALLAS CENTER FOR ART TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS AN ECO DEV PROJECT TO MOST PEOPLE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY'S GONNA COME FROM.
BUT I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND JUST LIKE PARKS WAS TALKING ABOUT HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND, AND, AND, UH, THE RECREATION CENTER WAS TALKING ABOUT BEING IN AN ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT WE, THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS INCREASED THEIR INCENTIVES FOR FILM INDUSTRY, FOR THE FILM INDUSTRY FROM 40 TO 200 MILLION.
UM, TALENT ENTERTAINMENT IS RENOVATING SOUTH SIDE, UH, STUDIOS, UM, BECAUSE THEY PREDICT THAT THIS AREA WILL BE A HUB FOR PRODUCTION.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, I MEAN, THE LAND IS ALREADY BOUGHT, THE MODEL WAS ALREADY CREATED.
AND I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT DCA IS IN ITS INFANCY, BUT I HEARD BILL STRICKLAND SPEAK IN 2017 OR MAYBE 2018 AT A CONFERENCE.
I CAME BACK, I TOLD PRISCILLA, PRISCILLA, UM, SOMEONE REACHED OUT TO PRISCILLA.
IT WAS EMILY HARGROVE OR PRISMA GARCIA AND, AND ABOUT DCA HAPPENING AND THEY REACHED OUT TO ME AND TO ME IT'S LIKE, IT'S NOT AN INS INFANCY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT IT FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
AND LIKE THE RECREATION CENTER, IT'S SAYS IT'S THEIR TURN.
IT'S OUR TURN FOR SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN PLEASANT GROVE AND WE CAN GET AHEAD.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE SOME YOUNG FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO MIGHT NOT SEE A DIRECT PATH TO COLLEGE, WHO MIGHT FEEL COMFORTABLE STAYING CLOSE TO THEIR, UM, FAMILIES, GOING TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE TO ME A COMMUNITY HUB.
I KNOW WE ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT A CULTURAL CENTER, WHICH EVERYONE TELLS ME WE'RE NEVER GONNA GET, BUT I COULD USE THIS SPACE LIKE A CULTURAL CENTER.
THERE'S A GREEN SPACE THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE.
SO WE CAN ALSO USE IT AS A PARK SPACE IN THE MODEL THAT'S, UH, BEING SHARED RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S SOME HOUSING ALSO INVOLVED.
SO THE PLAN I THINK IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL, HAS A LOT OF COMPONENTS.
BUT I WANT, WHAT I WANNA KIND OF CLOSE WITH IS THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST SOMETHING IN SOMETHING EVEN IF IT'S IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES AND EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF POWER AND MONEY FROM OTHER DISTRICTS.
UM, AND I WANNA SAY THAT WITH THE HELP OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PRIMOS DALLAS COMMUNITY DOES IT, PLEASANT UNIDOS PEOPLE LIKE FATIMA AND HER HUSBAND AND HER SISTERS AND ME, WE WHO HAVE COME BACK TO PLEASANT GROVE TO REMIND US THAT WE CAN DREAM THAT WE ARE WORTHY OF DREAMING, THAT OUR DREAMS MATTER.
NOW WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU TO PROVE THAT OUR DREAMS MATTER TO YOU AND THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS, THAT OUR DREAMS MATTER.
PLEASANT GROVE'S, DREAMS MATTER TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO INVEST IN US.
REBECCA KORNBLUM HAS CANCELED.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE MINUTES AND NOT 90 SECONDS LIKE LAST TIME.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE LONG HOURS THAT YOU DO THIS WORK.
UM, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THEY'RE, UM, VERY LONG HOURS AND I APPRECIATE THAT AS SOMEBODY WHO TRIES TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOME CIVIC GOOD TOO.
UM, MELANIE FERGUSON, DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS, A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE DALLAS WETLANDS FOUNDATION, THE DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND THE DALLAS WATER UTILITIES.
UM, YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY THESE WORDS BEFORE IF YOU WERE HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT I HAVE HEARD FROM COMMUNICATIONS GURUS THAT IT TAKES SEVEN TIMES TO HEAR THE MESSAGE.
IF YOU MISS SOMETHING BEFORE YOU MIGHT HEAR IT.
WELL TONIGHT, AS DALLAS AND THE REGION DOUBLES IN POPULATION, EVERY ACRE OF COMMON PUBLIC SPACE BECOMES VITAL.
A VITAL STRONGHOLD FOR THE FUTURE VIBRANCY OF OUR CITY.
AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AND WILL SHARE, ESTABLISHING PARKS AND NATURAL PLACES OF BEAUTY WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT AGAIN, IMAGINE NEW YORK WITHOUT ITS FORESIGHT TO ESTABLISH CENTRAL PARK.
EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL TO THE FUTURE OF CITIES IS THE SOMETIMES VISIBLE, BUT MORE OFTEN INVISIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WATER IS AND HOW IT IMPACTS US ALL DAILY.
DALLAS IS BECOMING A LEADER IN WATER CONSCIOUSNESS FOR TEXAS AND BEYOND THROUGH THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS.
A PARK THAT WILL LINK DOWNTOWN WITH THE GREAT TRINITY FORESTS ADJACENCY VIA THE REMEDIATED ORIGINAL PATH OF THE TRINITY RIVER EAST OF THE LEVEES.
ITS NEW CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS, ITS URBAN WATER LAB AND LIVING CLASSROOM.
THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS WILL POLISH WATER BEFORE IT ENTERS THE TRINITY RIVER
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POSITIVELY IMPACTING EVERYONE DOWNSTREAM AND HOPEFULLY INSPIRING BEST PRACTICES FOR CITIES UPSTREAM WHOSE DEVELOPMENT AND PERMITTING PRACTICES IMPACT HOW OUR CREEKS STREETS AND HMM, HOW ARE CREEKS, UH, STREAKS AND RIVER BASIN FLOODS DOWNSTREAM.THE NORTHERNMOST GEM OF A STRING OF SOUTHERN DALLAS IMPACT PROJECTS.
THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS FURTHERS ITS RIPPLE EFFECTS OF WISE WATER ACTION DONE NOW THE WETLANDS FOUNDATION EXISTS TO LEVERAGE HOW, WHAT THE, TO LEVERAGE WHAT THE CITY CAN'T DO ALONE AND WE'LL MAINTAIN THE DEDICATED PARKLAND AND PERPETUITY ONCE IT'S BUILT.
BUT TO GET IT DONE AND TO DO IT RIGHT, LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR TONIGHT, IT REQUIRES THE CITY DO THE FUNDS AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
I HAVE A BOARD MEMBER WHO'LL BE SPEAKING A LITTLE BIT LATER AND, UM, I'M GOING TO PASS OUT SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME OUT IN THE PRESS TODAY ABOUT HER RELATED TIFFANY DIVIS.
THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS ARE GOING TO BE JOHN CRUZ, CHILE BORCHER, JIM SHIPLEY, CAESAR PEREZ, AND MAX REYNOLDS.
IF YOU COULD COME TO THE FRONT.
I BELIEVE JOHN CRUZ IS VIRTUAL.
I LIVE AT 34 25 RANKIN STREET, UM, AND I AM HERE IN MY CAPACITY AS AN ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER FOR THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
I KNOW IT'S A VERY LONG NIGHT WITH A LOT OF SPEAKERS.
SO I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD FOR TRU FOR FIVE YEARS FOR TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, AND CAME TO KNOW THIS ORGANIZATION WHEN I WAS FIRST MANAGING THE GROSS SOUTH FUND AND THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO STIMULATE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHERN DALLAS PARKS IS THE ANSWER.
DURING MY TIME ON THE BOARD AND WITH THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE CITY AND OUR PRIVATE DONORS, TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND HAS BEEN ABLE TO ADD 125 ACRES OF PARKLAND TO THE CITY OF DALLAS ALONG THE FIVE MILE CREEK WATERSHED.
WE ARE SEEKING BOND FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE COMPLETION OF THE FIVE MILE CREEK GREENBELT PLAN BY ADDING 17 MILES OF GREENBELT TRAILS.
THIS IS A COMPLETION OF A PLAN THAT WAS ORIGINALLY CONTEMPLATED OVER 80 YEARS AGO AND WAS NEVER FUNDED OR COMPLETED.
THESE TRAILS WILL CONNECT OVER 180,000 PEOPLE IN DALLAS AND WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DALLAS RESIDENTS THAT LIVE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF A HIGH QUALITY PARK.
IN ADDITION, THE BOND DOLLARS WILL BE LEVERAGED WITH STATE, FEDERAL, AND PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY MATCHED AT MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT THE CITY WILL INVEST THROUGH THE BOND.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.
THERE IS ALSO A MAP THAT'S, THAT I THINK IS BEING CIRCULATED THAT SHOWS WHERE ALL OF THE, UM, DISTRICTS THAT THE TRAILS WILL TOUCH.
WE'LL GO BACK TO JOHN CRUZ VIRTUAL, OOPS, SORRY EVERYBODY.
UM, AM I AUDIBLE? YES YOU ARE.
ALRIGHT, UH, MY NAME IS JOHN CRUZ AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO OFF OF PASCAL OFFICE PARKWAY.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE, UM, THE AREA AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF WEST VILLAGE AND CITY PLACE.
UM, SPECIFICALLY THE INTERSECTIONS OF HASKELL AND 75 AND HASKELL AND HALL STREET.
SO I'VE, I'VE BEEN A, I'VE BEEN IN DALLAS FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE.
I WAS BORN IN MESQUITE AND, UM, GREW UP IN DUNCANVILLE, A NON RESIDING IN THE CITY PLACE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'VE SEEN DALLAS GROW CONSIDERABLY OVER A HANDFUL OF DECADES.
UM, AND SPECIFICALLY THE AREAS AROUND WEST VILLAGE AND CITY PLACE, THEY ARE INCREASINGLY BECOMING MORE DENSE, MORE COMMERCIAL, AND MORE CAR CENTERED.
AND SO I'VE BEEN RECENTLY MOVED INTO THE AREA I LOVE TO RUN FROM, UM, THE AREAS NEAR TARGET AND ROSS, UM, TO THE KATY TRAIL.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA, I'M SURE THE FIRST IMAGE THAT COMES TO MIND ARE THE INSANE AMOUNT OF CARS AND HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO CROSS FROM THE EAST SIDE TO THE WEST SIDE OF THAT HIGHWAY.
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AND THE SAME CAN BE SAID ABOUT THE INTERSECTION AT HULL STREET.AND SO WITH THIS PART OF TOWN BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DENSE, UM, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR AN INCREASED INVESTMENT IN, UH, LET'S SEE THE, UM, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT AREA.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE WEST VILLAGE AND CITY PLACE DART STATION BECOME MORE OF A, I GUESS, UM, CENTERPIECE TRANSIT HUB, UH, WHERE, FOR INSTANCE, THE TRAIN, THE BULLET TRAIN THAT'S GONNA BE GETTING BUILT BETWEEN DALLAS AND HOUSTON.
THEY ARE HAVING A, THE DALLAS TERMINAL IS, UM, GOING TO BE AT THE APRON EAST JOHNSON UNION STATION AND THERE'S TWO DIRECT LINE FROM THE UNION STATION TO WEST VILLAGE OR WEST VILLAGE AND CITY PLACE.
AND SO IT MAKES FOR ALLEVIATES THE, THE CONGESTION THAT PEOPLE THAT IS CAUSED BY OTHER CARS IN THAT AREA.
UM, FURTHERMORE, IF WE COULD SEE, UH, SOME INVESTMENT IN MAKING IT SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS ACROSS 75 BICYCLISTS, ISTS, IF, IF THERE CAN BE DEDICATED FUNDS TO ERECTING SOME SORT OF PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE LIKE THE ONE THAT WE SAW, UM, UP AND FURTHER UP 75, I CLOSED THE HIGHWAY THE OTHER A COUPLE WEEKS BACK.
UM, BY ADDING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAY WE, WE CAN ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THAT TRAFFIC THAT'S AT THE MOUTH OF 75 NEAR THOSE STREETS AND, AND BETTER CONNECT TO THOSE AREAS AND, AND DALLAS OVERALL.
I'M, UH, UH, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 14, BUT TONIGHT I'M GOING TO BE REPRESENTING, UH, THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR TRUST REPUBLIC LAND.
UH, SIMILAR TO TILLY BORCHERS, I AM, UH, ADVOCATING FOR THE FUNDING OF THE, UH, FIVE MILE CREEK GREENBELT PROJECT.
IN 1944, THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, ADOPTED THE BARTHOLOMEW PLAN, WHICH ENVISIONED A NETWORK OF PARKS AND TRAILS ACROSS THE CITY.
MUCH OF THAT PLAN GOT IMPLEMENTED INCLUDING, UH, THE WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL, BUT A BIG PIECE OF THAT DID NOT.
FOLLOWING FIVE MILE CREEK AND OAK CLIFF, I THINK EVERYONE CAN AGREE THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY PARKS, BIKE TRAILS, AND WALKING PATHS, UH, AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS TO THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF A NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
UM, 80 YEARS AGO, OUR CITY LEADERS HAD THE VISION AND NOW WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO MAKE IT REAL.
THE PROJECT WILL CREATE A 17 MILE HIKING AND BIKING TRAIL FOLLOWING THE FIVE MILE CREEK AND CON WILL CONNECT OAK CLIFF TO THE CITY'S EXISTING TRAIL SYSTEM.
THE FIRTH FIRST SUCH CONNECTION FOR OAK CLIFF.
SO OAK CLIFF IS THE ONLY, THE MAJOR, THE BIGGEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN DALLAS THAT DOES NOT HAVE CONNECTION TO THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
I SUPPORT THE PROPOSED ALLOCATION OF $7 MILLION FOR THE FUNDING TO FIVE MILE CREEK GREEN BELT FOR THE LAST YEAR OF TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND HAS PUSHED TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT AND HAVE TO DATE SECURED OVER $28 MILLION FOR THE EFFORT.
WITH THIS $7 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE CITY TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND WILL MATCH IT THROUGH PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY AND HELP THE CITY FIND ADDITIONAL MATCHING FUNDS FROM STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS, WHICH CAN MATCH THE THE BOND FUNDING AT A FOUR TO ONE.
WE HAVE A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A FIVE MILE CREEK GREEN BELT REAL.
IT CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER 80 YEARS FOR IT.
WITH THE BOND FUNDING, DALLAS CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW AND MAKE A GENERATIONAL IMPACT FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF SOUTH DALLAS.
MY NAME IS MAX REYNOLDS AND I'M THE MANAGER OF PROTOCOL FOR THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF DALLAS-FORT WORTH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE DALLAS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.
AS MANAGER OF PROTOCOL, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH CONS CORE, THE CONSULATE CORPS OF D F W, UH, SOME OF WHOM YOU'LL HEAR FROM LATER THIS EVENING.
UM, AND THE CITY OF DALLAS AND COUNTLESS DIGNITARIES AND DELEGATIONS THAT COME TO DALLAS, THEY'RE ALWAYS INSPIRED AND EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL AND EFFORT THAT DALLAS MAKES AND HAS INTO SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND HIGHLIGHTING THE INTERNATIONAL LANDSCAPE.
THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, THE DALLAS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT IS SO IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, BUT THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE ON MOST SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS GLOBAL CITIES.
A COMMONALITY EXISTS AMONG THEM IS THEIR FOCUS AND COMMITMENT TO BUILDING AND CREATING A PLACE THAT LIVES, BREATHES AND EXUDES INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE.
THE DALLAS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT IS A MAJOR CA MAJOR CATALYST FOR SUCCESS ON SO MANY LEVELS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S BEEN IMPRESSIVE PROGRESS MADE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS SINCE THE CITY PRIORITIZED INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, THE INTERNATIONAL STEAM ACADEMY OR STEAM SCHOOL, THE EUROPEAN CHAMBER AND FRENCH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE
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WORKFORCE CENTER, ALL OF THESE AMAZING JEWELS OF DALLAS IN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.AND ALL THESE THINGS ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR CULTURES AND OUR CONNECTIONS DALLAS HAS WITH THE WORLD.
PLEASE ADD $40 MILLION TO THE BOND FOR THE 20 ACRE PARK TO ACQUIRE LAND AND ALLOW THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES TO SHOWCASE THEIR UNIQUE CULTURE.
THE WORLD IS THE WORLD IS READY FOR DALLAS AND THIS WILL HELP THE DA, HELP DALLAS BE READY FOR THE WORLD.
UH, THE NEXT SIX SPEAKERS ARE GOING TO BE BEN ZORA, HELENE, HONEY BONE, FRANCISCO DELLA TORA, UH, TIFFANY DIVIS, CLINTON, HAILEY AND CHARLA MEYERS.
SO BEN CA ZORA, I GOT THAT RIGHT.
I'M BEN ZORA, UM, A CHILD OF AFRICA BY THE SON OF DALLAS.
IN 2008, AFTER GRADUATING FROM PURDUE UNIVERSITY, I WAS OFFERED JOBS IN CHICAGO, INDIANA, LA, AND DALLAS.
AFTER CAREFULLY EXAMINING THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH OF THE CITIES, THUS BECAME MY NEW HOME OF CHOICE FOR BUILDING MY CAREER, EXPLORING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, AND ABOVE ALL RAISING MY FAMILY.
I DECIDED TO MAKE THUS MY HOME PRIMARILY DUE TO THE PROMISE OF A MORE INTERNATIONAL HOME FOR MY CHILDREN.
THIS WAS EVIDENCED BY THE CLEAR TREND AS DEPICTED BY THE FACT THAT 19 30, 80 3% OF THE POPULATION OF DALLAS WAS NON-HISPANIC WHITES.
TODAY, HISPANICS MAKE ALMOST 40% OF THIS POPULATION.
TODAY MORE THAN 7% OF DALLAS RESIDENTS WERE BORN IN AFRICA, WHILE LESS THAN 10% OF THE, UH, OF, OF THE DAS RESIDENTS FOR ASIANS OF THE NATURALIZED CITIZENS OF DAS.
TODAY 30% ARE EITHER FROM AFRICA OR FROM ASIA.
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE HAD THE INCREDIBLE PRIVILEGE OF WATCHING MY LONG CHURCH DREAM COME TO LIFE RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES.
IT HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF HOURS INSPIRING TO WITNESS THE UNWAVERING DEDICATION OF COUNCILWOMAN JENNY SCHULTZ, UM, WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH SUZANNE SMITH AND UM, MAX REYNOLD WHO JUST SPOKE RIGHT BEFORE ME.
THEIR TALLIS EFFORTS STAND AS A TESTAMENT OF TO THE CITY'S LEADERSHIP AND WAVERING COMMITMENT TO GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS AND EXCELLENCE.
IN JUST TWO SHORT YEARS, THIS DYNAMIC TRIO HAS ACHIEVED WHAT MANY THOUGHT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
THEY HAVE SPEARHEADED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EUROPEAN AND FRENCH CHAMBERS AS MAX MENTIONED, AND THE MATCHED WORKFORCE CENTER AND EVEN MADE A SIGNIFICANT STRIDE, UH, IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION WITH THE CREATION OF THE SCHOOL THAT MY PREDECESSOR JUST MENTIONED.
ALL OF THIS MIND YOU HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITH LIMITED RESOURCES FUELED SOLELY BY THE BURNING DESIRE TRANSFORMED DALLAS INTO INTERNATIONAL CITY.
THE REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THESE THREE VISIONAL LEADERS SERVED AS A JUST TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF THE DETERMINATION, COLLABORATION, AND UNYIELDING BELIEF IN THE POTENTIAL OF THE CITY.
THEIR ACHIEVEMENT HAS NOTHING SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY, AND IF THIS DOESN'T INSPIRE TO SUPPORT THE, THE, THE EFFORTS WITH AN ADDITIONAL $40 MILLION, JUST LESS THAN 3% OF THE 1.1 BILLION, I'M NOT SO SURE WHAT ELSE SHOULD FOR, FOR THAT REMAIN COMPETITIVE REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY, AND GLOBALLY.
WE NEED TO ATTRACT THE WORLD'S BEST TALENT, MOST AMBITIOUS ENTREPRENEURS, MOST CREATIVE MINDS, AND CONTINUE TO FUEL THE ECONOMY.
TO PUT THIS PERSPECTIVE IN 2021, IMMIGRANTS HAVE KEPT DOING WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR MANY YEARS WINNING NOBEL PRIZE.
THREE OF THE FOUR AMERICAN WINNERS OF THE 21 NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS, MEDICINE, AND CHEMISTRY WERE ALL IMMIGRANTS.
I WANT MY CHILD AND MY CHILD'S CHILD TO BE ABLE TO WALK IN THE CITY OF DALLAS WHERE EVERY STREET CORNER TELLS A DIFFERENT WORLD STORY.
EVERY MEAL IS AN ACTUAL JOURNEY TO A LAND FAR AWAY FROM DALLAS, A CITY THAT FORCES A SENSE OF BELONGING AND TOGETHERNESS AND OTHERWISE CONTINUE DIVIDED WORLD, A CITY THAT BUILDS AN INCLUSIVE TO SOCIETY.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE BY SAYING THAT IN THE GRAND MO MOSAIC OF AMERICA, WE ARE NOT JUST A MELTING POT, WE ARE SYMPHONY OF VOICES, A CELEBRATION OF DIFFERENCES AND A TESTAMENT OF ENDURING POWER, OF UNITY AMIDST DIVERSITY AS WE EMBRACE OUR COLLECTIVE HERITAGE THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT THAT'S RETIRED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US TO SPEAK HERE TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS HELENE HEB BONE AND I'M THE HONORARY COUNCIL FOR SWEDEN IN NORTH TEXAS.
I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON JUST THREE POINTS THAT I FIND IMPORTANT AND THAT I HOPE THAT YOU WILL TAKE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
I THINK THE DALLAS INTERNATIONAL
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COMMONS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE UPCOMING BOND BECAUSE THIS AMAZING PARK DEVELOPMENT CAN HELP THE DALLAS BECOME A MORE SUSTAINABLE, ATTRACTIVE AND INTERNATIONAL CITY.JUST LIKE IN SWEDEN, IT IS WELL KNOWN HERE IN THE US THAT PARKS AND GREEN SPACES HELP CREATE MORE SUSTAINABLE CITIES.
GRASS OR OTHER VEGETATION CONTRIBUTE TO A BETTER ENVIRONMENT THROUGH INCREASED AIR QUALITY AND REDUCED NOISE.
PROVING, UH, PROVIDING RECREATIONAL BENEFITS AND BEING ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE NO MATTER SOCIOECONOMIC OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND.
THEY ALSO HELP STRENGTHEN SOCIAL INTERACTION AND INCLUSIVENESS IN THE COMMUNITY, INCREASING ENGAGEMENT, LOWERING CRIME, AND ULTIMATELY IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
THE MAYOR JUST WROTE IN HIS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER THAT THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF REVITALIZING, UNDERUSED OR VACANT PROPERTIES, DALLAS HAS BECOME A NATIONAL MODEL FOR EXCELLENCE IN DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE GREEN SPACES.
THAT IS WONDERFUL NEWS, BUT AS WE KEEP FACING EN ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND POPULATION GROWTH, WE MUST KEEP INVESTING IN SOLUTIONS TO MAKE OUR CITY SMARTER, GREENER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN AND MOVING TO OUR URBAN AREAS.
THESE NEXT GENERATION DALLASITE ARE TECH SAVVY CRITICAL THINKERS WHO CHERISH LIVING MODERN LIVING IN MODERN CITIES WHERE THEY CAN MAXIMIZE THE ECONOMIC PROFESSIONAL AND SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THEY SEEK MORE OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND VALUE, REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT.
FOR DALLAS TO STAY COMPETITIVE AND TO BE AN ATTRACTIVE CITY TO THE MILLENNIALS AND GEN ZS, WE MUST KEEP SUPPORTING THE KIND OF LIFE THEY DESIRE AND PROMOTE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN DALLAS IS VIBRANT AND FAST GROWING.
WE BRING INNOVATIVE STARTUPS AND BUSINESSES TO THE AREA HELPING TO SPUR THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND WE CELEBRATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR HERITAGE WITH NORTH TEXAS.
JUST LIKE WE PROMOTE DALLAS AND NORTH TEXAS TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
AN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT ENCOURAGES NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS ACROSS BORDERS.
IT CELEBRATES CULTURAL IMMERSION AND EDUCATES AND INSPIRES RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
FOR DALLAS TO BE A LEADER ON THE GLOBAL STAGE, WE MUST CONTINUE TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY WHERE OUR INTERNATIONAL DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH.
SO WHY SHOULD THE INTERNATIONAL COMMONS BE INCLUDED IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM? BECAUSE WE WANT A SUSTAINABLE, ATTRACTIVE AND INTERNATIONAL CITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE CON INVITATION.
I'VE BEEN HERE THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
I'M DEAN OF THE COUNCIL OF CORPSES AND I'M THE COUNCIL GENERAL OF MEXICO.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT I, UH, ME INVOLUNTARILY BECAME AMBASSADOR FOR DALLAS.
EVERY TIME I TRAVEL, I TALK ABOUT DALLAS.
I'M CONVINCED THAT DALLAS IS A POWERHOUSE, A GLOBAL POWERHOUSE.
BUT DALLAS NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THIS TOO.
THE SCOPE OF BEING A GLOBAL CITY MEANS INVESTING IN THE CITY AS A GLOBAL CITY.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DALLAS INTERNATIONAL COMMONS.
MANY CONSULATES ARE IN HOUSTON, BUT YOU SEE THE SIZE AND DEMOGRAPHY OF BOTH CITIES.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE FIRST METROPOLITAN AREA.
THE NEXT 50 YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES.
35% OF ALL THE MEXICAN INVESTMENT IN THE US IS HEADQUARTERED HERE IN DALLAS.
THE CANADIAN CONSULATE IN TEXAS IS IN DALLAS.
THE KOREAN CONSULATE IS HERE TOO BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND INTERNATIONAL SCOPE, BUT WE NEED DALLAS TO UNDERSTAND IT TOO.
YOU ARE MORE, MORE HUGE THAN YOU CAN UNDERSTAND.
YOU NEED ICONS AND SYMBOLS OF INTERNATIONAL POWER.
MORE BUSINESS ATTRACTS BETTER FUTURE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
THE MORE YOU HAVE HERE, THE MORE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS YOU HAVE, THE MORE THEY FEEL WELCOME, THE MORE THEY SEE ICONS OF INTERNATIONAL GROWTH AS A GLOBAL CITY THAT WILL COME HERE AND INVEST MORE.
INVESTING MORE MEANS HAVING WEALTH FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY IN DALLAS.
I REALLY INVITE YOU TO THINK OF DALLAS IN 10, 20 OR 30 YEARS.
IT'LL BE A HUGE METRO FAR BEYOND CHICAGO.
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AN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT AND INTERNATIONAL PARK THAT IT'S AN ICON I CAN RECALL RIGHT NOW A TOURIST ATTRACTION IN SAN ANTONIO OR HOUSTON.WHERE IS DALLAS ATTRACTION? YOU NEED ONE.
YOU DESERVE ONE AND THE COMMUNITY DESERVES ONE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS TIFFANY DI AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF TURTLE CREEK PARK CONSERVANCY.
UH, WE TAKE CARE OF TURTLE CREEK PARK AND ARLINGTON HALL AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE A HUNDRED PERCENT UH, FUNDING OF THE BOND ELECTION FOR PARK AND REC.
AND, UM, AS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE DALLAS PARKS COALITION, I'M EXCITED TO SUPPORT THE FULL FUNDING OF THE PARK BOARD REQUEST.
WE KNOW THAT IN INVESTMENT IN PARKS, TRAILS AND GREEN SPACES WILL HELP MAKE DALLAS A HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, AND MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE CITY.
AND WE WANT DALLAS TO BE GREENER AND GREATER FOR YEARS TO COME.
WE ALSO WANT OUR PARKS AND, UM, GREEN SPACES TO BE OPEN TO EVERYONE AT THE, IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR ACCESSIBILITY TO BE INCREASED FOR ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE DALLAS COMMUNITY.
AND SINCE COVID, WE'VE REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT THAT OUR GREEN SPACES ARE, ESPECIALLY IN TURTLE CREEK PARK, WHERE YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A DENSE, UH, POPULATED, UH, SECTION OF, OF PEOPLE THAT THERE'S, I THINK ABOUT 120,000 PEOPLE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK TO, UH, TURTLE CREEK PARK.
SO I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, JOINING ME IN SUPPORTING PARK AND REC.
HI, MY NAME'S CLINTON HALEY, AND I HEAD THE NONPROFIT SKATE PARKS FOR DALLAS AND REPRESENT ALL THESE FINE SKATE PARK FOLKS BEHIND ME HERE.
UH, AND THIS IS MY SON TRAVIS.
WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC SKATE PARKS IN DALLAS SINCE HE WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD.
HE'S 15 NOW, AND AS TALL AS ME.
WE'RE EXCITED THAT DALLAS WILL BUILD ITS FIRST MODERN PUBLIC SKATE PARK NEXT YEAR AT BACHMAN LAKE, BUT THAT IS STILL QUITE FAR FROM OUR EAST DALLAS NEIGHBORHOOD.
DALLAS NEEDS MORE NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SKATE PARKS, SKATEBOARDING AND B M X RIDING ARE OLYMPIC SPORTS NOW, AND PEOPLE WANT TO PURSUE THESE SPORTS HERE IN DALLAS.
EVERY SUBURBAN D F W SKATE PARK WE FREQUENT IS LOVED, WELL USED.
THEY PROVIDE EXERCISE, BUT ALSO ACT AS A COMMUNITY CROSSROADS FOR PEOPLE TO SOCIALIZE, DRAWING ALL AGES, GENDER RACES, ETHNICITIES, AND PEOPLE PRACTICE ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES AT THESE SKATE PARKS, INCLUDING SKATEBOARDING, B M X, RIDING QUAD SKATING, WHICH IS NOW THE COOL WAY TO SAY ROLLERSKATING, ROLLERBLADING AND SCOOTER RIDING.
UM, IN DALLAS PARKS AND RECS 2015 COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
IT STATES THAT DALLAS NEEDS 17 MORE SKATE PARKS BY NEXT YEAR, BY 2024.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE, ONE ANTIQUATED SKATE PARK IN FAR EAST DALLAS.
DALLAS IS WOEFULLY BEHIND THE CURVE IN PROVIDING DALLAS FAMILIES WITH PUBLIC SKATE PARKS.
OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITIES ALL HAVE BUILT MULTIPLE SKATE PARKS IN RECENT YEARS, INCLUDING FORT WORTH AND HOUSTON, WHO BUILT THE LARGEST ONE IN US AT THAT TIME.
IN MAY, 2021, THE PARKS BOARD DISCUSSED MASTER PLANS FOR VARIOUS PARK AMENITIES NEEDED IN DALLAS.
AND THIS STATEMENT BY OUR DISTRICT 13 PARKS BOARD REPRESENTATIVE AT THAT TIME REALLY HIT HOME FOR ME.
SHE SAID, QUOTE, I'M GOING TO LEAN TOWARDS WHERE I THINK WE ARE NOT VERY EQUITABLE IN TERMS OF USAGE AND LOCATIONS.
SO I'M GOING TO LEAN TOWARD DOG PARKS AND SKATE PARKS WITH MORE PEOPLE MOVING HERE FROM BOTH COASTS.
THEY'RE EXPECTING PARK AMENITIES SIMILAR TO THOSE CITIES THAT THEY'RE LEAVING.
IF WE WANNA KEEP DALLAS FAMILIES LIVING WITHIN THE CITY PROPER AND ATTRACT OTHERS TO DALLAS AND NOT TO THE SUBURBS, SKATE PARKS ARE PART OF THAT QUALITY OF LIFE IN WHICH DALLAS NEEDS TO INVEST.
THIS IS WHY PARKS AND REC WISELY INCLUDED MONEY IN THE BOND FOR THREE SKATE PARK PROJECTS.
ONE, MODERNIZING THE EXISTING LAKELAND HILLS SKATE PARK TWO, BUILDING AN OAK CLIFF SKATE PARK, WHICH DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER CHAD WEST HAS CHAMPIONED.
AND THREE, BUILDING A NEIGHBORHOOD SKATE PARK AT GLENCOE PARK IN DISTRICT 14.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ENSURE THIS MONEY REMAINS IN THE BOND FOR THESE SKATE PARKS.
IT WILL HELP DALLAS PARKS AND REC BEGIN TO CATCH UP WITH THE OTHER TEXAS CITIES IN PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED
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SKATE PARKS FOR THOSE KIDS WHO HAVE OUTGROWN THE PLAYGROUND.I'M GONNA READ OFF THE NEXT FIVE, UM, SPEAKERS AS WELL.
ANTHONY VARGAS, KAITLYN EBNER, VIRGINIA ANN PIPER, MICHAEL BLACKLEY, AND BILLY LANE.
IF YOU'RE IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU CAN, UH, WORK YOUR WAY DOWN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US TALK HERE TONIGHT.
I'M THE C E O OF COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF GREATER DALLAS COMMUNITY COUNCIL FOR 80 YEARS HAS BEEN SERVING THE LOW INCOME, UH, INDIVIDUALS IN FAMILIES IN DALLAS, INCLUDING HELPING WITH LIVING WAGE JOBS AND HOUSING.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY WONDERFUL PROJECTS THAT YOU ALL ARE HEARING ABOUT, AND I DON'T ENVY ANYONE WHO HAS TO MAKE THIS DECISION, BUT I WANNA TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE A CRISIS IN DALLAS, AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR AT LEAST $200 MILLION FOR HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.
I I USUALLY LIKE TO TELL STORIES AND NOT SHARE STATISTICS, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO HEAR A COUPLE OF NUMBERS.
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS IN WELLS FARGO PUBLISHES A HOUSING AFFORDABILITY INDEX EVERY YEAR.
ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT STUDY, A PERSON WHO MAKES A MEDIAN SALARY IN DALLAS COUNTY CAN ONLY AFFORD 29% OF THE AVAILABLE HOUSING.
THE NUMBER FOR HOUSTON IS 40%, AND THE NUMBER FOR AUSTIN IS 36%.
WHAT THAT TELLS US IS YOUR AVERAGE WAGE EARNER DALLAS IS THE LEAST AFFORDABLE CITY IN TEXAS.
THAT MEANS YOUR NURSES, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR POLICE OFFICERS, AND YOUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE GONNA HAVE AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME FINDING HOUSING.
AND THE LOW WAGE WORKERS, LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH, YOUR WAREHOUSE WORKERS, RETAIL WORKERS, DRIVERS, JANITORS, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
AND I KNOW THIS FIRSTHAND BECAUSE PART OF WHAT WE DO IS TRY TO FIND HOUSING FOR THESE PEOPLE.
ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT HUD HOMELESSNESS ASSESSMENT REPORT, DALLAS IS TIED WITH WASHINGTON D C AS THE 15TH LARGEST HOMELESS POPULATION THAT'S HIGHER THAN AUSTIN, THAT'S HIGHER THAN HOUSTON.
WE HAVE THE HIGHEST HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE STATE.
MY ORGANIZATION RECEIVES 200 CALLS A DAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER UNHOUSED OR ARE IN UNSTABLE HOUSING, AND THE MAJORITY OF THOSE CALLS ARE COMING FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THAT TELLS ME THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS OR SOON TO BE HOMELESS.
AND JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SEEING THEM ON THE STREET DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT THERE.
THIS HAS GOT TO BE A PRIORITY, AND I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE ALLOCATE AT LEAST 200 MILLION.
OTHERWISE, THE FUTURE OF DALLAS IS GONNA LOOK LIKE SAN FRANCISCO OR LA.
HELLO, I'M ACTUALLY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ANTHONY.
UM, I'M HERE ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THE SKATE PARKS, UH, HERE IN DALLAS, PARTICULARLY ONE HERE IN OAK CLIFF.
UM, I HAVE A SON THAT IS A PROUD SKATEBOARDER.
UM, HE'S BEEN SKATING SINCE HE WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD.
UM, WE TRAVEL, UH, OFTEN OUTSIDE OF DALLAS, UH, TO THE FINEST SKATE PARKS.
UM, TWO OF THOSE PARTICULARLY, UH, OUR FRISCO SKATE PARK AND, UH, CHISHOLM SKATE PARK OUT IN FORT WORTH.
THESE CITIES HAVE PROVIDED, UH, VERY NICE, UH, SKATE PARKS, UH, FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WE AS PARENTS ARE ABLE TO TAKE OUR SON TO THESE OUTSIDE SKATE PARKS.
THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHOSE PARENTS' WORK SCHEDULES DON'T ALLOW FOR THEM TO DRIVE THEIR KIDS TO THESE OUTSIDE SKATE PARKS.
SO THESE KIDS ARE SETTLING FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, RIDING THEIR SKATE PARKS ALONG THE SIDEWALKS.
UH, THESE KIDS ARE BEING FROWNED UPON
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RESTAURANTS, SCHOOLS, BANKS, RETAIL SHOPS DO NOT WANT THESE KIDS OUTSIDE THEIR BUSINESSES.MY SON PARTICULARLY HAD A FRIEND WHO WAS RIDING HIS SKATEBOARD ALONG A SIDEWALK OUTSIDE OF A STORE, AND THE MANAGER ACTUALLY CAME OUT AND HE WAS TOLD THAT, UH, HE DIDN'T WANNA SEE HIM OUTSIDE THE STORE ANYMORE ON HIS SKATEBOARD.
AND SO THESE KIDS JUST NEED SOMEWHERE THAT THEY CAN TRAVEL TO THAT'S LOCAL THAT THEY CAN GO TO AND SKATE AND RELEASE THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS ENERGY, THIS LOVE FOR SKATEBOARDING, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY CAN GET TO ON THEIR SKATEBOARD OR WALKING, YOU KNOW, OR USING THE LOCAL TRANSIT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ALL YOU KNOW WE'RE ASKING FOR.
UM, I KNOW THAT DALLAS HAS THE FUNDING AND I KNOW THEY HAVE THE SOURCES.
WE JUST HAVE TO PUT IN THE EFFORT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE TO AGREE, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS WHAT IS NEEDED, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
I'M A FIRST TIMER HERE AND HONORED TO SHARE ON BEHALF OF MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT 14.
UM, AND I LIVE IN THE LOWER GREENVILLE AREA.
I'M HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE TSI PARK PLAYGROUND, UM, NEEDS NEW EQUIPMENT AND, UM, I'M CAITLYN INA EBNER.
I'M A PARENT, A TEACHER OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, AND, UM, I HAVE A MASTER'S IN EDUCATION.
I KNOW THAT IN THIS ROOM, THERE'S NO QUESTION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESS THAT YOUNG CHILDREN NEED TO PARKS IN SAFE PLAY EQUIPMENT.
NEW EQUIPMENT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL ASK IN TSI PARK, UM, WAS RECENTLY THE BACKDROP OF MY SON'S THIRD BIRTHDAY.
UM, AND I, I SHARE THAT BECAUSE WE WERE EXCITED TO, UM, TO HAVE 30 KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS CELEBRATING WITH US.
WE HAVE A THRIVING COMMUNITY WITH A LARGE INFLUX OF YOUNG FAMILIES, AND I HAVE, UM, FIVE FRIENDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD BABIES THIS YEAR,
UM, IT'S EXCITING AND WE LOVE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A, A PARK THAT IS ESTABLISHED.
UM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THAT THE SUBSTANDARD EQUIPMENT HAS NOW EXPIRED, AND IT'S SHOWING NOTABLE WEAR WITH, UM, BROKEN PLASTIC THAT SPLITS.
AND, UM, ON ANY GIVEN MORNING, THE PLAYGROUND IS BUZZING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR CARETAKERS WHO VISIT THE PARK.
THERE'S SO MANY WORTHY PROJECTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT, AND SO I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER TC PARK IN THE BOND TO MAINTAIN WHAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, IT'S THAT KIND OF VIBRANCY THAT DRAWS MORE RESIDENTS AND COMPANIES LIKE WE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT TO DALLAS.
UM, LIKE WHAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED, IT'S AN ASSET THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE YOU TO ELEVATE TC PARK ON THE LIST OF AREAS THAT NEED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
THANK YOU, VIRGINIA ANN PIPER.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO MOVE US UP ON THE LIST OF PRIORITIES.
THE CITY HAS MARKED OUR STREET AS BEING FAILED, AND THAT'S GENEROUS.
UM, MY HUSBAND BOUGHT THE HOUSE WHEN IT WAS NEW IN 1981, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL PROBLEMS, UH, GOING IN TO BEGIN WITH THE ALLEY.
THIS STREET IS BASICALLY A CIRCLE ONE QUARTER MILE LONG, ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
THERE'S AN ALLEY ON THE NORTH SIDE AND ON THE EAST SIDE.
AND BOTH OF THESE WERE GRADED SO THAT THEY DRAINED INTO OUR YARDS, AND THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, BUT THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT THAT WAS PLANNED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT WAS NEVER PUT IN.
SO MY HOUSE HAD A FOUR INCH UNDERGROUND DRAIN.
WE'VE REPLACED THAT THREE DIFFERENT TIMES.
I HAVE NOW TWO SIX INCH DRAINS, AND I HAVE A
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TRENCH THAT WILL COVER AT LEAST THAT MUCH RUNOFF IN A REALLY BIG RAIN.I'VE STILL HAD WATER COME UP TO WHERE I RAISED MY FLOOR FOUR INCHES.
THIS IS NOT A UNUSUAL ON THIS STREET.
SO ALL THIS RUNOFF IS HITTING THE STREET.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, MY SIDEWALK WAS SINKING.
SO A FEW YEARS AGO, I HAD IT REPLACED AND I FOUND OUT THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING AN UNDERGROUND SPRING, THEY DIDN'T PUT A LID ON THE CLEAN OUT FOR MY SEWER.
AND SO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MAYBE A LITTLE CREEK IS EFFLUENT, AND THAT WASHED OUT MY SIDEWALK, AND THERE'S A BIG DIP IN MY STREET RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THAT SEWER WAS DRAINING ALL THOSE YEARS.
MY GUESS FROM LOOKING AROUND THIS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY HOUSE THAT HAD THAT PROBLEM.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OF 43 YEARS OF TRAFFIC ON AN ASPHALT STREET, UH, WE HAVE THE WATER SALT FROM ABOVE AND BELOW.
THEY'VE BEEN DUMPING ASPHALT PATCHES ON TOP OF PATCHES, ON TOP OF PATCHES, AND THEY SPED AND THEY FLAKE OFF.
UM, THE NORTHBOUND LANE OF THE WESTERN PORTION OF OUR CIRCLE.
SO ROUGH, YOU CANNOT WALK OVER IT.
TO DRIVE DOWN THIS STREET IS LIKE BEING ON A MIDWAY RIDE.
SO, BUT IT, THE CITY SAYS IT FAILED.
UH, IT, IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE THAT WE DESERVE TO BE HIGHER ON YOUR LIST.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK YOU TO, UH, HAVE A, UH, A NICE SOFT SPOT FOR THE LIBRARIES.
UH, WE DEFINITELY ARE NEEDING TO UPGRADE, UH, THREE OF OUR BRANCHES.
WE SPEND LESS PER CAPITA ON LIBRARY SERVICES THAN ANY OTHER CITY.
I'M GONNA READ OUT THE NEXT, UM, FEW SPEAKERS, CAROL BELL, WALTON, AARON WARD, MARK ISHMAEL, AMANDA POPKIN, PHILIP LULU LUCCI, AND GREGORY DIMAS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
TODAY I AM SPEAKING AS A NATIVE OF DALLAS, A CITIZEN OF DALLAS, AND ALSO AS AN ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER FOR THE TRINITY RIVER AUTO BOND CENTER, ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF A $4.3 MILLION FUNDING THROUGH THE 2024 BOND PACKAGE.
THE TRINITY RIVER AUTO BOND CENTER IS A JEWEL WITHIN DALLAS.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN, IT'S A UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM OF BIG TIMBERS, ROLLING GRASSLANDS, MARSHLAND, ALL WITHIN A WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT FILLED WITH HIKING TRAILS.
ADD TO THAT, THE BUILDING AND EDUCATION CENTER ITSELF IS AN ICON OF ARCHITECTURE AND A LEAD CERTIFIED BUILDING.
THIS IS 6,000 ACRES OF LAND THAT HAS BEEN MADE INTO SOMETHING UNIQUE DUE TO ITS ECOLOGY, TRAILS, ARCHITECTURE, AND HISTORY.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE UNAWARE, THIS ENVIRONMENTAL TREASURE ONLY 15 YEARS AGO WAS AN ILLEGAL DUMPING SITE.
VISIONARIES AT THE TIME CAME TOGETHER TO CLEAN IT UP.
REMOVE THE 1.5 MILLION TONS OF CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS AND TURN IT INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY.
THE TRINITY RIVER AUTO MINE CENTER BRINGS FREE ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENT THAT MANY INNER CITY KIDS DO NOT GET TO EXPERIENCE.
SINCE ITS CREATION, OVER 223,000 KIDS HAVE VISITED THE CENTER THROUGH FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS COMING ACROSS THE METROPLEX.
THE CENTER IS ALSO A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN CELEBRATE THEIR OWN LIVES.
AND THE LAST TWO YEARS, 137 EVENTS RANGING FROM MEETINGS TO PARTIES, TO WEDDINGS WERE HELD AT THE TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER.
IN FACT, MY WIFE AND I ARE CELEBRATING OUR 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY THERE NEXT YEAR.
SO WHAT ARE WE ASKING OF YOU? WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE 4.3 MILLION IN FUNDING TO REFRESH THE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR EXHIBIT SPACES TO ENSURE ONGOING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
CURRENTLY, THE EXHIBIT SPACE IN THE TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER HAS SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS. NEARLY 50% OF THE INDOOR SPACE FEATURES BROKEN EXHIBITS, AND IS FRANKLY UNENGAGING AND OUTDATED.
THE OUTDOOR EXHIBIT SPACE IS AL ALMOST UNUSABLE DUE TO BEING UNCOVERED AND ACCESSIBLE AND DANGEROUS IN CERTAIN AREAS.
THE BOND PACKAGE FUNDING WILL RESOLVE ALL THESE ISSUES BY CREATING AN ENGAGING HANDS-ON EXHIBIT SPACE.
IT WILL ALSO CREATE A BETTER AND LARGER SPACE FOR HOSTING THIRD PARTY EVENTS, GIVING THE TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, AND REVENUE BY INCREASED EVENT FEES AND HIGHER DEMAND FOR THE SPACE.
THE NATIONAL AUDUBON CENTERS ARE, I'M SORRY, THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY HAS ALREADY COMMITTED $1 MILLION TO THIS EFFORT, AND WE ARE ASKING THE CITY OF DALLAS TO COMMIT AN ADDITIONAL 4.3 MILLION IN FUNDING THROUGH THIS BOND PACKAGE.
[01:30:01]
THIS IMPORTANT SUCCESS STORY OF LAND RESTORATION AND UNDER IN AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.THIS FORMER LIABILITY IS NOW AN ASSET, THE CITY OF DALLAS.
PLEASE HELP IT CONTINUE ITS MISSION AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE ECOLOGY OF THE AREA.
WAIT, I'M SORRY, MA'AM, CAN YOU TURN YOUR, OH, WE GOT YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW PEOPLE VALUE PARKS IN THE CITY, AND I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL.
I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A PROJECT THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE BOND PROGRAM BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S, UH, CRITICAL AND IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
AND THAT IS THE WHITE ROCK TRAIL RIGHT ALONG GARLAND ROAD BETWEEN THE SPILLWAY AND THE ARBORETUM.
THE TRAIL IS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO GARLAND ROAD RIGHT AT THE SCENIC VISTA, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE LAKE AND THE SKYLINE AND THE DAM AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU ENGAGE WITH A CURVE AND A DROP IN ELEVATION, BUT THE REAL DANGER LIES BELOW THE TRAIL.
IT IS A SITUATION SO DANGEROUS.
I BELIEVE THAT RISK MANAGEMENT SHOULD BE FACTORED INTO ITS ANALYSIS.
THE TRAIL SAT ON AN EARTH AND WALL, BUT THAT EARTH AND WALL HAS WASHED OUT.
MUCH OF THE WHITE ROCK TRAIL NEAR THE ARBORETUM IS UNINTENTIONALLY CANTILEVERED.
IT IS JUST STICKING OUT OVER THE WATER.
THERE IS NOTHING SUPPORTING THE CONCRETE.
SIX FEET OF THE TRAIL HAS SLID, UH, FOUR INCHES TOWARDS THE LAKE AND CREATED A FISSURE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAIL.
UH, AND THE PHOTOS FOR THE WATER ARE MOST COMPELLING.
YOU CANNOT SEE THE DANGER FROM THE, UM, FROM THE LAND.
SO THIS PROBLEM WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED IN 2011, THE WHITE ROCK TASK FORCE.
A A GROUP OF 33 ORGANIZATIONS CONVEYED THAT DREDGING AND EROSIONS WERE ITS TOP, UH, PRIORITIES.
UM, THE, UH, UH, ADVICE THAT I WAS GIVEN WAS TO TAKE THIS TO THE DREDGING TASK FORCE, AND I DID THAT AND THEY KICKED THE CAN OVER TO THE PARKS TASK FORCE.
AND BY THEN, I FIGURE IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE TO GET ON THE PARKS AGENDA.
BUT PARKS DID COMMISSION A STUDY.
THEY HAD FOUND THE SITUATION SO VERY DANGEROUS THAT THEY DON'T THINK THAT THEY CAN WAIT FOR BOND FUNDING.
NOW THE PROBLEM IS THEY, THEY'VE COMMISSIONED A STUDY AND THERE'S TWO PHASES.
THERE'S PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO.
PHASE ONE IS JUST TO GET US TO A SAFE POINT.
PHASE TWO IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE ON THE BOND ELECTION.
WE'RE GONNA KNOW THE COST OF THAT PHASE AND THE EXTENT OF THAT PHASE IN OCTOBER.
WE ARE JUST A FEW WEEKS AWAY FROM KNOWING HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THE SUPER DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THIS TRAIL COULD ACTUALLY CAVE INTO THE LAKE AND IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME THE PARKING LOT'S FALLEN INTO THE LAKE AND THE TRAIL HAS SHIFTED BEFORE, UM, THE WHOLE WHITE ROCK PARKING LOT BY THE SPILLWAY WASHED INTO THE LAKE.
AND THERE'S NOT A PARKING LOT THERE ANYMORE.
IT'S A SUPER DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL AT LEAST SATISFY YOURSELVES THAT IT'S BEING ADDRESSED IF IT'S NOT GONNA BE ADDRESSED ON THE BONDS, BECAUSE IT, IT, IT'S NOT A SITUATION WE CAN KICK ANY FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
THERE'S HOLES SIX OR EIGHT FEET UNDER THAT'S, UH, THAT TRAIL, AND I JUST, I WISH THAT IT HAD BEEN ON THE BOND PROGRAM.
MAYBE THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE ASKING FOR TOO MUCH MONEY WITH DREDGING AND THAT THEY COULDN'T INCLUDE THIS.
AND I AM FOR THE DREDGING, I AM FOR THE WHOLE PARKS BOND PROGRAM, BUT I THINK $10 MILLION NEEDS TO BE ADDED.
THAT IS THE TIME SO THAT THIS SUPER CRITICAL SITUATION CAN BE ADDRESSED.
MARK ISHMAEL IS ALSO A VIRTUAL.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS MARK ISHMAEL AND I LIVE AT 24 0 1 BENNETT AVENUE IN DISTRICT 14, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION'S CALL TO DEDICATE 200 MILLION IN THE CITY'S 2024 BOND PROGRAM TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
AS WE KNOW, DALLAS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY UNAFFORDABLE.
BOTH HOME PRICES AND RENTS HAVE GONE UP BY CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS IN RECENT YEARS.
THIS INCREASE IN THE COST OF HOUSING CAUSES PEOPLE TO LEAVE DALLAS FOR CHEAPER HOUSING IN SUBURBAN AREAS, AND IT LEAVES DALLAS RESIDENTS WITH LESS MONEY TO SPEND ON OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES THEY NEED.
IT ALSO RESULTS IN THE CITY HAVING
[01:35:01]
LESS RESIDENTS AND JOBS SUPPORTING ITS NEIGHBORHOODS AND CONTRIBUTING TAX REVENUE, MEANING REDUCED FUNDING, UH, AVAILABLE FOR ALL CITY SERVICES.RECENT STUDIES SHOWED OWS IS SHORT OVER 33,000 AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS AND OVER 60,000 FOR SALE UNITS FOR HOUSEHOLDS MAKING BETWEEN 35,000 AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ANNUALLY.
MEANING WE'LL NEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND NEW OR REFURBISHED AFFORDABLE HOMES WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE TO TO MEET, SORRY, TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF OUR GROWING CITY AND GIVE PEOPLE ACCESS TO HOUSING.
THE CITY IS NOTHING WITHOUT ITS PEOPLE.
AND DALLAS IS BIG ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE AND WORK HERE.
IF WE'RE GONNA REALIZE OUR GREAT CITY'S FULL POTENTIAL, WE NEED TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH ARE AND, UH, GET SERIOUS ON HOUSING.
WHILE IN 2022 ALONE, SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN INVESTED 150 MILLION AND 350 MILLION RESPECTIVELY, UH, DALLAS HAS HISTORICALLY DEPRIORITIZED HOUSING WHEN ALLOCATING BOND FUNDS.
NOW IS THE TIME TO REVERSE THAT TREND AND DEDICATE SERIOUS RESOURCES TO LEVERAGING EXISTING CITY PLANS LIKE THE RECENTLY ADOPTED DALLAS HOUSING POLICY.
THIS BOND MONEY AND THE PRIVATE DOLLARS THAT WOULD FOLLOW BY DEDICATING $200 MILLION OF THE BOND TO HOUSING.
UH, PHILIP LUIGI IS VIRTUAL AS WELL.
UH, IT'S NOT ALLOWING MY CAMERA ON AND I, I PORTRAIT.
I HAD TO STEP AWAY FROM, UH, MY HOME COMPUTER, BUT, UH, WANTED TO JUST QUICKLY READ A, A STATEMENT HERE.
CAN YOU TURN YOUR CAMERA ON IT? IT SAYS IT'S NOT ALLOWING, UH, THE CAMERA.
UH, IT JUST SAYS, IT SAYS AND NOT ALLOWED, UH, I HAD TO MOVE OVER TO MY PHONE, UNFORTUNATELY.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, UH, AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE BOUND OFFICE.
MY NAME IS PHIL UCCI, DISTRICT 14.
UH, I'M HERE TO, UM, TO SPEAK ABOUT, UM, PB 2 9 0 6, THE MILK FLEET DRAINAGE RELIEF SYSTEM PROJECT PHASE THREE, UM, UNDER, UNDER THE FLOOD PRODUCTION PROTECTION AND STORM DRAINAGE, UH, SECTION OF BAN PROGRAM.
OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, UH, OF OWNERSHIP, UH, OF THIS PROPERTY, WE'VE HAD FLOODING, UH, MULTIPLE INSTANCES.
20 15, 20 18, 20 20, 20 21, 20 22.
AND THIS YEAR IN 2023, UM, THE FLOODING OCCURRED DUE TO AN OVERWHELMED DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND THE DRAINS HAVE, UH, BEEN ON MULTIPLE PROPERTIES AND INCLUDED GARAGES, HOMES FLOODED ON THE FIRST FLOORS, CARS FLOODED AND DAMAGED, AND ALSO ENDANGERED, UH, NEARBY MOTORISTS TO THE AREA.
THE FLOODING HAS BEEN TO THE 5,500 BLOCK OF RIDGEDALE, BOTH ON THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH SIDES.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS ONLY ONE OPENING ON THE FRONT AND ONE ON THE BACK TO ALLOW WATER TO DRAIN ALL THE WAY FROM THE TOP OF GLENCO STREET DOWN TO THE MIDPOINT OF RIDGEVILLE AVENUE.
I URGE THE CITY OF DALLAS BOND COMMITTEE TO APPROVE THIS PROJECT, E 2 0 9 MILL CREEK DRAIN RELIEF PROJECT PHASE NUMBER THREE, AND INCLUDE ADDITIONAL WASTE, WASTE WATER, RAINWATER, DRAINAGE, UH, OPENINGS TO ENSURE A SAFE, UH, AND, UH, PROTECTED AREA, AS WELL AS PROTECTING THE LARGEST INVESTMENT THAT WE ALL HAVE, WHICH ARE OUR HOMES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I APPRECIATE YOU HEARING ME OUT.
THE NEXT UH, FIVE SPEAKERS WE HAVE ARE GREGORY EDUS, RACHEL MCGOWAN, AARON GLOVER, BRAD PRICHARD, AND MARY FRANCIS YOUNG.
SO, UH, GREGORY EDUS, THIS IS NOT HERE.
UM, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WRITER'S GARRETT.
WE ARE A SMALL LITERARY ORGANIZATION LOCATED IN DISTRICT ONE, WHERE I ALSO LIVE AND WRITE.
I WANNA SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR ALL OF US.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME OVER MANY NIGHTS FOR HEARING ALL OF US.
UM, I'M HERE TO ASK THAT YOU ALLOT THE REQUESTED 6% OF BOND FUNDS TOWARDS THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF WHICH WILL BE USED TOWARDS CRITICAL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR, UH, TO ESSENTIAL AND ESSENTIAL UPDATES TO CITY OWNED FACILITIES.
NEARLY 27,000 PEOPLE USE AND DO BUSINESS IN CITY ART OWNED, CITY OWNED ARTS AND CULTURAL FACILITIES EACH
[01:40:01]
YEAR, DAY IN AND DAY OUT, WE PROVIDE THE ENTERTAINMENT, THE CULTURE, THE SOUL OF THE CITY.A SOUL CAN'T EXIST WITHOUT A BODY.
IT ALSO NEEDS MAINTENANCE, REST, AND UPKEEP.
AND OCCASIONALLY THE ATTENTION OF THOSE TASKED TO HEAL WHAT IS UNWELL AND REPAIR WHAT HAS BEEN BROKEN.
THE CITY HAS NEGLECTED THE BODY IN WHICH THE CULTURAL SOUL LIVES.
BUILDINGS LIKE THE HISTORIC MAJESTIC THEATER, THE HISTORIC MORLAND, Y M C A AND THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER, AN ARCHITECTURAL JEWEL DESIGNED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT IS CRUMBLING TO RUINS, AND I'M NOT BEING HYPERBOLIC, WHERE EACH YEAR, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GENERATE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
THESE BUILDINGS LAST RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT 17 YEARS AGO, SI SIGNIFICANT BOND INVESTMENT 17 YEARS AGO IN 2006.
THE CITY KNOWS THAT THE BODY NEEDS HEALING AND REPAIR AS OWNERS OF THESE BUILDINGS.
IT HAS ALREADY COMMITTED TO THEIR CARE.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT MANICURES AND FACELIFTS.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BATHROOMS THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THREATENS HUMAN SAFETY.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CRITICAL REPAIRS THAT WILL COST THREE OR MORE TIMES AS MUCH TO ADDRESS IF THEY ARE DEFERRED FURTHER.
AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT NEW ADDITIONS.
WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR NEW FACILITIES.
THE ARTS COMMUNITY IS ASKING THE BOND COMMITTEE TO UPHOLD ITS COMMITMENT.
I'M SORRY, UPHOLD THE COMMITMENT THE CITY HAS MADE TO MAINTAIN ITS INVESTMENTS BY ALLOTTING THE REQUESTED 6% OF BOND FUNDS TOWARDS THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
I'M THE CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER AT THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART, ONE OF THE 10 LARGEST MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRY.
TONIGHT WE JOIN OUR PARTNERS TO REQUEST A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN EXISTING ARTS AND CULTURE FACILITIES ACROSS DALLAS, INCLUDING OUR OWN CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
AT THE D M A, THE CITY OF DALLAS OWNS THE D M A FACILITY AND A PORTION OF THE ART COLLECTION.
THE D M A PROVIDES FREE GENERAL ADMISSION AND FREE EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT THE MUSEUM AND IN NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT DALLAS.
WE DO ALL OF THIS THROUGH PRIVATE FUNDING, INCLUDING RESTRICTED ENDOWMENTS AND DEDICATED TO THINGS LIKE SALARIES, COLLECTION, ACQUISITIONS, AND PROGRAMMING.
TO CONTINUE THE WORK WE DO, THE CITY'S 40 YEAR OLD FACILITY NEEDS MAJOR MAINTENANCE TO PROTECT ITS WORLD-CLASS COLLECTION VISITORS AND STAFF.
THESE ITEMS WOULD INCLUDE A NEW FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM, HUMIDITY CONTROL, WATERPROOFING TO SEAL ROOF LEAKS, BALLISTIC GLASS AND SECURITY FILM ON WINDOWS AND DOORS.
WE ARE RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR 36 MILLION IN BOND FUNDS TO ADDRESS THESE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS AND UPGRADES.
TO PAINT A PICTURE OF HOW URGENT THESE FUNDS ARE, ROUGHLY 25 MILLION WOULD GO DIRECTLY TOWARDS FIRE CONTROL, OUR END OF LIFE HVAC SYSTEM AND SWITCHGEAR THAT IS CURRENTLY AT RISK OF FAILING AND STOPPING ALL MUSEUM OPERATIONS.
WE PLAN TO MATCH THE FUNDS FIVE TO ONE THROUGH A ROUGHLY $175 MILLION DONOR FUNDED CAMPAIGN TO RENOVATE AND MODERNIZE THE MUSEUM.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT OUR REQUEST OF 36 MILLION IN THE BOND PROGRAM FOR THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART TO UPDATE AND REPLACE CRITICAL SYSTEMS IN THE FACILITY.
THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS IS MARY FRANCIS YOUNG, KIT SAWYER, BILL PARKER, CATHERINE MCGOVERN, AND GRACE COOK.
I HAVE A HANDOUT TOO IN THE, OKAY, YOU GOT IT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR, UM, WORK THAT YOU DO FOR OUR GREAT CITY.
MY NAME IS MARY FRANCES YOUNG.
I RESIDE AT 93 11 WATERVIEW ROAD IN DISTRICT NINE.
I AM HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND REQUEST AN ALLOCATION FROM THIS BOND TO MANAGE AND IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF TWO VERY BUSY ROADS THAT INTERSECT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, NORTH BUCKNER BOULEVARD AND NORTH CLIFF DRIVE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE 500 BLOCK OF NORTH BUCKNER BOULEVARD BETWEEN, UM, WELL COMING WEST IS NORTHWEST HIGHWAY AND MOCKINGBIRD LANE, THE, THAT'S THE WEST SIDE, AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING EAST.
[01:45:01]
AND THEN FROM THE EAST, PEOPLE CUT ACROSS ON BUCKNER BOULEVARD TO GO WEST AND IT'S VERY BUSY.IT'S THREE LANES ON EACH THOROUGHFARE THROUGH EACH SIDE.
UM, AND CARS ARE EXCESSIVELY SPEEDING AND RACING AT MANY TIMES OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.
UM, AT THE 500 BLOCK OF NORTH B NORTH BUCKNER BOULEVARD, UM, THERE ARE ONLY TWO 40 MILES PER HOUR SIGNS.
IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF WE COULD GET SOME SAFETY OR SPEED CONTROL HERE.
UM, I LIKE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE, THAT BLINK WHEN YOU GO OVER 40.
I MEAN, PEOPLE, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE AWARE HOW FAST THEY'RE GOING, UM, AND IT'S KIND OF SCARY.
THE NEXT UM, PART OF THIS DRIVE IS THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH CLIFF AND NORTH BUCKNER BOULEVARD.
UM, THIS IS A VERY ACTIVE PART OF, UM, THE STREET.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WHITE ROCK LAKE ON NORTH CLIFF DRIVE, AND SO THEY'RE GOING TOWARDS THE LAKE FROM BUCKNER BOULEVARD.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT PAGE, UM, THE SAFETY LINES HAVE ALL FADED, UH, FROM THE CROSSWALK.
AND THERE'S MANY PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS THAT ARE CROSSING THIS EVERY DAY.
AND I, ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WE ARE REQUESTING A MORE PROMINENT PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE SAFETY LINES AND CROSSWALK IN THIS INTERSECTION.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURES, THEY'RE KIND OF OBSOLETE OR GONE BY NOW.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND, UM, THAT IS MY ONLY REQUEST.
THANK YOU ALL SINCERELY FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
MY NAME IS KIT SARS AND I'M PRESIDENT AND C E O OF CLYDE WARREN PARK.
TO QUOTE OUR MAYOR, CLYDE WARREN PARK HAS BECOME DALLAS' TOWN SQUARE, BRINGING MORE THAN 1 MILLION PEOPLE TOGETHER EVERY YEAR FROM THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND AROUND THE WORLD.
WE'RE PROUD TO HOST MORE THAN 1300 PRIVATELY FUNDED FREE EVENTS AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FITNESS CLASSES, CONCERTS, CULTURAL FESTIVALS, MOVIES, TRICK OR TREATING, AND OF COURSE, INDEPENDENCE DAY AND TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS PARKS DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CLYDE WARREN PARK'S RESULTS ARE UNPRECEDENTED SERVING AS A MODEL FOR PARKS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
REMARKABLY, THE ASSESSED VALUE OF PROPERTIES WITHIN OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT HAS INCREASED MORE THAN 200% SINCE THE PARK OPENED IN 2012.
FROM 2.5 BILLION TO 7.7 BILLION, GENERATING $660 MILLION IN INCREMENTAL PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE CITY COUNTY, D I S D, DALLAS COLLEGE AND PARKLAND.
WE NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AMPLIFY OUR SUCCESS BY ADDING 1.7 ACRES TO THE WEST.
AN UPDATED H R N A STUDY PROJECTS OUR PROPOSED EXPANSION WOULD GENERATE ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE OF $28 MILLION EACH YEAR.
THE PLANNED EXTENSION WILL COVER THE LAST RECESSED PORTION OF WOODALL ROGERS FREEWAY PROVIDING FURTHER CONNECTIVITY TO FIELD STREET AND TO THE PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE.
THE CURRENT PLANS WILL ENABLE US TO HOST EVEN MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND OFFER A WEATHER PROTECTED VENUE BEFORE WE CAN FULFILL THOSE DREAMS. HOWEVER, WE MUST GET THE DECKS BUILT THAT SUPPORT THE EXPANDED PARK.
THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE SECTOR HAVE INCREASED THEIR INVESTMENT IN THE PROJECT TO HELP OFFSET AN INFLATION RELATED INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
AND WE'RE ASKING THE CITY TO DO THE SAME.
IF WE'RE UNABLE TO SECURE THESE FUNDS, NOT ONLY DO WE LOSE THE $13 MILLION WE'VE INVESTED IN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING WORK TO DATE, BUT WE'RE AT RISK OF LOSING THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS ALREADY COMMITTED TO BUILDING THE DECK INFRASTRUCTURE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR CITY WILL LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ONE, CREATE MORE MORE COMMUNITY SPACE IN THE URBAN CORE.
TWO, ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF 20 PLUS ACRES AROUND THE EXPANSION SITE, AND THREE, SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE INCREMENTAL TAX REVENUE THAT SUPPORTS OUR CITY, COUNTY SCHOOLS AND HOSPITAL.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING CLYDE WARREN PARK AND THE 2024 BOND PACKAGE, AND PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OTHER PARKS AND TRAILS.
[01:50:04]
BILL PARKER.GOOD EVENING, AND I DO HAVE A HANDOUT THAT'S COMING AROUND AS WELL.
UH, I'M BILL PARKER AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT TONIGHT ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND TRANSFORMATIVE NATURE OF, OF PARKS AND THE WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL GOES FROM WHITE ROCK LAKE ALL THE WAY UP TO SPRING VALLEY ROAD IN A GRADE SEPARATED MANNER.
SO YOU CAN TAKE THAT ENTIRE EIGHT MILE WALK RIDE WITHOUT ANY TRAFFIC CROSSING AT ALL.
SO THAT'S PRETTY UNIQUE AMONG ALL THE OTHER BIKE TRAILS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THE WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL WAS THE FIRST LINEAR TRAIL THAT DALLAS BUILT IN 1986, AND PARTS OF IT HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED AT ALL SINCE THAT TIME.
ON YOUR HANDOUT ON THE FIRST PAGE, YOU CAN SEE AN IMAGE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TOWARDS, AND THAT IS A SECTION THAT WAS UPDATED IN 2013 WITH A, UH, EROSION CONTROL BOND PROGRAM FUNDING.
IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE TWO AND THREE, YOU SEE WHAT THE OTHER PARTS OF THE TRAILER, LIKE, THEY'RE EIGHT FEET WIDE.
THEY DON'T MATCH THE CURRENT DESIGN STANDARDS FOR TRAILS, UH, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE THERE'S BEEN ANY MAINTENANCE.
THERE'S SIGNIFICANT FLOODING AND MUD ISSUES TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE MULTIPLE AMBULANCE EVENTS THAT OCCUR EVERY YEAR.
WE CAN'T REALLY TRACK THE NUMBER OF THEM BECAUSE THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A WAY TO DO THAT AND PARKS DOESN'T HAVE A WAY TO DO THAT, BUT WE HAVE RESIDENTS ALONG THE TRAIL THAT REPORT TO US.
SO FAR THERE'S BEEN THREE AMBULANCE EVENTS THIS YEAR, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THIS PART THAT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED YET TO CURRENT STANDARDS.
UH, YOU SEE ON PAGE FOUR, THE DISTRICTS THAT WE GO THROUGH, I ACTUALLY LIVE IN DISTRICT 12, SO THIS WHITE ROCK CREEK CORRIDOR IS A DRAINAGE VEHICLE FOR AN AWFUL LOT OF CYCLISTS AND JOGGERS AND HIKERS THAT COME THROUGH HERE AND GO FURTHER SOUTH OF WHITE ROCK LAKE OR TAKE OTHER TRAILS.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEVEN TRAILS THAT CONNECT TO OUR, TO OUR TRAIL, SO THAT'S INCREASING THE TRAFFIC OF OUR TRAIL, WHICH ALREADY HAS THE HIGH, WELL, THE LAST TIME COUNTS WERE TAKEN.
AND CURRENTLY MANY OF THE COUNT STATIONS ARE, ARE NOT OPERATIONAL, BUT THE LAST TIME WE HAVE COUNTS, THE WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL WAS THE HIGHEST CYCLE TRAIL IN THE DALLAS PARK SYSTEM.
KATY, OF COURSE, HAS MUCH MORE WALKING TRAFFIC.
THERE ARE FOUR DART STATIONS THAT CONNECT TO THE WHITE ROCK TRAIL.
UH, SO FROM A TRANSPORTATION STANDPOINT, FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THIS MODERNIZED TRAIL SO THAT IT, IT CAN SUPPORT THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC AS ADDITIONAL TRAILS CONNECT TO US.
I AM AT 4 3 6 4 ROYAL RIDGE DRIVE.
AND AS YOU MAY RECALL, WHEN I CAME BACK HERE ON AUGUST 14TH, I WAS HELPED WITH A A LEG BOOT AND A WALKER, SO I'M MUCH BETTER NOW.
AND I BRING WITH ME NANCY KENTE.
NOW NANCY AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON THE PRESS MEMORIAL LIBRARY FRIENDS 10 PLUS YEARS.
SO WE ACTUALLY WERE HERE WHEN ANN MCGOLD WAS, UH, OUR COUNCILWOMAN AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
AND, UH, SHE HELPED US WITH WHEN WE WERE, UH, UPGRADING THE LANDSCAPE AT THE LIBRARY.
BUT NOW WE HAVE A DIFFERENT ISSUE ENTIRELY BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH SPACE.
SO YOU MIGHT THINK, WELL, WHERE IS PRESTON ROYAL LIBRARY? IF YOU GO SOUTH OF THE L B J NORTH OF NORTHWEST HIGHWAY, EAST OF 75 WEST OF MARSH LANE, YOU ARE IN THIS AREA THAT IS SERVED BY THIS LIBRARY, AND YET IT IS THE SMALLEST LIBRARY OF INTERIOR SPACE ON THE PLANT.
WELL, MAYBE THAT'S AN OVERSTATEMENT, BUT IT'S SMALL.
AND YOU MAY RECALL THAT I, WHEN I WAS HERE
[01:55:01]
ON THE 15TH, I GAVE YOU ALL A COPY OF THE ARCHITECTURAL BOOK.IT'S POTENTIALS BECAUSE WE KNOW AS PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, WE DO NOT MAKE THE DECISIONS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO PUT ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BOND TO MAKE THIS LIBRARY WORK FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN OUR AREA.
EXCUSE ME, I HAVE PASSED AROUND TO YOU A COPY OF THIS LETTER, WHICH I WAS GONNA READ, BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT TOO GOOD AT READING.
BUT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU ONE THING THAT I HAD INCLUDED IN THE FIRST HANDOUT I LEFT IS THIS, UH, OUR POSTCARD PETITION.
SO FAR WE HAVE GOTTEN OVER 150 SIGNATURES ON THAT.
NOW YOU MAY THINK THAT THAT'S NOT THAT MANY, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH TRIPLE DIGITS, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A BUMP FOOT, WHILE I HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE HELPING ME, SO I CAN'T REALLY BLAME IT ON MY FOOT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM DISTRICT 14.
I I THINK IT MUST BE ANN'S, EXCUSE ME, DON'T MEAN TO GET TOO CASUAL HERE, HER AURA THERE, BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM DISTRICT SEVEN AND OTHER DISTRICT 12 OTHER DISTRICTS THAT RECOGNIZE THAT A LIBRARY SERVES MANY USES.
WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT TO KEEP A LIBRARY THAT HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITY FOUR GENERATIONS GOING, IT'S STRUCTURALLY SOUND.
THANK YOU, BUT ALL VERY MUCH THANK YOU.
UH, THE LAST SET OF SPEAKERS WE HAVE JOHN MATTHEWS, JESSICA HERNANDEZ, JAMES WIGGINS, AND JAN DE MULDER.
IF MY WORDS ARE TO BE DEDUCED TO ONE SENTENCE, LET IT BE THIS, I CANNOT ADVOCATE MORE STRONGLY FOR A PARK AND RECREATION IN THE 2024.
BOND PARKS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY PARKS OFFER REPRIEVE FROM A LONG DAY AND RESPITE FROM THE SUMMER HEAT.
IT IS WHERE WE WALK OUR CHILDREN, OUR DOGS AND OUR MINDS WHEN THEY HAVE TOO MUCH RATTLING AROUND IN THEM.
KIND OF LIKE MYSELF RIGHT NOW, UH, PARKS MAKE OUR CITY LIVABLE.
PARKS MAKES OUR CITY RESILIENT.
IT IS WHERE WE GATHER AND WHERE WE GATHER IS OUR HOME.
AND FOR TOO LONG HAS THERE BEEN A DEARTH OF NATURAL GREEN SPACE IN SOUTHERN DALLAS, WHICH BRINGS ME TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS.
THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS WILL CONVERT THE ABEL SUMP PONDS FROM A PURE UTILITY FLOOD STORAGE INTO A MULTIPURPOSE AMENITY THROUGH THE CREATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF 17 ACRES OF URBAN STORMWATER WETLANDS.
THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS WILL CAPTURE AND CLEANSE HUNDREDS AND MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF RUNOFF WATER THAT FLOW INTO THE TRINITY RIVER EACH AND EVERY YEAR, ALL WHILE ENHANCING FLOOD STORAGE, PROVIDING PARK SPACE, AND ESTABLISHING AN URBAN WATER LAB.
I HAVE BEEN A PROPONENT OF THIS PROJECT FOR YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION AND DALLAS WATER UTILITIES TO PROGRESS DESIGN AND ENGINEERING, NAVIGATE PERMITTING AND SECURE COMMITMENTS OF LAND AND MONEY.
THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS WILL MAKE OUR CITY MORE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN SOUTHERN DALLAS, ENHANCE FLOOD STORAGE, AND THROUGH THE URBAN WATER LAB, WE'LL PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL CENTER ON WATER TO OUR COMMUNITY.
DON'T GET ME WRONG, THIS IS AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT.
IT IS A, IT IS A PROJECT THAT HAS NO COMPARABLE IN ANY OTHER URBAN ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I'M BRINGING THE SUPPORT OF MATTHEW SOUTHWEST AND OUR TRACK RECORD WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY TO THE TABLE.
FOR THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS TO BE VIABLE, IT REQUIRES SEVERAL ACRES OF LAND ADJACENT TO THE FUTURE PARK TO BE DONATED TO CREATE ENGINEERED WETLANDS.
MATTHEW SOUTHWEST IS PROUD TO CONTRIBUTE THIS LAND FOR THIS PARK TO THE WETLAND FOUNDATION.
WE ARE NO STRANGER TO PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE PARTNERSHIP, GRIT, AND COMMITMENT TO REALIZE THIS HAS BEEN SHOWN THROUGH NUMEROUS
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PROJECTS OVER OUR 27 YEAR TRACK RECORD DEVELOPING IN THE CITY OF DALLAS TO DATE.THROUGH THE ADVANCEMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, LAND DONATIONS AND NUMEROUS PARTNERSHIPS WITH NON-PROFITS, WE HAVE SHOWN WE ARE WILLING TO PUT SKIN IN THE GAME TO ADVANCE BOLD IDEAS.
WHILE THIS PROJECT WAS KICKSTARTED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS IN 2013, IT IS A PROJECT THAT CANNOT BE DONE BY THE CITY ALONE.
IT IS ALSO A PROJECT THAT CANNOT BE DONE BY THE DALLAS WETLANDS FOUNDATION ALONE.
THIS IS A BOLD PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN BUILT ON PARTNERSHIP AND REQUIRES PARTNERSHIP TO CONTINUE IN SPIRIT OF THIS.
IN ADDITION TO MATCHING FUNDING AND SECURING LAND CONTRIBUTIONS, THE DALLAS WETLAND FOUNDATION IS PROUD TO TAKE ON THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATER COMMONS.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF PARKS AND IN SUPPORT OF THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS.
I'M GLAD I GET TO BE ONE OF YOUR LAST ONES.
UM, MY NAME IS JESSICA HERNANDEZ.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OWEN WOOD FARM AND NEIGHBOR SPACE.
WE ARE A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY CENTER OVER IN THE EAST, UH, EAST DALLAS AREA OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
WE ARE SOLELY FOCUSED ON THE 7 5 2 2 8 AREA.
WE ARE SERVING CITIZENS OF FAR EAST DALLAS.
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL FAMILIES WHO MOSTLY LIVE IN POVERTY AND I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR THEM.
UM, I WANNA TAKE A SECOND JUST TO REMIND YOU OF WHAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS DEFINED BY ON GOOGLE, WHICH IS THE ACTIVITY OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE ACCESS TO THEM.
SO I AM HERE TODAY PROVIDING A SERVICE OF ADVOCACY, A VOICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE TODAY AND ABLE TO EXPRESS, UM, THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE I WORK.
I AM ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO PLACE THE WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATIONAL CENTER ON THE 2024 BOND.
OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES DESERVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO, UM, ASIDE FROM OWEN WOOD, WHICH IS THRIVING, UM, AND THEY CAN BE JUST SAFE AND JUST HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GATHER THE YOUTH, ADULTS, AND SENIORS.
UH, REALLY NEED A DEDICATED SPACE WHERE THEY CAN GO TO MEET NEW FRIENDS, LEARN NEW WAYS, AND STAY ACTIVE, ACTIVE AND HEALTHY THROUGHOUT DALLAS.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE RECREATIONAL CENTERS BUT ARE COMMUNITY DOES NOT.
WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 28 YEARS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND AS I END THE NIGHT TODAY, UM, I HOPE THAT IF YOU TAKE ANYTHING FROM TODAY, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN LEAVE AND JUST REMIND YOURSELF OR ASK YOURSELF, UM, WHY YOU ARE IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT GOT YOU HERE TO THIS POSITION? BECAUSE WE ARE ALL IN SOME WAY ALL IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
JAMES WIGGINS, IF I CAN MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS A HANDOUT THAT SHE'S PASSING OUT.
MY NAME IS JAMES WIGGINS AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT A NEED FOR STORM DRAINAGE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 13 AND THE AREA HAS A FLOODING PROBLEM.
ON PAGE ONE OF THE HANDOUT, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS IT.
THE STORM WATER LINE FLOWS SOUTH FROM I 6 35 DOWN CRESTLINE AVENUE.
THERE'S SEVERAL AREAS THAT I'VE IDENTIFIED THAT HAVE THAT, THAT FLOOD, INCLUDING TWIN POST ROAD IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO CRESTLINE PARK.
THERE ARE DOZENS OF HOMES DIRECTLY IMPACTED, BUT THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD IS SUFFERING.
EXHIBIT B, WHICH IS ON THE NEXT PAGE, SHOWS MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF SEVEN HOMES THAT ARE IMPACTED IN A, IN A LARGE WAY.
THE AREA WAS DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY 1960S ORIGINALLY, AND FOR 40 YEARS THERE WERE NO ISSUES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO STATE THIS IS NOT A FLOOD ZONE.
THE FLOODING IS NOT DUE TO CREEKS OR RIVERS, IT'S DUE TO RUNOFF.
WE COULD FOCUS ON THE WHY, BUT THIS IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS COMMITTEE AND ALSO MY TIME AVAILABLE TO SPEAK.
THE FLOODING HAS OCCURRED AGAIN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, INCLUDING RECENTLY IN 2015, MAY OF 21 AND APRIL OF 22.
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TWICE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, IT IS GETTING MORE FREQUENT.EXHIBIT THREE IS A PICTURE FROM A RING CAMERA IN MY NEIGHBOR'S BACKYARD.
THIS SHOWS WATER THAT'S TWO FEET DEEP IN THE ALLEY.
THIS GARAGE IS DIRECTLY BEHIND MY HOUSE.
IN BOTH MAY OF 21 AND APRIL OF 22, I HAD OVER A A FOOT OF FLOOD, A FOOT OF FLOOD WATER IN MY HOUSE.
THE WATER LINE WAS THREE FEET HIGH ON THE FENCE, ON THE ON, ON THE, ON THE, UH, FENCE IN OUR ALLEY.
AND DID I MENTION WE ARE NOT IN A FLOOD ZONE YET? WE ARE EXPENSING.
WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING FLOODING FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
EXHIBIT D IS A LETTER OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SENT TO THE CITY IN MAY OF 22 EXPLAINING OUR SITUATION.
THE FLOODING IS HAPPENING WITH A MORE MODERATE RAIN AND EVENTS OF ONLY 1.31 INCHES.
THAT WAS RECORDED IN APRIL OF 22.
EACH EVENT IS COSTING HOMEOWNERS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR FLOOD DAMAGE.
AND WE LIVE IN FEAR EVERY TIME IT RAINS.
WE CAN'T SELL OUR HOMES AND THE QUESTION, AND WE QUESTION IF WE SHOULD MAKE REPAIRS OR IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PROPERTY.
THE CITY'S AWARE OF OUR SITUATION.
THE SPRING, THE CITY WATER UTILITY DEPARTMENT COMMENCE THE STUDY OF THE AREA STORM WATER DRAINAGE.
THE REPORT IS DUE THIS FALL AND IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS ON THE TOP OF THE NEEDS LIST.
THE CITY OF DALLAS IS A LARGE COMMUNITY.
EVERYONE KNOWS IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF YOUR FOUNDATION, YOUR HOUSE WILL CRUMBLE.
OUR FOUNDATION HAS BEEN CRACKING FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT, A BOND FUNDING TO SOLVE THIS 20 OLD YEAR OLD PROBLEM IN DISTRICT 13.
WE HAVE JAN DE DEMOLD ONLINE AND THEN VICKI MEEK, SORRY.
WE MAY NEED YOU TO START OVER.
MY NAME IS YOUNG PRESIDENT OF THE
LOOKS LIKE I'M ABOUT AT THE END OF YOUR LIST, SO I'M GONNA TRY TO KEEP IT SHORT.
I'M HERE TO REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT FOR
RESERVE IS TRULY A GEM IN THE HEART OF THE CITY AND IT'S A MAJOR ASSET OF OUR CITY THAT ALLOWS THE DALLAS RESIDENTS TO HAVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.
THE WHITER CREATURE CONNECTS MORE THAN 10 DIFFERENT CITY OF DALLAS PARKS, UH, FROM HILLCREST, UH,
IT ALSO ENABLES, UH, OVER SEVEN CONNECTING TRAILS.
IT ALLOWS PEOPLE FROM FAR NORTH DALLAS TO GET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DOWNTOWN.
IT ENABLES ACCESS TO MORE THAN FOUR DARTS STATIONS TO ACCESS TO NUMEROUS BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND MANY MORE.
THIS GREAT TRAIL IS ONE OF THE OLDEST IN THE CITY, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT IT IS NARROW, DAMAGED, AND OFTEN FLOODED.
THOUGH WE NEED TO UPGRADE AND WIDEN THIS TRAIL, WE NEED TO MAKE IT MORE FLOOD FRIENDLY AND ENABLE MORE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL THE DALLAS RESIDENTS.
IN CONCLUSION, THE MANY USERS OF OUR PARKS AND TRAILS WITH VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR STRONG SUPPORT.
AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID BEFORE ME, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THIS HARD, HARD WORK OF, YOU KNOW, REVIEWING ALL THIS BOND REQUESTS.
I LIVE AT 7 0 5 LOWELL STREET IN DISTRICT 14, AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR SUPPORTING ALL OF US WHO ARE NEEDING THE VARIOUS AND SUNDRY THINGS THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS NEEDS.
LIKE MANY OF THE OTHERS, I SUPPORT THE $399 MILLION ALLOTMENT FOR PARKS IN THE BOND DISCUSSIONS.
I'M ALSO HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS, A NATURAL
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PARK THAT ALSO TRACES WATER INFRASTRUCTURE REALITIES TO CREATE NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR REMEDIATION, RECREATION AND EDUCATION.THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS CONVERTS FLOOD WATER SUMPS AND INDUSTRIAL LAND, EAST OF THE LEVEES INTO A NATURAL CITY PARK WITH IMPACTFUL CLEANSING, WETLANDS, FLOOD MITIGATION, AND CITY EQUITY SOLUTIONS, A DESTINATION FOR DALLAS SITES AND VISITORS TO ENJOY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY LEARN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF WATER.
THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS JOINS FUNCTIONALITY WITH BEAUTY URBAN DEVELOPMENT WITH HEIGHTENED AWARENESS OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER SCIENCE WITH A NATURAL GATHERING SPACE AS WELL AS RESPONSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT POSITIVELY IMPACTS ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY.
THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS WILL ENHANCE APPROXIMATELY 17 ACRES OF URBAN STORMWATER WETLANDS.
THESE WETLANDS WILL POLISH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER THAT FLOW INTO THE TRINITY RIVER PROPER EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS A GREEN SPACE THAT WILL EXIST WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM WHERE WE'RE STANDING LINKING DOWNTOWN TO A NATURAL PARK.
IT IS ALSO BLOCKS FROM THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST.
THIS PROJECT WILL TRANSFORM A FORMER INDUSTRIAL AREA INTO AN URBAN OASIS THAT INTEGRATES THE OFTEN INVISIBLE MOVEMENT OF NATURE AND WATER WITHIN THE BUILT LANDSCAPE OF CITY UH, INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS BECAUSE I FEEL AS THOUGH OFTENTIMES WE HAVE, UM, ISSUES AROUND WATER THAT AFFECT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THAT KIND OF REPRESENTATION IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
AS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN PLANNING FOR THIS.
I'M HOPING YOU ALL WILL SUPPORT THAT $399 MILLION FOR THE PARKS AND THAT WE WILL BE A PART OF THAT EFFORT AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
THAT WAS THE CONCLUSION OF OUR SPEAKERS.
UH, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU COMING.
I KNOW IT'S A WEEKDAY EVENING AND IT'S, AS YOUR COMMITMENT SHOWS, UH, SO MUCH AND IT HELPS US TO TAKE NEXT STEPS.
OUR, UH, WITH THAT WE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE INPUT WAS HELPFUL, WHICH WILL HELP US AS WE START CELEBRATING IN FEW WEEKS.
UH, WITH THAT, I THINK WE ARE DONE WITH OUR BUSINESS TODAY.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON OCTOBER 3RD AT UH, 6:00 PM WHICH AGAIN WILL BE A TOWN HALL.
I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TAKING THIS PROCESS TO CONCLUSION SOON AND TAKING IT TO THE COUNCIL WITH YOUR HELP.
IT IS EIGHT 18 AND WE ADJOURN MEETING OF, UH, DALLAS BOND TASK FORCE.