[00:00:01]
IT IS 10 0 2 AND WE CAN MEET OUR
I'M SURE YOU ARE WATCHING THE BUDGET DEBATE, WHICH OUR DIRECTOR IS FIGHTING PEERLESS AND KEEP SUPPORT OF EVERYONE TO BACK HIM UP.
HE, HE REALLY IS, UH, MAKING THE BEST EFFORT THAT, UH, THE PARK GETS.
ITS, UH, THAT YOU SHARE AND WE DON'T GET BLAME FOR THE GOOD, UH, FISCAL POLICIES WHICH PARK DEPARTMENT ALWAYS HAVE FOLLOWED.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S WHAT IS BECOMING THE NEGATIVE, THAT THE GOOD FISCAL POLICIES, UH, WHICH PARK DEPARTMENT HAS DONE IN A GOOD WAY, ARE SOMEHOW SOME HIDDEN ASSETS OR SOMETHING.
SO, DIRECTOR JENKINS, I OFFICIALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HOW YOU ARE FIGHTING AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE GOOD PRACTICES.
SO YOU JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU THAT SUPPORT OF AND, UH,
AND, UH, WE THINKING C IN QUESTION.
AND WE HAVE OUR EX COLLEAGUE, MR. LEWIS SLAUGHTER HERE.
I DID TRY TO CALL SECURITY, BUT
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I THINK WE DO
[II. Special Recognitions]
OUR FIRST POINT, UH, BUSINESS, UH, RECOGNIZING VINCENT, HOPEFULLY I SAID IT RIGHT.BUT BEFORE WE BRING UP VINCENT, IT IS.
UH, UH, MR. CHAIR, IF I WERE ASK, UH, MS. UH, LISA ROSS, WHO'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND AS WELL AS MARTINE FELIPPE, UH, 'CAUSE I THINK MS. ROSS WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE THINGS FIRST BEFORE WE, UH, MAKE THE PRESENTATION TOO.
AND WE HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND CULTURE, UH, MS. MARTIN FELIPE HERE AND WELCOME MS. ROSS AND, UH, MARTIN.
I'M SURE BOARD KNOWS WHO MARTIN IS.
THE PARK DEPARTMENT HAS A BIG COLLABORATION WITH ARTS AND CULTURE, ALTHOUGH THE ART PIECES, AND SHE'S DOING AN AMAZING JOB WITH ART AND CULTURE SEEN IN THE CITY.
AND MS. ROSS, YOU ARE CHANGING AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I AM GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
UM, WHAT I WANNA SAY IS, YES, THE LAST YEAR OF MY APPOINTMENT AS THE NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM HAS BEEN FILLED WITH JOY.
LOTS OF CHALLENGES AND MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING, THE AMAZING WORK, THE NATIONWIDE WORK WITHOUT MARTINE AND HER TEAM.
I WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE AT THE TABLE TO PLEASE COME TO THE MUSEUM TO SEE THE NELSON MANDELA EXHIBITION.
WE CLOSE ON THE RIVER FIRST, BUT THE RENOVATIONS AND THE UPGRADES, BEING ABLE TO PUSH THAT OVER THE LINE IN THE CRUNCHED TIME THAT WE HAD WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
I HAVE BUILT HOUSES WITH MY HUSBAND AND I TOLD HIM I WOULD NEVER DO IT AGAIN.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
MARTINE PHILIPPE UNDER DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE JOHN AND HIS TEAM, LUIS AND BRETT AND VINCENT AND CAM, AND ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO COLLABORATED ON THE UPGRADES AT THE MUSEUM ON OUR PARTNERSHIP DURING FAN FESTIVAL, ON ALL THE WORK TO COME OF JAZZ FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND TO INCLUDE IT.
I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT IT'S REALLY BEEN A PLEASURE FOR OUR TEAMS TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND Y'ALL ARE DOING GREAT WORK.
IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE FAIR PARK COME BACK TO LIFE, TO BE FRANK.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN, AGAIN, SO EASY TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU.
WE GET ALONG ONE AND WE WORK IN THE SAME FASHION, MUTUAL SERVICE, PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE CITY.
I THINK WE BOTH HAVE THE SAME SHARED GOAL IN SHARING THAT FAIR PARK IS AS BEAUTIFUL, UM, AND AS WELCOMING, UM, AND AS ENJOYABLE AS POSSIBLE.
I ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, PARK GOLD MEMBER WOOD AS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING BUSINESS TO NEIGHBORHOOD AT FAIR PARK AND WE HOPE THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR LIKING, TO YOUR PLEASURE, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD THERE.
YOU GUYS HAVE OUR, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP.
[00:05:01]
MS. MARGIE REESE.YEAH, PLEASE, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STAND PARTY.
UM, I HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM SINCE BEFORE THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE GROUND TO BUILD THE BUILDING, BUT I WORKED FOR THE CITY, UH, IN CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
AND SO FROM THAT TIME TO THIS DAY, I WILL WATCH THE GROWTH, THE CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE CONNECTION WITH THE DALLAS COMMUNITY, AND THEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND I WANNA TELL YOU THAT THE WORK THAT OUR TEAM, YOUR TEAM HAS TAKEN TO THIS BUILDING, UM, SHARED WITH YOU, HAS GOTTEN NOTICE ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF THE OVER 125 AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS INSTITUTION IS PROBABLY THE OLDEST, THE LARGEST AND CERTAINLY HAS THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN OR TRIBAL MATERIAL ARTWORK, ET CETERA.
AND SO OUR GOAL WAS TO WORK WITH THE PARK DEPARTMENT STAFF, A CITY STAFF, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MATERIAL IS PRESERVED.
AND IT IS, I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.
I'M PROBABLY THE ONE THAT WORRIES MOST ABOUT HOW WE MAINTAIN THE TREASURES THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED.
AND SO, I JUST WANNA SAY A BIG THANK YOU FOR THAT.
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO THAT THE PUBLIC SEES, UM, IS NOW REFRESHED.
IMPORTANTLY FOR ME, EVERYTHING THAT I SEE BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE BASEMENT, UM, IS PROPERLY CLIMATE CONTROLLED AND HAS THE RIGHT SECURITY SYSTEMS TO, TO PROTECT IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT.
AND THIS ALLOWS US TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION OF CULTURE KEEPERS, UM, IN A SAFE SPACE SO THAT THE INVESTMENT THAT CAN HAVE MADE, UM, IS PROTECTED.
I WANNA SAY A SPECIAL THANKS TO, UM, DIRECTOR JENKINS FOR TAKING OUR CALLS.
PUT DOWN WITH ME SAYING, NOW WHAT WE GONNA DO NOW? HOW MUCH TIME IS IT GONNA TAKE? UM, AND SO THAT KIND OF CARE AND FEEDING IS VERY COMFORTING.
WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS AND LADIES FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE INVESTMENT THAT DALLAS HAS MADE IN THE CULTURE, AFRICAN AMERICANS, OUR SOCIAL CULTURE, OUR PROFESSIONAL CULTURE, ET CETERA, IS PROTECTED.
COME VISIT US ANYTIME AND PLEASE KNOW THAT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND THE STAFF AND THE RESIDENTS OF FAIR PARK, THAT THIS INVESTMENT IS SIGNIFICANT AND I APPRECIATE YOU.
RECOGNITION, SPECIAL RECOGNITION, UH, ONCE AGAIN WHILE WALKING UP, I JUST ONCE AGAIN WANT TO THANK THE PARTNERSHIP.
UH, WITH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE AND WITH OUR NON-PROFIT PARTNER BY AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND THEN ALL THE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS Y'ALL.
'CAUSE EVERYTHING THEY SPOKE ABOUT WAS A PROJECT THAT CITY MANAGER CALLED HER AND I GOT TOGETHER AND, UH, WE, THEY RECEIVED FUNDS FROM STATE REP YVONNE DAVIS FROM THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE GRANT.
AND THERE WAS A DEADLINE AND WE SAID, OOH, HOW CAN WE GET THIS DONE IN ABOUT REALLY, WAS IT 60 DAYS OR 90 DAYS? AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY THE CITY DOESN'T MOVE FAST NO.
WHEN EVERYBODY'S ROARING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND EVERYBODY'S COMMUNICATING.
IT TOOK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IT TOOK, UH, UH, BUDGET OFFICE.
HUH? BUDGET OFFICE, THE BUDGET OFFICE, PENSION CENTER, UH, FRM, WHICH IS FACILITIES AND, UH, REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT AND, UH, REAL ESTATE.
I'M GONNA CALL 'EM OUT YOU ALL 'CAUSE WE CAN MOVE IN WARP SPEED IN THIS CITY.
BUT PARTNERS ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND PEOPLE SAY, CITY, I DON'T WORK TOGETHER.
NO, WE WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU ALL, BUT I, WE GOTTA HAVE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF MR. VINCENT BU OU
I WANT THE ENTIRE PUBLIC TO SEE YOU ON CAMERA.
THIS IS
[00:10:01]
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY DEMONSTRATE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT, PROFESSIONALISM, AND URGENCY FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF DALLAS FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.WHEREAS VINCENT WAS MANAGING SEVERAL OTHER LARGE PROJECTS, HE AGREED TO TAKE ON THE URGENT MUSEUM PROJECT, WHICH DUE TO THE TIME CONSTRAINTS OF THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT, GRANTS PROGRAM REQUIRED THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ART CONSERVATION STUDIO, COMPLETED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY THE GRANT SCHEDULE IN LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.
AND WHEREAS MR. O BOO WORKED WITH FIVE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND 12 DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS TO COMPLETE THE WORK, WHICH BECAME MUCH MORE THAN A CONSERVATION STUDIO, INCLUDING SEVERAL ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS CONSTRUCTING AN ARCHIVE VAULT FOR THE FREEMAN CEMETERY COLLECTION, REFINISHING FLOORS, REPLACING HVAC EQUIPMENT, WATERPROOFING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE, AS WELL AS IMPROVING THE OVERALL ACCESSIBILITY TO THE BUILDING.
WHEREAS THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL ENHANCE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF DALLAS ABILITY TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, THEREFORE, AND EXHIBIT SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS AND CULTURAL RESOURCES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
WHEREAS HIS WORK ON THIS PROJECT WAS RECOGNIZED BY CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 5TH, 2026.
NOW, THEREFORE, I JOHN D. JENKINS DIRECTOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DO HERE HEREBY EXTEND SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO VINCENT OA
DO WE NEED TO SCOOT BACK OR, UH, YEAH, JUST A LITTLE BIT, GUYS.
[III. Public Speakers]
MOVE TO OUR NEXT ONE AGENDA.UM, I'LL READ THE SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD.
ONLY ANY SPEAKER WHO MAKES PERSONAL PERTINENT
UM, OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS CATHERINE YOUNG.
ALRIGHT, CATHERINE, I'M GONNA WAIT BECAUSE ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES, BUT GOOD MORNING.
I'M CATHERINE YOUNG AND I WANTED TO SHARE OUR FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW SUMMER CAMP AT CITY PARK THIS PAST SUMMER.
WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OTHER PARKS AND RECREATION CAMPS BEFORE, BUT WHEN I SAW THE FLYER FOR THIS ONE, IT IMMEDIATELY STRUCK ME AS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT COMBINED NATURE HISTORY, PIONEER SKILLS, AND OUTDOOR EXPLORATION.
I THOUGHT THAT SOUNDED PRETTY UNUSUAL AND BRILLIANT, ESPECIALLY FOR MY SENSITIVE AND STUDIOUS 7-YEAR-OLD WHO CAN GET OVERWHELMED BY TRADITIONAL SUMMER CAMPS.
THE FIRST TIME I STEPPED ONTO THE CITY PARK PROPERTY THIS SUMMER, IT WAS LIKE A MAGICAL OASIS IN THE CITY.
THERE WAS SO MUCH OPEN GREEN SPACE, IT WAS REMARKABLY CALM.
AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE THESE INCREDIBLE HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT MAKE THE PROPERTY UNLIKE ANYWHERE ELSE.
APRIL GARCIA, NANCY ESCOBAR IMMEDIATELY MADE US FEEL WELCOME.
THAT FIRST WEEK, MY SON CAME HOME WITH TOOL LEATHER BRACELETS AND PROUDLY SHOWED ME A DOLL HE HAD MADE OUT OF, OUT OF PUSS.
THEY LEARNED TO MAKE BUTTER WITH OLD FASHIONED GAMES, WITH HOOPS IN THE PAVILION BUILDING.
THE ROOSTER MADE CRAFTS IN BROADER SPRINGS BUILDING AND EXPLORED THE REST OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
THEY SOAKED UP OUR HISTORY IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
THEIR COMMITMENT TOOK THEM TO A FIELD TRIP TO HISTORIC OAKLAND CEMETERY, WHERE SOME OF THE BUILDING IN HACK ARE BURIED, AND THEY LEARNED ABOUT NATIVE PRAIRIE LAND THERE AND CLEANED HEADSTONES.
AFTER THAT FIRST WEEK, MY SON BEGGED ME TO GO BACK AND SPEND FOUR WEEKS IN THIS SPECIAL PLACE.
APRIL'S ENTHUSIASM AND INCREDIBLY SMOOTH COORDINATION MADE THE WHOLE PROGRAM FEEL EFFORTLESS.
[00:15:01]
TREMENDOUS KNOWLEDGE, PARTICULARLY ABOUT INSECTS IN NATURE WITH THE JOY THAT WAS CONTAGIOUS.MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER IS AFRAID OF INSECTS, SORRY.
AND I WATCHED BIG BROTHER START TEACHING HER THINGS HE HAD LEARNED AT THE CAMP, EVENTUALLY INVOLVING INTO A LOT OF BUG PETS BEING HOUSED IN OUR KITCHEN WHILE WE WERE VISITING A NATIONAL PARK.
HE WANTED TO POSE AND PHOTOGRAPH HIS FIVE-YEAR-OLD SISTER, CAREFULLY POSITIONING HER IN THE FRAME, EXPLAINING TO HER HOW HE WAS USING THE RULE OF THIRDS TO FRAME THE PHOTOGRAPH, ANOTHER SKILL HE PICKED UP AT CAMP.
THESE ARE MOMENTS AS A PARENT WHERE YOU REALIZE SOMETHING HAS REALLY CONNECTED.
LOCAL HISTORY CAN SOMETIMES FEEL ABSTRACT TO CHILDREN, NAMES ON PLAQUES, DATES AND BOOKS PEOPLE WILL NEVER MEET, BUT CITY PARK GIVES KIDS THE CHANCE TO ACTUALLY INHIBIT SOME OF THAT HISTORY.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING THE NEXT GENERATION TO THIS VERY SPECIAL PLACE ALREADY SCHEDULING MY MY DAUGHTER'S GIRL SCOUT TRIP TO CITY PARK AND TRYING TO COORDINATE A LARGER COUNCIL EVENT.
THIS ISN'T SIMPLY A BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGS.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE DALLAS KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS CAN DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CITY'S OWN HISTORY AND HOPEFULLY GROW UP FEELING THAT THIS PLACE AND THESE STORIES BELONG TO THEM TOO.
OH, I'M GETTING KIND OF LIKE EMOTIONAL
MY SON FOUND A PLACE WHERE HE ABSOLUTELY THRIVED.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT EXPERIENCE, OUR FAMILY IS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BRING MORE KIDS HERE.
I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER TESTAMENT TO WHAT THIS PROGRAM MEANT TO US THAN NOW.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW HOWARD.
UH, I WANTED TO TAKE THE SOVEREIGN TO BRIEF YOU ON AN UPDATE OF WILL WINTERS PARK AND, UH, AREA AROUND WOOD RIVER WILSON HIGH SCHOOL.
IN JANUARY, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD EXPERIENCED A TRAGEDY, UH, WITH THE DEATH OF AN 18-YEAR-OLD WARREN, UH, ADE GARCIA.
UH, HE WAS MURDERED, UH, IN WALLACE, WENT PARKING LOT.
UM, IT DEEPLY AFFECTED OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT ALSO BROUGHT MUCH NEEDED ATTENTION, LONGSTANDING SAFETY CONCERNS THERE, UH, AROUND THE PARK AND SCHOOL.
SINCE THEN, I'VE WATCHED SOMETHING REALLY ENCOURAGING HAPPENING.
UH, D-I-S-D-D-P-D, OUR MARSHALS, UH, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND RESIDENTS HAVE COME TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT I HADN'T SEEN IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IN DALLAS IN LONG TIME.
UM, THEY CAME TOGETHER NOT, NOT AS TO, UH, TRY AND FIGHT CRIME, BUT TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO, TO LEARN AND GROW AND RECREATE IN A PLACE.
I LIVE RIGHT ON COLUMBIA AVENUE.
SO MY FRONT DOOR IS ONE OF US WINTERS PARK, AND I GET TO, TO VIEW IT EVERY DAY.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A GREAT PORCH AND WE GET TO, TO SEE THE ACTIVITY THERE.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S BECOME, UH, INTIMATE TO OUR, UH, UH, BEING NEIGHBORS.
THERE IS TO WISH WELL UPON THE STUDENTS THAT, UH, WALK BY US EVERY DAY.
WE'VE SEEN OFFICERS WALKING IN THE PARK, ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS, ADDRESSING TRUANCY, HELPING MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARRIVE AND LEAVE SAFELY.
THE MESSAGE HAS BECOME CLEAR THERE, AND THERE'S BEEN AN ATTITUDE CHANGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT TRUANCY VIOLENCE, UH, INTIMIDATION, DRUGS AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AROUND COLONEL WILSON AND WILLIS WINTER'S PARTNER.
UH, PARTICULARLY WANNA KNOW, UH, THANK, UM, OFFICER DELGADO, THE, UH, TRUANCY OFFICER FOR DISD.
HE'S REALLY BEEN THE CORE OF GETTING THIS PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER AND ON THE GROUND LEVEL, HE'S THERE EVERY DAY.
HE'S THE ONE THAT'S MAKING, UH, UH, UH, THE COMMUNICATIONS HAPPENED THERE.
AND THEY DEVELOPED AN INCREDIBLE WORKING AND RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISD, THE TRUANCY OFFICER ON SITE, THE MARSHALS, UH, AND PARKS AND REC STAFF THAT ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING THIS PLACE SAFE.
UH, RECENTLY THAT COORDINATION EVEN LED TO, UH, AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY ARRESTED OR SOMEONE WHO WAS, UH, AGGRAVATING WOMEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND DROPPING AGGRESSIVELY.
UM, AND WE'VE SEEN THIS OVER AND OVER NOW AS THIS, THIS, THIS COMMUNITY POLICING THAT'S HAPPENING THERE AND THAT SORT OF COMMUNICATION THAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE CONCERN THOUGH, OVER THE LAST MONTH, UH, WE'VE SEEN A, A DIP IN, UH, DPD AND MARSHALL ACTIVITY THERE.
AND THE RUMORS THAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME TURNOVER IN THE MARSHALLS.
AND SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS OF, OF THIS OBVIOUS IS TO, UH, ASK FOR AN UPDATE ON THAT AND SEE, UM, WHAT THE STATUS IS OF OUR MARSHALL UH, UH, EMPLOYMENT THERE.
IF, IF WE HAVE RESTAFFED AS WE'RE CUTTING BUDGETS TO REMEMBER THE MARSHALS, THAT THEY'RE AN, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR PARK SYSTEM.
UM, PRESIDENT, MAY I HAVE A MOMENT? OBJECTION.
UM, I, I WANT THANK MR. HOWARD FOR, FOR COMING IN.
[00:20:01]
MENTIONED IS, UH, ARGUABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT THING THAT ANY OF US CAN FACE IN OUR PARKS IS WHEN THERE'S A TRAGEDY INVOLVING A MURDER OF A, A CHILD, AN ADULT, IT, IT, IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER.THE COMMUNITY HAS COME TOGETHER.
I WANNA SEND SOME PRAISE TO OUR PARTNERS AT DISD.
IF YOU KNOW ME PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW THAT I, I REMAIN CRITICAL OF DISD AND REALLY JUST ABOUT EVERYONE IN THIS CITY.
BUT DISD HAS REALLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.
I WANNA THANK THEM IF, IF, IF MESSAGE EVER REACHES THEIR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM, UH, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING FORWARD.
UH, DISD, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS STEPPED FORWARD, DIRECTOR JENKINS AND HIS STAFF, UH, WE DON'T RUN AWAY FROM PROBLEMS. WE, WE RUN TOWARDS THESE PROBLEMS. SO I, I JUST REALLY WANTED TO SAY, AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, WE'VE REALLY COME TOGETHER REALLY STRONGLY AT WILLIS WINTERS SINCE THAT TRAGEDY.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS TOO.
AND BOTH THE SPEAKERS, UH, HAVE THE TWO TESTIMONIAL OF WHAT THIS DEPARTMENT DOES RIGHT FROM THE SUMMER CAMP TO THE SAFETY TEAM.
I HOPE, UH, OUR REST TEAM COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE LISTENING.
THEY'RE DELIBERATING, UH, ABOUT THE BUDGETS THAT WERE CRITICAL PART THIS DEPARTMENT AND DOES FOR, FOR THE CITY AND TERMS OF WELLBEING, EVERYDAY LIFE, IT TOUCHES EVERYDAY LIFE.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE, HAVE BETTER TEST ON THAN WHAT WE HAD TO.
SO WITH THAT, UH, AND I'LL KEEP ON REPEATING THIS APPEAL THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY.
[IV. Approval of Minutes – August 20, 2026]
WE MOVE TO OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 20TH, 2026.YOU HAVE A MOTION, UH, MR BOARD? DO I HAVE A SECOND? UH, WITH THAT ALL FAVOR SAY AYE.
[V.1. Interpretive Signage Policy Revision (Citywide) – Authorize the revised Interpretive Signage Policy – Financing: No cost consideration to the City]
FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE, POLICY REVISION.UH, ANY DISCUSSION PLEASE? UH, YES, SIR.
WHEN THIS CAME THROUGH MY LAST HERE, YES, I SHARED THIS WHEN THIS CAME THROUGH THE COMMITTEE, BUT THERE'S A SMALL SELF-CONTRADICTION WITHIN THE DOCUMENT.
ONE POINT EARLY IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT SAID IS THIS POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE REGARDING LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS, NATURAL ELEMENTS.
AND THEN LATER IN THE POLICY IT SAYS THEY CAN BE APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR.
I UNDERSTAND THE MAIN BODY OF THE POLICY DOESN'T APPLY TO THEM, BUT IF I'M READING THAT I FIRST THINK, WELL, I CAN IGNORE THIS DOCUMENT, IT DOESN'T APPLY TO MY SITUATION.
AND LATER IN THE DOCUMENT I FIND THAT IT DOES APPLY TO THIS
I HOPE THAT COULD BE CORRECTED IN THE FINAL VERSION.
THAT ITEM WAS ADDRESSED IN THE CC SHOWS IN SECTION I ADDITION OF, I APOLOGIES.
SEAN JOHNSON, DEPUTY, IT IS CALLED OUT IN SECTION I THE ADDITION WERE SIGNS IN INTERPRETING NATURAL ELEMENTS IN THE LANDSCAPE, UH, MAY BE APPROVED ON A CASE BY CASE, UH, BASIS BY THE DIRECTOR.
WE ARE PASSING OUT AN UPDATED VERSION OF THAT.
WE'LL GIVE A TIMOTHY, SEE, MAKE SURE THAT SECOND PAGE, LET'S SEE IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
WELL, I DON'T WANNA MAKE, UH, A BIGGER DEAL OF THIS THAN IT IS, BUT I THINK WE STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM.
THE THIRD PARAGRAPH STARTS OUT, THIS POLICY DOES NOT IMPLY TO INTERPRETATION OR IDENTIFICATION OF NATURAL ELEMENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT THEN YOU GO ON AND IN PARAGRAPH I YOU DO APPLY IT, ALBEIT IN A DIFFERENT WAY TO THOSE ELEMENTS.
SO IT DOES APPLY OR IT DOESN'T, DOESN'T THEN I CAN SAY THIS IS IRRELEVANT TO THOSE SIGNS.
WHAT IS PARAGRAPH I DOING MR. YOUNG? IF IS OKAY WITH YOU AND THE BOARD, YOU ASK THAT THIS IS NOT TIME SINCE, CORRECT, CORRECT.
SO, UH, MR. YOUNG, WE CAN JUST, UH, DEFER THE ITEM TO THE NEXT MEETING AND MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
[00:25:02]
SO THAT WOULD BE, SO I NEED A MOTION TO DEFER.DO YOU WANT TO MAKE I MOVE THAT WE DEFER THIS TO THE NEXT PART? BOARD MEETING? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? MR. WOOD? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY DISCUSSIONS? DO I NEED TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION TO APPROVE? NO, I THINK THIS WILL SUPERSEDE YOURS.
SO ANY DISCUSSIONS ON DEFERMENT? WITH THAT, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SO THIS, UH, MOTION IS
UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP, MR. WE MOVE TO OUR
[VI.2. City Park Update: Programming & Revitalization – Lakeshia Randle, Assistant Director]
BRIEFING AROUND CITY PARK.KEISHA RANDALL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION SERVICES, AND I AM HERE TO BRING YOU AN UPDATE ON
SO WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS TODAY.
UM, TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE PURPOSE BACKGROUND, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE IN VARIOUS AREAS, UM, OUR CITY-WISE EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE THE PARK, SOME PROGRAMMING UPDATES, AND THEN AS WELL GO OVER OUR NEXT STEPS.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO PROVIDE THE DALLAS PARK RECREATION BOARD AND UPDATE ON CITY PARK OPERATIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SYSTEMING DAILY OPERATIONS IN MAY OF 2024.
SO THIS WILL BE APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AND THREE MONTHS THAT WE'VE, UM, BEEN BACK MANAGING THE DAILY OPERATIONS AT CITY PARK.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, UM, CITY PARK WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED BY NOVEMBER 7TH, 1876.
SO THIS IS NOW TWENTY TWENTY SIX, A HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS LATER.
UM, THE DALLAS COUNTY HERITAGE HERITAGE SOCIETY OPERATED CITY PARK, UM, FOR 50 YEARS FROM 20 19 67 TO 2024.
AND THEN WE CAME IN IN MAY OF 24, UM, ONCE THEIR MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT EXPIRED, UM, ACTUALLY WITH THE SET TO EXPIRE IN 23 AND IT WAS EXTENDED FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR.
AND THEN WE CAME IN IN 2024 FOR THE DAILY MANAGEMENT OF THE PARK.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING AT THE PARK RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO LANDSCAPING AND CIVIL SITE ASSESSMENTS, UM, THAT WERE COMPLETED IN AUGUST OF 2024.
AND THEN WE ARE NOW CURRENTLY FINISHING UP THE ASSESSMENTS OF THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE ON SITE.
UM, WE ARE DEVELOPING OUR PROGRAMMATIC AND EVENT CALENDARS.
UM, WE ARE INVESTING IN SOME TECHNOLOGY PARK.
MAINTENANCE ACTION PLANS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AS WELL AS SECURITY PLANS AS WELL HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED.
PARK, UM, FROM OUR FACILITIES TEAM, THEY HAVE BEEN DOING AN AMAZING JOB.
THEY HAVE COMPLETED OVER 73 WORK HOURS, INCLUDING SOME REPAIRS TO ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING AND CARPENTRY OUT AT THE PARK.
WE'VE DONE MOLD REMEDIATION AT THE HERITAGE HOUSE.
THEY'VE DONE THE FOUNTAIN REPAIR AS YOU ENTER INTO THE PARK WITH THE, THE MAIN FOUNTAIN.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON ONE OF THE NEXT SLIDES, THEY'VE DONE THE BANK AWNING RESTORATION.
WITH THE HELP OF OLD CITY PARK CONSERVANCY.
WE'VE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR VISITOR CENTER.
UM, WE'VE CLEANED AND FURNISHED SOME STAFFING OFFICES.
WE'VE COMPLETED PERIMETER FENCING AS WELL AS SECURED FARM BUILDING THAT'S ON SITE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM OUR FACILITIES TEAM.
SOME IN-HOUSE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE SO ON.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS WHERE THE AWNINGS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED.
SO YES, SO THIS IS, SOME OF THIS IS SOME OF THE RESTORATION.
SO THIS WAS BEFORE AND AFTER THAT'S TAKEN PLACE WITH THE, UM, AWNINGS ON THE BANK BUILDING.
UM, AS FAR AS OUR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE TEAM, THEY'VE CREATED THE PMO LANDSCAPING AND MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENT.
THEY'VE DONE SOME RE RESTORATION TO THE HISTORICAL MARKERS.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO ACCOMPLISHED SOME FORESTRY ASSESSMENTS OF THE TREES AND THE CREATION OF A QUARTERLY PLAN.
AND THEY JUST COMPLETED THE IRRIGATION REPAIRS ON SITE HERE IN AUGUST, 2026.
YEAH, MS. RANDALL JUST SEEMED LIKE WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF TECHNICAL ISSUE.
WE HAVE THIS SCREEN THAT'S HEAD THIS SCREEN THAT'S TWO SLIDES BEHIND.
WE GO ONE, SHOULD WE, WE ARE HERE, HERE ON OUR, SHOULD WE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS ONE? GOING SEE DELAYED.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA GO ONTO THE CURRENT REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
SO THIS IS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING US ABOUT.
AND THESE ARE THE ACTUAL HISTORICAL BUILDINGS ON SITE.
SO ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT OUR TEAM IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON IS THE LUM HOUSE, UM, REHABILITATION, WHICH IS THE $6,600,000 CONSTRUCTION, UM, BUDGET.
[00:30:01]
AND SO WE RECEIVED THE NOTICE TO PROCEED JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.AND THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT, WE ARE GONNA BE WORKING ON EXTERIOR REHABILITATION AS WELL AS SOME STRUCTURAL WORK.
IT'S CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE AND
UM, THE DOCUMENTS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AND CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN MAY, 2027.
ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY IS THE RAW HOUSE REHABILITATION, WHICH IS, UM, ANTICIPATED AT, AT A MILLION DOLLAR CONSTRUCTION BUDGET.
AND WE ALSO RECEIVED THAT NOTICE TO PROCEED, UM, OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
AS WELL AS, AND ON THAT PROJECT, WE'LL BE DOING SOME, UM, EXTERIOR AND EXTERIOR REHABILITATION, STRUCTURAL AND SITE WORK, AS WELL AS SOME CEILING
AGAIN, ANOTHER ONE THAT IS IN THE DESIGN PHASE AND WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATED AS WELL NEXT MAY OF 2027.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON SEVERAL ADDITIONAL PROJECTS, UM, AS INCLUDING THE, UM, ROOF REPLACEMENT OF THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE, WHICH OUR TEAM IS WORKING ON THAT CURRENTLY, AND WE'RE EXPECTED TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE WORKING ON THE RENTER SCHOOLHOUSE, EXTERIOR SIDING, PAINTING AND ROOFING REPLACEMENT, THE HERITAGE HOUSE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING ITS NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
AND THEN WE ARE WORKING WITH DFR AND OUR PARTS FACILITY TEAM TO DO THE BLACKSMITH SHOP, UM, ASSESSMENT.
THE CITY PARK MASTER PLAN IS ALSO UNDERWAY.
WE HAVE COMPLETED PHASE ONE, AND WE'RE ALSO GOING INTO PHASE TWO OF THAT MASTER PLAN THAT ACTUALLY KICKED OFF EARLIER THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY.
AND WE, UM, HAD OUR FIRST KICKOFF MEETING IN APRIL.
WE'VE HAD TWO TASK FORCE MEETINGS THIS SUMMER FOR THE MASTER PLAN PROJECT, AND TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS ARE COMING UP.
ONE WILL TAKE PLACE HERE IN SEPTEMBER, ANOTHER IN NOVEMBER.
AND THEN WE ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE THE MASTER PLAN COMPLETED JANUARY OF 2027.
AND SO WITH ALL OF THE FACILITIES AND THE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON, UM, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY AND AS WELL AS WE HEARD EARLIER, WE ALSO HAVE SOME PROGRAMMATIC THINGS GOING ON AT CITY PARK, WHICH ARE VERY EXCITING.
SO WE'VE UPDATED OUR VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
UM, WE'VE KIND OF WORKED ON WHAT OUR PROGRAMMATIC KILLERS ARE GONNA BE.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE FOCUS ON FOUR AREAS, WHICH ARE PRESERVATION, HISTORY, NATURE, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND ARTS AND CULTURE OUT AT THE PARK.
UM, WE'VE ESTABLISHED OUR VISITOR CENTER, WHICH WILL BE OPENING SOON AS, AS WELL AS OUR SHOP.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A QR CODE ON HERE.
OUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON PUTTING TOGETHER A STORY APP.
WE'LL DO THE SELF-GUIDED TOUR.
AND SO IF YOU CLICK ONTO THAT, UM, QR CODE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THAT ENCOMPASSES.
SO WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT TO THE PARK, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO A WALK IN HISTORICAL TOUR OF THE PARK WHENEVER STAFF IS NOT ON SITE SO THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.
UM, AS WELL AS WORKING ON THE WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AND DIFFERENT MARKETING MATERIAL FOR THE PARK AS WELL.
UM, THE PARK IS VERY MUCH SO ACTIVATED.
UM, WE HAVE VOLUNTEER THAT COME OUT.
WE OFFER 20 HOURS PER WEEK OF PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING THE DAILY TOURS, BUILD TRIPS, CAMPS, AS YOU GUYS HEARD FROM OUR SPEAKER.
UM, WE HAVE SOME VENDORS EVENT RENTALS, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, FACILITY RENTALS THAT TAKE PLACE.
ONE OF THE MAJOR EVENTS THAT COME OUT THERE, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTO, IS THE SHELF FOR FARMERS EVENT, WHICH IS A GREAT EVENT OUT THERE AT THE PARK.
UM, FROM A STAFFING PER PERSPECTIVE, OUR PROGRAMS, WE DO THE DAILY TOURS.
YOU CAN COME OUT ON WEDNESDAY WITH YOUR PETS.
UM, WE HAVE CONTRACT INSTRUCTORS OUT THERE THAT TEACH YOGA CLASSES AND VARIOUS OTHER CLASSES THAT WE HAVE UP THERE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR MEET US ON MAIN STREET, WHICH IS A MONTHLY EVENT THAT STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
SO EACH MONTH THERE'S A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN OUT IN THE PARK.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE FROM SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, UM, MINDFUL AND MOVEMENT FESTIVAL, ST.
PATRICK'S DAY, WE HAD A JUNETEENTH JUBILEE MARKET.
SO THERE'S SOME PROGRAMMING THAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE EVERY MONTH.
AND THEN OF COURSE OUR TEAM IS ALSO DOING HISTORICAL FIELD TRIPS.
UM, THEY SERVE A VARIETY OF GROUPS WITHIN THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, SCOUT GROUPS, OUR SUMMER CAMPS, AND THAT FOCUSES ON THE BUILDING, PIONEERING, PIONEERING AND, UM, FAMILY HOMESTEAD LIFE.
SO THOSE ARE SOME, SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON OUT AT THE PARK.
AND THEN ONE OF THE GREAT ACTIVITIES THAT WE BROUGHT OUT THIS SUMMER AS WELL AS SPRING BREAK WITH OUR SUMMER CAMP, WHICH WAS AN EIGHT WEEK CAMP.
AND WITHIN THAT PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST TIME OFFERING, WE HAD 60 UNIQUE REGISTRANTS THAT ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM AT CITY PARK.
AND I THINK, I THINK OUR FAMILIES REALLY ENJOY THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PROGRAM THE, THE, UM, SITE.
UM, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE WERE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT WAS THE RETURN OF HOLIDAY VILLAGE.
THAT WAS A LONG STANDING TRADITION, AND SO IT CAME BACK IN 2025 AND IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR IN 2026 ON DECEMBER 12TH.
SO WE ARE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT, THAT COMING BACK.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO SHOW YOU A QUICK LITTLE VIDEO ON WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE, MS. PARK, FROM THIS EVENT.
AND THIS JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE PARK FEELS LIKE WHEN IT'S COMPLETELY ACTIVATED, IT'S LIT UP, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE ARE OUT IN THE PARK AND PARTICIPATING AND SEEING WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER OUT AT CITY PARK.
[00:35:01]
A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR US.SO C PARK IS, OUR
UM, AND OUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO, TO MOVE THESE PROJECTS FORWARD AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BRINGING SOME ACTIVATION BACK TO THE PARK.
BUT ONE OF THE REALLY EXCITING THINGS, AS I MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THIS PRESENTATION, IT'S 2026, WHICH MEANS THAT IT IS 150 YEARS SINCE CITY PARK WAS ESTABLISHED, SINCE THE DALLAS PARK RECREATION DEPARTMENT WAS ESTABLISHED.
AND THIS YEAR WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THAT.
UM, LATER ON THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVE AN AMAZING BIRTHDAY PARTY OUT AT CITY PARK AND BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
SO WE ARE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND SO JUST KIND OF TALK ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS WE TALKED ABOUT, WE'RE GONNA COMPLETE THE MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH OUR FACILITY PRI UM, PRIORITIZATION LIST FOR REHABS AND REPAIRS.
WE ARE STILL FINALIZING OUR TECH IMPROVEMENTS, UM, CONTINUING TO IMPLEMENT OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY PLAN AND OUR CAMERA SYSTEMS. AND THEN AGAIN, WE STILL STRENGTHENING OUR OPERATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO FROM, SO FROM THE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OUT THERE OVER THESE PAST TWO YEARS.
SO THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK GOING ON IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE SCENES, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE THIS FORWARD.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU GUYS.
WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS CITY PARK, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE IS TURNING, WHAT, WHERE IS THAT SLIDE AT THERE? ITS, YEAH, IT'S TURNING 150 YEARS OLD.
IT'S OLD PARK SYSTEM IS TURNING 150 YEARS OLD.
CITY PARK WAS OUR FIRST THANK YOU
AND, AND IT IS DISTRICT TWO, BUT IT IS A CITYWIDE ASSET.
AND SO WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE TO REVITALIZE IT, IT GIVES ME THE SAME EASY FEELINGS THAT I HAD WHEN, UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SAMUEL, UM, FARM AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE TO TAKE THIS SPACE AND KEEP THE OLD AND REVITALIZE THE OLD AND BRING AND BREATHE, BRING, BREATHE LIFE INTO IT.
AND, AND THE MOM HAD TALKED ABOUT HER SON.
AND REALLY THIS PARK IS A PARK THAT GIVES YOU ADVENTURE, CREATIVITY.
UM, IT'S NOT AN ATHLETIC PARK, BUT IT'S A PARK FOR US TO UTILIZE AS BEAUTY AND THERE'S A HISTORICAL ASPECT TO IT.
SO AS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, THE SMALL TASK FORCE, UM, FROM DIFFERENT FACETS OF THE CITY, FROM DISD TO THE, SOME OF THE, THE, UM, RE RESIDENTS THERE FROM SOME OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY FOR, UH, REALLY TO COME TOGETHER TO REALLY PRESERVE THIS, UM, PLACE.
YOU GUYS ARE TAPPED IN ALREADY TO SOME OF THE VISION THAT I SEE AND THAT I HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL SEE.
LIKE REALLY, IT'S AMAZING THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE, ESPECIALLY AFTER WE HAD SO MUCH CONTROVERSY OF, OH, YOU'RE TAKING IT AWAY AND THIS, AND THAT WAS A ORGANIZATION THAT DIDN'T DO US RIGHT.
SO, UM, AND THEN BLAMED IT ON US.
SO, AND WE ALL LIVED THROUGH THAT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO GETTING THAT BACKLASH, SO US AS A PARK TO PULL BACK AND TAKING OWNERSHIP AND REALLY REVITALIZING IT IS SO AMAZING TO SEE.
UM, I DO WANT US LIKE TELL EVERYBODY THERE IS A FACEBOOK PAGE, LIKE THAT FACEBOOK PAGE, SHARE IT WITH YOUR RESIDENTS.
LOOK AT THE OLD, THE CITY PARK, THE OLD CITY PARK FACEBOOK PAGE.
[00:40:01]
HOW WE CONTINUE TO MARKET AND CROSS, YOU KNOW, CROSS OUR BOUNDARIES OF DISTRICT TWO TO DISTRICT 14 TO DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, 10 TO DISTRICT ALL OVER.SO THAT IS A REALLY, THE SOCIAL MEDIA ASPECT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA SAY WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS, IS TO REALLY TAP INTO THE FILMING OF POTENTIALS WITH THE TEXAS FILM COMMISSION, THE DALLAS FILM COMMISSION.
I'VE SAID THIS FOR FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN PUT ON THE MAP FOR PEOPLE TO COME FROM LA FROM CANADA, FROM NEW YORK, FROM ALL OVER TO COME FILM HERE.
WE CAN USE THIS AS AN ASSET TO RENT OUT FOR PEOPLE TO FILM.
YOU HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR ALL OF THE TRAILERS TO COME IN AND ALL EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN I DO WANNA KIND OF GO OVER, I KNOW FINANCING FOR THE BLUMHOUSE AND FINANCING FOR THE RAILHOUSE.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS PUT PUT MONEY.
I KNOW THAT, UM, FORMER COUNCILWOMAN JD SCHULTZ PUT MONEY TO THE BLOOM HOUSE.
UM, I KNOW RAILHOUSE POSSIBLY FROM THE TIFF.
CAN YOU JUST GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT? SO AS WE GO THROUGH THESE BUDGET CUTS OR BUDGET CHANGES, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THAT MONEY HAS BEEN.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PROGRAMMING A RENOVATION OF BOTH THE BLUMHOUSE AND THE RAW HOUSE.
OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS ON THE BUILDING ENVELOPE AND THE FOUNDATION, THE CAPTURE.
THE CHALLENGE IS IF WE DO ANYTHING INSIDE, WE HAVE TO THEN COMPLY WITH CURRENT EA CODE.
SO THAT MAKES IT INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED TO DO ANYTHING IN THE INTERIOR.
SO THE FOCUS FOR BOTH WILL BE IN THE EXTERIOR ENVELOPE AND THE FOUNDATION.
BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT ALSO LIKE WHAT, WHAT, THERE WAS A TIP THAT WAS OUT THERE THAT WE HAD RYAN, YOU COMING IN? YEAH.
AND WE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER
I WANTED TO SAY RYAN MAY TO GIVE THE DETAILS AND BREAK OUT.
AND I
BUT TO YOUR POINT, UH, THERE WAS A TIF ALLOCATION FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
AND AS A PART OF THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM, UH, I REMEMBER MISS MENDELSON, COUNCILWOMAN MENDELSON PUT SOME MONEY INTO IT AS WELL, UM, IN ADDITION TO, UM, COUNCILMAN FIL.
SO, UH, I AM VERIFYING THAT RIGHT NOW, AND WE WILL BE SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING ACCOUNTED FOR THE MAYOR.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THE MAYOR CONTRIBUTES SOME MONEY.
SO I WASN'T, THAT WAS MY NEXT POINT.
SO THERE WAS A TOTAL OF $2.7 MILLION IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM DEDICATED TOWARDS WHOLE CITY PARK.
AND THAT WAS A COMBINATION OF COUNCIL MEMBER SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS ALONG WITH THE MAYOR.
AND THEN, UM, THERE IS ALSO SOME REMAINING FUNDS IN THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM THAT WE'LL BE DEPLOYING ALL THOSE DOLLARS ONCE WE OF COURSE COMPLETE THE MASTER PLAN THAT'S UNDERWAY.
NOW I WANNA GIVE CREDIT TO OTHER FOLKS, COUNCIL MEMBER MAD WHEN HE WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
HE PAR MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER MADANO AND DEDICAT DEDICATED SOME MONEY ALONG WITH COUNCILMAN MEMBER.
I MEAN, I THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN MENDELSSOHN AND THANK YOU FOR THE DEDICATION FOR THE OTHER COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE DEDICATED TO DONATED TO THAT OR CONTRIBUTED TO THAT.
UM, THERE IS A PARK IN THE CEDARS THAT WE BUILT THAT'S A ONE ACRE PARK THAT'S FOR THE RESIDENTS.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT, THAT'S NOT INSIDE THERE.
SO I'M REALLY HOPING THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT IT'S FOR EVERYBODY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A DISTRICT TWO, IT'S FOR EVERYBODY TO COME TO AND EVERYBODY TO ENJOY.
AND IT'S A CULTURAL ATMOSPHERE.
UM, AND, AND IT'S MULTICULTURAL.
SO, MR. CONNOR, YOU ARE ALLOWED BECAUSE MS. MENDELSON CONTRIBUTED
I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT MS. MENDELSON
UM, I WANT TO FURTHER GO ON WHAT, UH, MS. MONELL WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UM, WE HAVE THE RENTER SCHOOLHOUSE, WHICH IS FROM FAR NORTH DALLAS FROM DISTRICT 12.
IT'S IN THIS, IN THIS CITY PARK.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE LAST PLACES TO BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY.
WE HAVE A PIECE OF OUR CULTURE FROM THE FAR NORTH, UM, PART OF THE CITY IN, IN, IN THIS PARK.
UM, WE DID HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT THAT, UH, AROSE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING SO STEADFAST AND TRYING TO BRING BACK THIS PARK.
THIS IS MY, BESIDES THE PARKS OF MY DISTRICT, THIS IS MY FAVORITE PARK.
THIS IS COUNCILMAN BLE MIDDLETON'S FAVORITE PARK, SEVEN PARKS THAT HAVE
SO, UM, YES, SHE'S, SHE'S VERY ADAMANT THAT WE DO THE GOOD THINGS AT THIS PARK.
IT'S OUR OLDEST PARK, IT'S OUR HISTORY.
UM, MY TWO QUESTIONS IS WHAT IS THE EVENT AND CAN WE GET AMPLE, UM, PLANNING TIME FOR THAT? IF IT'S THE HUNDRED FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OR BIRTHDAY OF THAT PARK? TO JOHN'S POINT, IT'S THE HUNDRED 55TH BIRTHDAY OF THE PARK SYSTEM.
THIS SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE A A MONTH BIGGER EVENT.
AND WE SURE KNOW DATES AND EVENTS.
I MEAN, YOU SAID IT'S GONNA HAPPEN THIS YEAR.
IT'S, WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER Q4.
SO OUR, OUR TEAM IS ROLLING OUT
[00:45:01]
THE, UM, 150TH CELEBRATION.IT WILL ROLL OUT IN TWO WEEKS, I BELIEVE, SEPTEMBER, MID-SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN THERE IS A SERIES OF EV EVENTS THAT ARE PLANNED THAT WILL LEAD UP TO THE CULMINATION.
AND IT IS GONNA HAPPEN AROUND, HAPPEN DURING THE SAME TIME IN DECEMBER 12TH.
AND I WAS JUST GONNA ADD, THERE WAS GONNA BE A FULL PART BOARD BRIEFING ON THIS EXACT TOPIC AT THE NEXT MEETING.
I'LL STOP ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT, I DID HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT I'LL STOP.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, I'VE BEEN A BIG, UH, RUDY SAID SOMETHING EARLIER ABOUT, UH, HAVING, UM, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT, I DON'T WANNA SAY THAT YOU WERE, UH, NITPICKY ON EVERYBODY IN THE CITY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID.
I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN NITPICKY ON THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT.
WE PUT TOGETHER THAT VIDEO, THAT VIDEO WAS FANTASTIC.
WAS THAT OUR MARKETING DEPARTMENT DID THAT? YES, THAT WAS, THAT WAS, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT JOHN AND RYAN.
THAT'S WHAT I, FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED ON THIS STUFF ABOUT THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT AND WHEN I GOT SINGLE SET THAT WE HAVE, WE NEED THAT KIND OF VIDEO ABOUT EVERY ASSET WE HAVE.
UM, AND NOTHING EXACTLY WAS IN MY MIND WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT
NO, AND I KNOW RUDY, BUT BEFORE THAT, I'LL ADD TO THAT, UH, WHAT MR. CONNOR SAID.
I THINK THIS IS A SOCIAL MEDIA TIME AND THOSE SHORT VIDEOS AND DEALS ARE WHAT WORKS AND ASSETS.
AND HONESTLY, WE CAN HAVE A, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM WITH THE SCHOOL KIDS TO CREATE, UH, THIS KIND OF, AND DO SOME KIND OF CONTEST AND WE CAN GET SOME FREE CONTENT IF, UH, KIDS ARE SO CREATIVE AND REALLY, UH, SO I JUST WANT TO TAG ON WHAT YOU SAID.
UM, MR. KARIMI, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
I THINK THE PHRASE THAT MR. CONNOR WAS LOOKING FOR WAS A-HOLE.
WHY IS
I'VE GOT TWO SIMPLE QUESTIONS AND THE GENERAL COMMENTS, UM, JUST FOR EVERYONE AT HOME WHO'S WATCHING, WHO'S NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, WHO MAINTAINS THE BUILDINGS AT OLD CITY PARK? CURRENTLY, OUR FACILITIES TEAM, WE DO PARK.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPONSORSHIPS SUCH AS CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS AT OLD CITY PARK? WE CURRENTLY DO NOT.
SO, SO WATCHING THIS VIDEO, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S, IN A WAY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HEARTBREAKING TO ME BECAUSE AS I LOOK ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN IT COMES TO PRESERVATION OR THE LACK THEREOF OR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND HOW THAT DRIVES LACK OF PRESERVATION, YOU KNOW, MY HEART JUST CONTINUES TO BREAK FURTHER AND FURTHER WHEN I SEE THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPENING.
UM, SO WITHIN THE PARK DEPARTMENT, I'LL SAY SOMETHING CONTROVERSIAL.
I DON'T THINK PRESERVING 19TH CENTURY STRUCTURES IS A CORE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR PARK DEPARTMENT WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE SERVICES WE HAVE TO DO.
NOW THAT SAID, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD JUST STOP.
I JUST DARE I SAY I DON'T THINK IT'S LIKE A CORE SERVICE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ATHLETICS AND RECREATION AND AQUATICS AND, AND AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT SAID, I SELDOM PRESENT A PROBLEM WITHOUT A SOLUTION.
WHY CAN'T WE LOOK FOR CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS? AND I SAY THIS IN THE VEIN OF I AM, DARE I SAY, ONE OF THE MOST LOUD MOUTH PARK DEFENDERS IN THIS CITY, BUT WHEN I GO TO A PARK IN A SUBURB AND I SEE HEB IS SPONSORING THIS PARK, I'M NOT OFFENDED BY THAT.
IN FACT, I'M LIKE, WOW, THAT'S GREAT.
THEY SHELLED OVER A MILLION BUCKS OR MORE TO MAKE SURE THIS PARK IS A WELCOMING, ACCESSIBLE, SAFE PLACE I WANT TO BE.
AND WHEN I GO ACROSS OUR PORTFOLIO OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT, I DON'T SEE THAT ANYWHERE.
AND MAYBE, MAYBE WE'RE TO BLAME AS CITIZENS OF DALLAS BECAUSE MAYBE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE AFRAID OF THAT, BUT MAYBE THE ONUS IS ON OUR RESIDENTS.
WHY ARE WE AFRAID OF CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS IN OUR PARKS? I'M NOT SAYING GO INTO A PARK AND HERE'S MY FAVORITE JOKE.
I HAVE TZ PARK IN DISTRICT 14.
I NEVER WANNA RENAME IT AT AND TZ PARK, BUT I'M ALSO NOT OFFENDED IF I GO INTO A LARGE PARK AND I'M LIKE, OH WOW, HERE'S A SMALL BILLBOARD, YOU KNOW, ABOUT MY HEIGHT AND I'M NOT VERY TALL THAT SAYS THIS PERSON OR SPONSORSHIP IS A MILLION DOLLARS TO DO THINGS THAT THEY CARE ABOUT PRESERVING THESE 19TH CENTURY STRUCTURES.
WHEN WE THINK OF LIKE ENCORE TXU COMPANIES THAT ARE SO ROOTED IN OUR CITY, WHEN WE THINK OF SEVEN 11 AND JUST WHOEVER QT YOU KNOW, NAME BRAND, HEBI MEAN, THEY'RE A GREAT NAME, UH, WHY CAN'T WE GO AFTER THEM FOR PURPOSES LIKE THIS? BECAUSE THIS PARK NEEDS TO THRIVE AND LIKE FAIR PARK, I I SAY OUR CITY WILL RISE AND FALL WITH THE RISE AND FALL OF FAIR PARK.
YOU CAN THROW CITY PARK IN THERE TOO.
SO SOMETHING FOR US TO REALLY PURSUE, IN MY OPINION, AND, AND, UH, YOU, YOU'RE RIGHT MR. KAREEM.
[00:50:01]
I WOULD JUST SAY, UH, TWO THINGS.UH, OUR CURRENT CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE COMPANY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO GO OUT AND GET SPONSORSHIPS IS HASN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN BEING ABLE TO GET THOSE TYPE OF PARTNERSHIPS.
SO, SO SMALL TOWN OR LARGE IS JUST OPINION.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, IN THEIR ASS, UNLESS SOMETHING IS HAVING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE COMING TO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS, IT'S HARD TO GET SPONSORSHIPS.
HOWEVER, SINCE THAT'S NOT WORKING OUT TO THE DEGREE, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER HIRING A PROFESSIONAL PERSON FOR THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN, A PROFESSIONAL WHO HAS THE TRACK RECORD FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO REALLY FOCUS ON GOING OUT, GETTING THOSE TYPE OF SPONSORSHIPS FROM LARGE TO SMALL.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER THAT NOW.
FAIR PARK IS A MUCH LARGER OPERATION.
AND SO YES, WHEN YOU HEAR THE BRIEFING TODAY, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR US LOOKING AT GETTING A LONG TERM CONTRACT WITH A BIG TIME SPONSORSHIP COMPANY.
WHAT WE MAY DO IS ASK THEM, HEY, WILL YOU DO BOTH? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE FAIR PARK HAS YOU, YOU KNOW, OVER, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF VISITORS A YEAR, YOU KNOW, AND WILL YOU CONSIDER TAKING ON OLD CITY PARK? UH, THROWING THAT IN AS WELL.
SO I THINK WE MAY GET SOME SYNERGY THERE BY LOOKING AT THAT DIRECTION.
DIRECTOR JENKINS, BECAUSE TIMES ARE TOUGH AND THEY'RE GETTING TOUGHER AND LIKE YOU'VE SAID, AND I BELIEVE, AND WE HAVE TO WEAN OURSELVES OFF THAT GENERAL FUND.
AND IF WE DON'T, SOMEBODY OUT THERE TELL ME WHAT REC CENTERS WE'RE GONNA CLOSE.
SIMPLE QUESTION, RIGHT? THANK YOU.
BUT I WANNA RECOGNIZE REAL QUICK, YOU ALL, APRIL GARCIA AS WELL AS NANCY, I DON'T KNOW NANCY LAST NAME, THEY WOULD STAND UP.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'S MANAGING FAIR PARK.
APRIL JUST, SHE WAS DOING, I MEAN, OLD CITY PARK.
HE WAS DOING TWO JOBS FOR OVER A YEAR AND FINALLY SHE'S GOT MORE TIME TO FOCUS ON OLD CITY PARK.
SHE STARTED IN AROUND APRIL, MARCH TIME.
THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED, HUH? YEAH.
SEEING ALL THESE EVENTS AND THINGS GET ORGANIZED, BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO SEE THE TEAM WHO'S ON THE FRONT LINE MAKING IT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT DR. JENKINS.
MS. O, UM, I WANT, WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME OUT TO, JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF, UH, WHAT MS. JENKINS, MR. JENKINS JUST DID WAS TO APPRECIATE THE TEAM FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AND ESPECIALLY THE REVITALIZATION OF THE PARK.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A, A TREMENDOUS JOB.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR YOU AGAIN,
UM, AND I DID SEE, UM, THE PROGRAMMING IDEAS, BUT ARE THESE PROGRAMMING IDEAS LINKED TO, UM, IMPACTING SOME OF THE, UM, RE OR, OR RECOUPING SOME OF THE EXPENDITURES FOR REVIT REVITALIZATION? SO DO WE HAVE A VISION AROUND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UH, ON THE LINES OF, OF, UH, WHAT RUDY WAS TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS, UH, BUDGET WISE, JUST SEEING, UM, WHAT VISION DO WE HAVE AROUND WHETHER OR NOT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO KINDA OFFSET SOME OF THE REVITALIZATION? GREAT QUESTION.
UM, IN, IN REGARDS TO THE PROGRAMMATIC PIECE, SO OBVIOUSLY WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, LIKE OUR SUMMER CAMPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THOSE, WE KIND OF LEFT ONE OF THE OUR, UM, AD HOC MEETING TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT BUCKETS THAT THINGS FALL INTO.
BUT IN REGARDS TO BEING ABLE TO REVITALIZE, RE RECUPERATE SOME OF OUR COSTS THAT GOES INTO OUR PRIVATE FACILITY RENTALS.
SO WHEN WE'RE DOING SOME OF THESE LARGE SCALE RENTALS, UM, LIKE MISS, UH, PARK BOARD MEMBER DEL, UM, DEL TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE FILM COMMUNITY AND THINGS LIKE THIS.
SO THESE ARE LARGER SCALE THINGS THAT WILL PAY FOR THOSE TYPES OF OTHER PROGRAMS TO STILL TAKE PLACE.
AND SO FOR INSTANCE, THEN WHEN WE HAVE OUR, UM, CONTRACT FEE CLASSES, PEOPLE PAY FOR THOSE, THOSE CLASSES, SO THEY PAY FOR THE YOGA CLASS.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, VERY LIMITED IN COST.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT ON A LARGER SCALE, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE MORE FROM THE EVENT, EVENT ASPECT AND THEN POSSIBLY THE SPONSORSHIP ASPECT THAT WILL BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT.
BECAUSE, UM, THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING, UM, UH, I KNOW WE HAVE THOSE THINGS IN PLACE, BUT, UH, I'M THINKING OF BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT ENSURING THAT OUR EFFORTS ARE GOING TOWARDS MARKETING FOR, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN BE SOME OF, EXCUSE ME.
[00:55:01]
THANK YOU.UM, WE GOT, WE, THE PARK DEPARTMENT TAKES A LOT OF HITS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FACILITIES.
UM, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MANAGING SOME OF OUR PARKS AND THEY HAND IT BACK TO US, UM, WITH SOME CHALLENGES.
AND THIS IS, THIS PARK WAS NO EXCEPTION, UM, MANY, MANY YEARS, 50 SOME YEARS MANAGED BY AN ORGANIZATION.
AND I PROMISE YOU THE BUILDINGS WERE MUCH, MUCH BETTER WHEN THEY TOOK OVER THE FACILITY.
SO THAT, I MEAN, IT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE, BUT WHERE IT'S GONNA MAKE US SHINE IS THAT WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK TO LIFE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.
UM, SO I HATE WHEN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, CRITICIZE US FOR, OH, THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THIS OR WE'RE NOT DOING THAT AT THE PARK WHEN WE'VE TAKEN BACK A MESS.
I, I MEAN, I'M KIND OF RAMBLING ON THAT, BUT WE'RE, WE, WE INHERITED A MESS THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ENTRUSTED TO AN ORGANIZATION.
I MEAN, THEY DID A LOT OF THINGS, I'M SURE GOOD, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ENDED UP WITH A, A, A PART THAT IS IN A LOT OF NEEDS.
SO YOU GUYS ARE MAKING SOME INCREDIBLE PROGRESS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, LIKE YOU'RE DOING ONE DAY CHRISTMAS EVENT.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MORE OF A, UM, LONGER TERM, UM, TYPE THING THAT MAYBE SOMEBODY, A PARTNER COMES IN AND DOES, LIKE A THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE, SIX DAY EVENT, UM, OR LIKE A A MONTH LONG EVENT.
BECAUSE HISTORICALLY WE DO A DAY EVENT AND IT SNOWS THAT DAY, THAT EVENT IS CANCELED AND WE PUT OUT ALL THAT MONEY AND IT WAS ALL RIDING ON ONE DAY.
SO WE NEED TO MITIGATE THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, BECAUSE OF OUR WEATHER IN TEXAS, IT'S AN OUTDOOR VENUE, SO WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING LONG-TERM THAT WILL, UH, UM, COUNT, UM, AND ACTUALLY GIVE US OUR BANG FOR OUR BUCK SO THAT WE'RE NOT WASTING OUR MONEY, UM, ARE THE PEOPLE'S MONEY.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE A GREAT FACILITY.
UM, WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN DALLAS, UM, IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR THIS PARK FAIR PARK.
WE'RE NOT COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER BECAUSE THERE'S ENOUGH PEOPLE TO GO TO EVERY ONE OF THESE FACILITIES.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND I THINK WE'RE DOING SOME GREAT WORK OUT THERE.
YEAH, MR. WHAT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE ON THE, ON THE, THE OLD CITY DEPART CONSERVANCY, I, I DO WANNA SAY THEY, THE VIDEO THAT YOU ALL DID SEE WAS IN COLLABORATION.
UH, THAT WAS THEIR SIGNATURE PROGRAM, UH, THAT YOU ALL SAW ON THE VIDEO.
AND, AND WE HAVE COLLABORATED TOGETHER TO, TO ENHANCE THAT PROGRAM.
BUT I WILL SAY IT WAS A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CONSERVANCY AND THE PARK DEPARTMENT AND WHEN THE CONTRACT EXPIRED, UH, THAT THEY FELT LIKE, UH, THEY WAS ABLE TO RAISE MONEY FOR SOME THINGS, BUT IF THE CITY WASN'T GOING TO HELP WITH THE PRESERVATION AND, AND, AND, AND PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE FACILITY THAN IT WAS BEST THAT BOTH PARTIES SEPARATE AND THAT DEPART DEPARTMENT FIGURE OUT A WAY.
JUST LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FAIR PARK, UH, HOW WE COULD TURN IT AROUND, UH, FROM INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS PROGRAM AND, AND FINANCIALLY.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE ONE EXTRA POINT, UM, TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINT, UM, MEMBER WOODS.
SO IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER WE ACT, WE'RE ACTUALLY PARTNERING WITH AN ORGANIZATION AND THEY ARE DOING AN EVENT AT THE PARK THE ENTIRE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
UM, EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY NIGHT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ATE SOME OF THOSE FEES THROUGH THAT TYPE OF RENTAL OR THAT TYPE OF EVENT AND PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO THEY WILL BE OUT THERE AS WELL.
MR. I WANT TO AGREE IN LARGE PART AND DISAGREE IN SMALL PART WITH SOMETHING THAT MR. KAMI SAID.
FIRST OF ALL IS THE AREAS OF AGREEMENT.
I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT OLD CITY PARK, AND I'LL ALWAYS CALL IT OLD CITY PARK, UM, IS A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR SPONSORSHIPS OF VARIOUS KINDS.
I APPRECIATE DIRECTOR JENKINS, UH, EXPRESSION OF THE DIFFICULTY OF DOING THAT.
AND I THINK THE DEPARTMENT'S ON THE RIGHT TRACK IN TRYING TO FIND SPONSORSHIPS.
NOW, AS TO THE AREA OF DISAGREEMENT, I'LL HESITATE TO DO THIS BECAUSE I KNOW MR. KAMI WILL HAVE
[01:00:01]
AN ARTICULATE AND PASSIONATE RESPONSEWE HAVE PARKS THAT ARE SCENIC, WE HAVE PARKS THAT ARE RECREATIONAL.
WE HAVE DOWNTOWN PARKS ADAPTED TO A VERY URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
WE HAVE THE ZOO, WE HAVE THE ARBORETUM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME PARKS THAT CELEBRATE OUR HISTORIC HERITAGE.
I'M THINKING IN ADDITION TO OLD CITY PARK OF SAMUEL FARM AND THE FARMSTEAD IN FAR SOUTHWEST DALLAS, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ONE, IT'S WORTH YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.
YOU ACCESS IT THROUGH A GRAVEL ROAD FROM A SUBDIVISION, BUT IT HAS BUILDINGS DATING BACK TO 1847 HAS BEEN LOVINGLY RESTORED.
SO I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PARK SYSTEM.
IT LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, IT HAS TO BE BALANCED.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS TO HOW YOU DO THAT BALANCE GIVEN YEAR TO YEAR.
WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT AS IT COMES.
BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THOSE COMMENTS ON RECORD.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST PUT THIS, UH, WRAP THIS UP.
WE, IT IS EITHER GONNA BE OLD CITY PARK OR CITY PARK
I JUST WANNA PUT THAT FOR A REC FOR THE RECORD.
AND MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT IF THE TASK FORCE, ONCE THE TASK FORCE, THE TASK FORCE WOULD BE ASKED THAT OFFICIALLY CHANGING TO OLD CITY PARK.
BECAUSE OLD CITY PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STREET, I WENT THERE AS A CHILD, UH, OLD CITY PARK, ALL STARS, ALMOST AT OAKLAND
UH, SO YEAH, IF WE CAN, WHEN THE TASK FORCE IS DONE, MS. MONDELL, MAYBE THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK ON THAT, ON THAT.
SEE IF THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THAT NAME.
'CAUSE WE ALL KNOW IT AS OLD CITY PARK.
UM, BUT BESIDES THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APRIL, UH, WE AND APRIL GO WAY BACK MAYBE 20 YEARS.
WE'RE TELLING OUR, I'M TELLING YOUR AGE,
UH, WHAT? I KNOW THAT THAT'S A JOKE.
UM, HOW MANY VISITORS DID WE GET THIS PAST YEAR? DO YOU, I'M HAVE TO GET THAT NUMBER FOR YOU.
I DON'T HAVE, BECAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW IT'S AN OPEN PARK, RIGHT? SO PEOPLE COME IN FROM MAYBE MULTIPLE DOORS.
'CAUSE THE WAY THE PARKING LOT IS UC STRUCTURED AGAIN, IT ALSO GOES A REC IN, RIGHT? HOW, HOW DO WE JUDGE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GOING THERE? MAYBE MAYBE GET WITH THE, UH, DALLAS, UM, CRAIG DAVIS UH, DALLAS, VISIT DALLAS, AND THEY GIVE YOU SOME, UH, SOME INFORMATION ON HOW MANY PEOPLE GO THERE WITH THEIR CELL PHONES.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW WE TRACK DATA.
I MEAN, UH, AND THAT'D BE A GREAT NUMBER THAT WE CAN USE FOR LATER ON.
AND, AND TRYING TO USE, TRYING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR WHETHER SPONSORSHIP, LIKE MS. GREEN SAID, OR, OR WHATEVER WE DO.
BUT I MEAN, IF WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION, THAT'D BE GREAT.
VISIT DALLAS ALREADY A PARTNER WITH US AT FAIR PARK, SO THERE'S NO SENSE TO US NOT PIGGYBACKING WITH THEM AND TRYING TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN, EVERYBODY HAS PHONE DATA, UNFORTUNATELY.
EVERYBODY'S BEING TRACKED IN THIS WORLD.
THEY KNOW WHERE YOU'RE AT EVERY TIME WITH YOUR PHONE.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S DONE NOW.
SO IF WE CAN GET THAT DATA, IT'D BE GREAT FOR VISITORS.
I I WAS GONNA MENTION THE, UH, THE SCARY, I THINK IT'S A, A HUDDLE HOUSE THAT'S COME ON.
'CAUSE I SAW THE, THE VIDEOS ALREADY OUT.
OUR VIDEOS PLUS OTHER VIDEOS ARE ACTUALLY DOING SOME MARKETING THEMSELVES, UH, THAT'S OUT THERE.
SO I WAS EXCITED ABOUT YOU MENTIONED IT ALREADY, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT I WAS AT THE CANDLE, AT THE CANDLE, UH, NIGHT AND THAT WAS AWESOME.
I LIVING THERE AS AHOW, I REMEMBER ALL THE PEOPLE THAT USED TO GET THERE AND GO AND, AND DO THAT.
SO, UM, JUST KNOWING THAT THAT'S COMING BACK.
AND SO SEEING IT LAST YEAR, I HAVE GREAT HOPES FOR THIS YEAR WHAT IT'S GONNA BE AT.
I WOULD RECOMMEND TO HAVE MORE, MAYBE ANOTHER, MAYBE ANOTHER PERSON SELLING HOT DRINKS.
'CAUSE HOT DRINKS WENT PRETTY FAST AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS A COOL, IT WAS A COOL NIGHT, SO IT WAS JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS.
I WAS THERE RECENTLY AND, AND, AND IT DID.
THE BANK AWNING WAS THE FIRST THING YOU SAW, AND JUST GETTING THAT FIXED CHANGED THAT WHOLE PARK INSTANTLY.
SO, CIRCLING BACK TO, UM, A LITTLE BIT, I, I REMEMBER THAT BACK WHEN MELISSA PRICER WAS THE DIRECTOR, THERE WAS DALLAS HERITAGE VILLAGE ORGANIZATION.
THEY, WE WERE RAISING MONEY TO MATCHING FUNDS.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT MONEY IS STILL THERE.
IF WE CAN KIND OF ALLUDE TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT AND HOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UTILIZING THAT FROM THEM, BECAUSE ALL THEIR DONORS WOULD'VE GIVEN IT, OR THE FUNDRAISING WOULD'VE BEEN SPECIFIED FOR EXACTLY.
OLD CITY PARK, NOT FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO IF YOU CAN ALLUDE TO THAT, SOMEBODY, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT DOES NOT GET LOST IN THE WIND.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THAT THERE'S OFTENTIMES WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS THAT ARE, THAT
[01:05:01]
WE HEAR ABOUT OR WE, LIKE, WE HAVE TO, UH, VOTE ON FOR, UM, GOING OUT AT FLAG HOLE HILL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.AND SOME OF THESE EVENTS HAVE GROWN FROM THESE SMALL MOM PA EVENTS TO BIGGER ONES AND BIGGER ONES.
AND SO AS OUR RESERVATIONS AND PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT, I'M HOPING THAT NOT TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM ANY OTHER PARK, BUT AS THINGS HAVE GROWN OVER THE YEARS OF BEING LIKE AN ESTABLISHED PLACE THAT YOU DO UTILIZE OUR SPACE AT OLD, AT OLD CITY PARK TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, WHY DON'T WE BRING THAT HERE? UM, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT THE SAME PARK, BUT, AND WE HAVE THE SPACE AND WE CAN DO SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN HANDLE THE PARKING AND HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN IF IT GOES, MAYBE WE CAN SHARE, LIKE IF IT'S SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT HOW THAT IS.
SO IT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM OTHER PARKS CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT AT LEAST IT GIVES THEM THE SPACE.
SO I'M HOPING WE CAN GET CREATIVE ON THAT WITH RESERVATIONS.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, UM, I, WELL, AGE IS A PROBLEM.
I DON'T JUST REMEMBER, I SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN.
I'M GONNA ASK MS. RILEY TO WHAT YOU JUST BROUGHT UP ABOUT WHERE WE HAD A SITUATION ABOUT A YEAR AGO, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN INDIVIDUAL, WHAT THE MARGARITA THING? YES, YES, I'M EXACTLY.
THERE WAS AN EVENT THAT WAS, UM, THAT ORIGINALLY HAD REQUESTED SPACE AT FLAG FULL HILL AND, YOU KNOW, DO SOME TO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WAS GOING ON.
SO STAFF KIND OF REDIRECT THEM, REDIRECTED THEM TO CITY PARK.
SO AGAIN, LIKE WE SAID, WE INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THIS SPACE, HOW YOU CAN UTILIZE IT.
AGAIN, IT, IT GOES BACK TO US SHOWCASING WHAT WE HAVE, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S REVITALIZED.
WE'RE UP AND WE'RE OPERATING AND WE'RE RUNNING AND
SO IT, IT IS BEEN A, BEEN GREAT AND, AND I REALLY DO URGE PEOPLE TO THINK THAT NOT ALL OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION CENTER ARE JUST FOR SPORTS.
WE REALLY, WE DO HAVE A CULTURAL ASPECT AS A PARK DEPARTMENT THAT WE BRING TO IT.
AND I WILL BEHOOVE MYSELF IF I DON'T RECOGNIZE TIM DICKEY, FORMER PARK BOARD MEMBER WHO ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT VISIT DALLAS AND THE MONEY THAT WAS THERE THAT WENT TO FROM THE BRIER BILL THAT SHOULD BE USED FOR, FOR, UM, UH, HISTORICAL USE.
SO I, I WILL BRING THAT BACK UP AGAIN.
AND MS. MANDEL, I JUST WANTED TO, I JUST WANTED TO ADD, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RELATED TO THE, TO THE FUNDS FROM THE, UH, PARISH SOCIETY FOLKS, AND WE WILL ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 'EM TO ULTIMATELY OBTAIN THOSE FUNDS.
WE'RE THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE LIST.
MR. MCCAIN ALSO JUST WANT TO OFFER MIKE KUDOS.
I LOVE CITI PARK OR OLD CITI PARK, HOWEVER, PERHAPS A COMPROMISED NAME AS WE MOVE FORWARD, TAKING INTO, UH, ACCOUNT ALL THE IDEAS HERE AS WE WIND UP CALLING THIS NEW OLD CITI CITIBANK PARK.
UM, BUT I, I LOVE GOING TO THE PARK.
I LOVE EXPERIENCING THE CULTURAL HISTORY THERE, THE PASSION OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE STORIES THAT ARE THERE.
I MEAN, HOW UNIQUE OF A PLACE THAT IS, NOT ONLY FOR DALLAS, BUT JUST IN, IN THE MANY CITIES I'VE VISITED IN THE WORLD.
TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A PARK AND EXPERIENCE THAT LEVEL OF HISTORY BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER SUCH A PERIOD OF TIME, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS, IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR.
JUST IN THE CONSIDERATION OF OUR SUPPORT.
I ALSO, LIKE MR. WOOD, THINK THAT THE, THE HOLIDAY EVENT SHOULD BE A MARKET THAT TAKES PLACE OVER TIME, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF A SINGLE WEATHER EVENT, BUT JUST ALSO BECAUSE OF PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE ON ANY PARTICULAR DAY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE OVER AT THE ARBORETUM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE HOLIDAY MARKET THERE, YOU STILL HAVE TO BUY TICKET OR ENTRY FEE TO GO IN AND TO BRING TOGETHER LOCAL CREATORS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, GOOD LOCAL MARKETS OR OTHER PARTNERS WHO CAN CREATE AN EVENT LIKE THAT AND HAVE IT RUN OVER THE COURSE OF A MONTH, I THINK WOULD REALLY GATHER ATTENTION THAT TO THAT PLACE.
AND, AND IF IT BECAME AN ANNUAL EVENT, PEOPLE WOULD REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
UM, I KNOW MYSELF LIKE HAVING GONE TO THE EVENT THAT WAS PICTURED IN THE VIDEO, YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY HAD A KEEN EYE SPOT ME IN IT SOMEWHERE.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND I BOUGHT MY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS THERE FOR PEOPLE AND THERE WERE ONLY, I THINK SIX OR SEVEN VENDORS, BUT THEY WERE AMONG THE BEST THAT I FOUND IN THE CITY OVER THE TIME I WAS SHOPPING FOR GIFTS.
SO I THINK THAT COULD REALLY BE EXPANDED.
AND I, AND THE LAST QUESTION, WELL JUST, THE QUESTION I WANNA ASK IS HOW ROBUST ARE OUR GRANT WRITING EFFORTS WHEN IT COMES TO HISTORICAL PRESERVATION FOCUSED GRANTS AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL? BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL OUT THERE.
I'M THINKING OF TEXAS HISTORICAL FOUNDATION, UM, PLACES THAT WOULD SPECIFICALLY SUPPORT OR THE, THE, ALRIGHT, HERE WE GO.
UM,
[01:10:01]
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UM, EVEN AND MR. CONNOR ARE KIND OF STEALING OUR THUNDER BECAUSE YEAH.NEXT MEETING WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE BRINGING FORWARD THE PRESENTATION, OUR GRANT PROCESS AND APPLICATION.
SO Y'ALL ARE KIND OF SEEING A PREVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE GOT THE NEXT MEETING.
WELL, I GUESS EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE FAITH IN THE PARK BOARD THEN, BECAUSE WE ARE AHEAD OF THE CURVE AND OUR BUSINESS.
I GOT BIG, I GOT A BIG ENOUGH VOICE.
IT'S ON BROADCAST WITH NO, IT'S NOT OFF.
UH, REAL QUICK, JUST COME BACK.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE GOT THE NORTH TEXAS GIVEN WINDOW, RIGHT? EVERYBODY, ANYBODY IN DALLAS KNOWS ABOUT NORTH TEXAS GIVEN DAY.
BUT WE HAD THAT NORTH TEXAS WINDOW.
IT STARTED ABOUT A WEEK AGO OR SO, AND IT CONTINUES FOR TWO MORE WEEKS.
OLD CITY PARK MIGHT BE ONE THAT CAN GET INTO THAT.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE IT ACROSS THE CITY, NOT JUST US.
UM, AND THEY WERE ALWAYS GIVING MONEY WHEN, WHEN THE OTHER GROUP WAS RUNNING IT.
SO MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO PIGGYBACK ON FOR, FOR THE FUTURE.
AND SINCE WE BE TALKING ABOUT GRANTS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE, IF WE CAN DO THAT OR NOT, BUT I MEAN, JUST SOMETHING TO FIGURE OUT, CAN THIS ENTITY BE A, IN THE NOR TEXAS GIVEN DAY.
SO THAT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION.
AND I WANT TO SAY VICTORIA, FOR HELPING THE DALLAS PARK RECREATION DEPARTMENT SET UP OUR PAGE FOR NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY, WE ARE NOW A REGISTERED ORGANIZATION FOR NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY.
SO WE ARE, SO WE BEEN LIVE ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
EVERY, EVERYBODY WENT LIVE ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S, AND THEY, YOU DON'T SEE NOTHING TILL THE DAY OF IS WHEN YOU FIND OUT IF ANYBODY DONATED TO YOU OR NOT.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE PART OF THE NORTH TEXAS GIVEN DAY, THERE ARE ALSO OTHER ENTITIES THAT START BRINGING THINGS TO YOU BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THAT YOU PART OF YOUR RE MISSION IN OUR LOTS WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO IT'S, I THINK, I THINK O CITY PARKLAND HAS ITS OWN PAGE JUST 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S ABOUT BUILDINGS, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING PRESERVATION, STUFF LIKE THAT.
NOT JUST PARK, RIGHT? IT'S NOT, I KNOW IT IS NOT PARK WINDOW, BUT MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING, IF IT HAS ITS OWN 5 0 1 CI THINK IS THE KEY.
RIGHT? JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY, BUT WE'RE REALLY ON THE SAME WAVELENGTHS.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE AN ACTIVE NORTH TEXAS C DAY PAGE AND WE CAN BOY HAS REALLY KIND OF TAKEN THE LEAD AND REALLY READ ON THAT.
SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN TRY TO CRAFT SOME WORDING TO INCORPORATE CITY PARK.
SORRY AGAIN TO, UH, FIND AN EMAIL FROM MR. DICKEY FROM 2022, AND I'M GONNA REALLY KIND OF GET INTO THIS FOR A SECOND.
UNDER THE 2018 DALLAS CULTURAL PLAN, THERE WAS MONEY THAT WAS FROM THE, THAT THERE SHOULD BE MONEY FROM THE SUSTAINABLE ARTS ECOSYSTEM AND IT SHOULD ADOPT THE PROPOSED NEW HOT FUNDING MODEL THAT CAME FROM THE BRIER BILL THROUGH VISIT DALLAS WITH OUR OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, HOPING THAT WE CAN STILL TAP INTO THAT.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THE WHOLE ENTIRE EMAIL, I'LL FORWARD THIS TO YOU, BUT THERE IS MONEY THAT SHOULD BE THERE, UM, POTENTIALLY THAT ESTIMATES AROUND 30 MILLION OF HOT MONEY THAT WOULD FLOW BETWEEN A-O-O-A-C AND, AND VISIT DALLAS, UM, UNDER SECTION 3 5 1 3 5 1 0.101 OF TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
I WILL SEND THIS ALL TO YOU, BUT THERE SHOULD BE MONEY THERE THAT WAS, BUT WOULD BE FOR THOSE OLDER STRUCTURES THAT WE CAN REVITALIZE.
AND SO HOPING THAT WE CAN REVISIT SOMETHING THAT TIMOTHY REALLY RESEARCHED, FOUGHT FOR, AND IT NEVER CAME TO FRUIT DURING HIS TIME HERE, BUT, UM, IF WE ARE REALLY AT THIS PLACE NOW, LET, LET'S UTILIZE HIS INFORMATION AND LOOK INTO IT.
AND AGAIN, CITY PARK IS ANOTHER TESTAMENT AROUND HOW THIS DEPARTMENT TAKES MORE WHEN THE NEED IS THE CHALLENGE.
THE WHOLE CITY PARK AND FAIR PARK AT THE SAME TIME.
AND THE DEPARTMENT JUMPED IN AND I THINK WE CAN SEE BOTH OF THEM ARE PERFORMING MUCH BETTER AND, UH, PROGRAMMING IS BETTER, THE ENGAGEMENT IS BETTER.
SO AGAIN, TESTAMENT OF WHAT THIS DEPARTMENT DOES AS THE BUDGET DEBATE KEEPS GOING ON.
AND I WILL DO THAT PRESENTATION ON GRAHAM'S LINE NEXT WEEK.
THEY MIGHT CUT SOME MORE MONEY OFF OUR
[VI.3. Fair Park Update: A Year of Progress – Brett Wulke, General Manager Fair Park]
LET'S HEAR ABOUT THE, ANOTHERAND THIS IS DA'S SECOND PART IN OUR SYSTEM.
CAN WE SAY THE BIGGEST, UH, IT WAS DALLAS'S SECOND BAR, BUT IT'S OUR BIGGEST
[01:15:01]
SO NOT SAME BAR.SO MR. CHAIR, UH, JUST MY WAY QUICK, QUICK INTRODUCTION AS WE QUEUE UP THE DECK HERE.
SO, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE'VE GOT A REALLY A LOT TO BE PROUD OF RELATED TO FAIR PARK OVER THE PAST YEAR WHEN, WHEN BRETT PUT TOGETHER THE PRESENTATION, I LOOKED AT IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I JUST WAS STUNNED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE IN IT, YOU, YOU KIND OF FORGET ABOUT ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON.
BUT REFLECTING BACK AND THINKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE AND HIS BREADTH TO HIS CREDIT AND HIS TEAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE, IT'S REALLY, UH, REMARKABLE.
OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THINGS TO CONTINUE TO FIX AND WORK ON, BUT FROM WHERE WE WERE, IT'S, WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS, IS PRETTY DRAMATIC.
SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SHARE THIS PRESENTATION WITH YOU AND, AND, UH, WE HOPE YOU SHARE OUR SENTIMENT.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BRETT.
WE'LL FOR THE PARK GENERAL MANAGER.
SO AS RYAN MENTIONED, UH, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, UH, SINCE OUR PREVIOUS UPDATE ON MARCH 26TH, 2026, THE SLIDE.
SO WE'RE ALMOST AT THE ONE YEAR MARK OF TAKING OVER DAILY OPERATIONS AT FAIR PARK.
UM, DURING THE LAST 12 PLUS MONTHS, WE'VE UPDATED Y'ALL, UH, THREE TIMES ABOUT THE TRANSITION AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH MOST RECENTLY IN BACK IN MARCH.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A THEME FROM ME A LOT TODAY.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT STABILIZATION.
WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF 2026 STABILIZING THE OPERATION, THE FACILITIES, OUR BUDGET.
SO I'M NOT GONNA HAVE A LOT OF PRETTY PICTURES THIS TIME AROUND 'CAUSE A LOT OF THIS IS IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT IT IS VITAL TO LAY THE FOUNDATION TO MOVE US FORWARD.
SO AGAIN, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF ON THIS LIST FOR FACILITIES, A LOT OF HVAC WORK.
UH, WE FINALLY COMPLETED THE FIRE PANEL REPLACEMENT PAN AM, WHICH IMPACTED THREE BUILDINGS, WHICH TAKES US OFF FIRE WATCH DURING THE STATE FAIR, WHICH WAS A GOAL OF OURS FROM THE START.
UM, A AGAIN, UM, I DON'T WANT TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE WITH THIS, BUT THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, UH, THAT IS UNDERWAY.
WE'VE COMPLETED OUR FIRST FEW ROUNDS.
THERE'S NOT GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT BREAKS THAT FAIR PARK BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING WE DIDN'T DO.
THEN FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN TO THE MUSIC HALL, UM, YOU'LL SEE 13,000 SQUARE FEET OF CONCRETE, UH, THAT'S BEEN REPLACED.
ANYONE THAT'S BEEN TO A SHOW THERE, THERE'S TRIP HAZARDS ALL OVER THE WALKWAY.
AND THEN THIS AWFUL ASPHALT PATCHES, WHAT THAT'S ALL BEEN REDONE.
THAT'LL BE COMPLETED NEXT WEEK.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PRETTY PICTURES THIS TIME SINCE IT'S BEEN A LOT OF THE FOUNDATIONAL WORK THAT WE NEEDED TO MOVE THE FACILITY AND THE PROPERTY FORWARD IS YOU GOTTA BE ABLE TO TRUST YOUR FACILITIES IF YOU'RE GONNA DELIVER THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS CASE, UH, BUT JUST EVEN A LITTLE PRESSURE WASHING AND WHAT THAT CAN DO.
UM, THAT WILL LEAD YOU TO THE NEXT STEPS THAT'LL DISCUSS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING, LOOKING AHEAD, UH, OUR FACILITIES TEAM IS CURRENTLY COMPILING A MASTER LIST OF ALL THE HISTORICAL COLORS IN THE PARK.
AND THAT'LL GET VETTED BY, I DON'T WANNA MESS THIS ONE UP.
THE FAIR PARK TASK FORCE, THE OFFICE OF PRESERVATION AND THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION WITH THE HISTORY OF THE PARK.
UM, IT IS, IT'S NOT AS EASY AS GOING TO SHERWIN WILLIAMS BUYING A GALLON OF PAINT AND IT'S SLAPPING ON THE EXTERIORS.
BY DOING THIS AND GETTING THIS ALL APPROVED AT ONE TIME, THIS ALLOWS US TO KNOCK OUT ANY PAINT PROJECT JUST AT A SNAP OF THE FINGER.
SO THAT'LL BE A GOOD STEP FOR US.
AND THAT ALSO LEADS ME INTO ESTABLISHING SOME MASTER AGREEMENTS FOR THINGS THAT REALLY SHOULD BE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE THAT WE DON'T HAVE CONTRACTS FOR.
WE NEED TO BE MORE AGILE AND EFFICIENT.
NOT GETTING THESE, UH, CONTRACTS IN PLACE WILL HELP US DO THAT WHILE, UH, WHILE WE HAVE KNOCKED OFF ABOUT $3.7 MILLION WORTH OF WORK FROM THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE LIST, THERE STILL DOES REMAIN 44 MILLION ON THAT LIST.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS GONNA BE THE LAST FOUNDATIONAL UPDATE THAT I GIVE YOU.
IT HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVE WORK ON THE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. UM, ANYONE THAT'S DEALT WITH THESE NOS, WHEN YOU HAVE MAINLINE BREAKS THAT ARE DOWN, YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THE OTHER BREAKS, YOU GOTTA REPLACE THAT MAIN LINE AND THEN YOU START TRACKING DOWN THE TRACING OF THE REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED.
I WOULD SAY WE'RE PROBABLY AT ABOUT 90%.
IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO PUT IN A BUNCH OF PRETTY FLOWERS IF YOU CAN'T KEEP 'EM ALIVE.
I DON'T HAVE STAFF TO HAND WATER THAT MANY ACRES APART TO KEEP EVERYTHING GOING.
[01:20:01]
HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN VERY SYSTEMATIC IN THIS APPROACH AND THAT, AGAIN, LAYS THE VALIDATION FOR THE NEXT, NEXT STEPS.SO WITH THAT, UH, WITH THE IRRIGATION ESSENTIALLY IN PLACE, THIS IS GONNA ALLOW US TO CREATE A TRUE FIVE YEAR PLAN WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY START VISIBLY ENHANCING, UH, THE PROPERTY AND HOW IT LOOKS.
UM, A FEW OF THE PROJECTS THEY'VE GOT UNDERWAY IS, UH, AROUND THE WOMEN'S BUILDING, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM COURTYARD.
AND NOW THAT THE WALKWAY, THE MUSIC HALL IS DONE, THAT ALLOWS US TO GO TACKLE SOME OF THE LANDSCAPE IN FRONT OF THERE, UH, THAT BE OF MINE.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF SHADE AT FAIR PARK, BUT IT DOESN'T ALLOW GRASS TO GROW AND BIG DIRT PATCHES IS NOT THE SOLUTION.
SO WE WILL TACKLE THOSE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AS WELL.
THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, WE HAD JUST IMPLEMENTED OUR 24 7 INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
UM, THAT GAVE US EYES ON THE ENTIRE PARK.
IT ALLOWS US TO MONITOR THROUGH ALL THE CAMERAS ON PROPERTY FROM A CENTRAL COMMAND CENTER, UH, THAT YOU'LL SEE IN ONE OF THE PICTURES THERE.
UM, IT'S INCREDIBLE FOR EVENTS AND EVEN JUST DAY NIGHT AND SECURITY MONITORING.
AND WHAT ALSO DID IS ADD A LITTLE ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR ROVERS.
UM, WE HAVE BROKEN FAIR PARK INTO FIVE ZONES THAT YOU HAS A ROVER 24 HOURS A DAY.
AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY OR IF YOU VISIT BEAR PARK, THERE'S THESE LITTLE QR CODES.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IN THE FAR RIGHT PICTURE IS THE GUARD'S SCANNING THAT AND THAT GOES INTO THE DATA SYSTEM AND REGISTERS THAT INDEED THE GUARD CHECKED THOSE DOORS AT THIS TIME AND REPORTED NO ISSUES OR THEY'LL REPORT THE ISSUE.
SO WITH THE ZONES, UM, THEY USUALLY GET ABOUT FIVE ROUNDS PER SHIFT, WHICH MEANS THEY'LL BE ABLE TO, THIS GUARD WOULD BE BACK AT THIS DOOR AND BOUND MOUNTAIN HALF.
WE'RE CURRENTLY UPDATING OUR SOPS AND POST ORDERS FOR THE GUARDS AS WELL AS THE EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN.
AND WE'RE FINALIZING THE INCIDENT DATA CATEGORIZATION, UH, FOR OUR DASHBOARD.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS WE'RE GENERATING THE DATA.
WE HAVE A DASHBOARD, BUT NOW WE KIND OF HAVE TO RANK TIER ONE, TIER TWO, TIER THREE CATEGORY, THE SERIOUSNESS OF ANY TYPE OF INCIDENT.
SO WE CAN KIND OF REPORT BACK AND PORTRAY THAT THIRD PART REALLY IS PROBABLY THE SAFEST PLACE IN DALLAS.
WE'VE ALSO HAD A LOT OF, UH, PARTNER COLLABORATIONS.
UM, THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE HAS BEEN GREAT.
MARTIN AND HER TEAM, UH, FINDING BRAND DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE STUFF SHE'S BROUGHT TO US.
IT DIRECTLY SAVES MY OPERATING BUDGET.
IT IS TACKLING PROJECTS THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
UH, SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THE SPIRIT OF THE CENTENNIAL, UH, WHICH IS OUT IN FRONT OF THE WOMEN'S BUILDING, UH, HAD A LOT OF CRACKS AND FRACTURES AND FADED PAINT THAT HAS BEEN FULLY RESTORED.
NEXT SLIDE, THAT'S OUT FRONT OF TOWER.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION ABOUT THE TOWER BUILDING RIGHT NOW, THE TOWER RENTAL SIDE WHERE THE FOOD COURT IS DURING THE STATE FAIR, THERE'S A BIG MURAL RESTORATION PROJECT THAT WILL YOU PAUSE RIGHT QUICK.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE BOARD UNDERSTAND THERE'S A, THERE'S MORE OF A A INTERNET TYPE PROBLEM GOING ON WHILE THE TWO ARE NOT SYNCING TOGETHER.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FALL ON YOUR, ON YOUR LAPTOP AS WELL AS THE ONE ON, RIGHT, THAT WILL BE MORE CURRENT.
SO THINGS I NEED YOU TO GO CHECK IT OUT DURING THE STATE FAIR, THE WORK HAS NOT BEGUN AND IT VISIBLY NEEDS A LOT OF WORK.
AND I ALSO AT THE SAME TIME ENCOURAGE YOU DON'T GO DIGGING THROUGH ARCHIVES TO SEE WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE.
WAIT UNTIL THAT RESTORATION PROJECT IS DONE.
THAT'S GONNA BE INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL.
NEXT SLIDE TALKED ABOUT A LOT TODAY WAS THE WORK AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND THE WORK THAT CAM AND VINCENT AND MARTIN AND ALL OF THAT TEAM PUT INTO MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
ABOUT $4 MILLION WORTH OF WORK IN A SHORT TIMEFRAME.
UM, THE AFTERMATH JUST LOOKS INCREDIBLE.
UM, VERY PROUD OF THE TEAMS ON THAT ONE.
AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THE WORK DONE DIRECTLY SAVED MY OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH ALLOWED ME TO TACKLE OTHER NEEDS ON OUR CRITICAL NEWS LIST.
UH, CONTINUING ON, UH, COLLABORATIONS, UM, AGAIN WITH THE ART OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE JAZZ FESTIVAL WILL BE TAKING PLACE THIS WEEKEND THAT IS GONNA BE PRODUCED BY, UH, TBO, UH, KICKS OFF TOMORROW AT FAIR PARK.
SOME ADDITIONAL COLLABORATION EFFORTS.
THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, THEY'RE ALWAYS DOING REHAB PROJECTS AROUND THE PARK.
AGAIN, NOT A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL PICTURES TO PUT IN ON THIS ONE, BUT IT'S MEANINGFUL WORK.
UH, IF YOU GO BY FAIR PARK RIGHT NOW, IT'LL SEE A LOT THREE E, WHICH IS A BIG LOT
[01:25:01]
OUTSIDE THE HALL OF STATE WITH UNIT FIBER BUILDING.THEY'RE REDOING ALL THE ELECTRICAL, THE POWER AND THE WATER LINES UNDERNEATH AND THEN THEY'LL FULLY RESURFACE THAT LOT FOR US.
THEY'LL ALSO BE PAINTING GATE FIVE AND SIX, UH, TICKET BOOTHS.
UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE ITEM I MENTIONED ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO GET PAINT APPROVED, THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY DELAYED AND THAT'LL TAKE PLACE AFTER THE FAIR THIS YEAR.
UM, ONE COLLABORATION THAT WE DON'T HAVE GOING YET THOUGH IS I DO NOT HAVE A BIG TEXT BOBBLEHEAD IN MY OFFICE WILL BE THE NEXT CONVERSATION I HAVE MR. MENOS TAB ABSENT.
SO WE HAVE, UH, BEGUN ACTIVATING THE NEWLY RENOVATED SPACES, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT.
UH, WE'VE HOSTED FIFA WORLD CUP TEAM PRACTICES.
UH, DALLAS TRINITY JUST KICKED OFF AND WE JUST HAD THE STATE LINE SHOWDOWN BETWEEN, UH, LAKE CARROLL AND JENS ON THE 27TH.
AND I'VE GOTTA APOLOGIZE TO SOUTH LAKE ANY ADVANCE HERE LISTENING.
I A HUNDRED PERCENT WROTE THEM OFF WHEN THEY WENT DOWN 27TH
SO DROPS THEM ON AN EXCITING FINISH STOP.
LOOKING AHEAD, THERE'S GONNA BE A COUPLE MORE HIGH SCHOOL GAMES ON SEPTEMBER 12TH.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ANY AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOLS.
UH, THESE ARE NATIONAL POWERHOUSES.
I KNOW SINCE WEEK ONE THESE RANKINGS MIGHT HAVE CHANGED, BUT THESE ARE NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS. UM, SO IT SHOULD BE VERY EXCITING FOR US OVER THERE.
UH, THEN GETTING THEM STATE FAIR, YOU GOT THE STATE FAIR CLASSIC AND THE RED RIVER RIVALRY.
I'M NOT GONNA MENTION WHO PLAYS BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA GET CAUGHT IN THE TRAP OF MENTIONING THE WRONG TEAM FIRST
UM, ATHLETIC OAL KICKS OFF IN MARCH AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THERE'LL BE AN R-F-C-S-P FOR COTTON OPERATOR.
THAT IS TO SUPPLEMENT MY TEAM.
IT'LL BE A SUPPLEMENTATION OF THE TEAM I HAVE OPERATING IN THERE AND REALLY HELPING US MAXIMIZE REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO A QUICK OVERSHOT OF SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, WE HAD THE MONSTER TRUCK WARS, UH, FOODIE LAND, WHICH BROUGHT IN ABOUT 46,000, WHICH WAS GREAT.
THE TEXAS BLACK INVITATIONAL RODEO, WHICH IS PUT ON BY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN THE MAYOR BETA SCHOOL FAIR, WHICH DREW OVER 12,000 THIS YEAR.
LOOKING AHEAD WITH VISIT DALLAS ON BOARD NOW.
THEY ARE BEGINNING TO BOOK EVENTS.
SO WE ARE REFINING OUR OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES TO ENSURE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION BETWEEN THE, UH, BOOKING TEAM AND THE EVENTS TEAM.
UH, WHICH ALSO MEANS WE'RE UPDATING A LOT OF OUR MARKETING MATERIALS FOR FACILITY RENTALS.
AND WE'LL BE KICKING OFF THE NEW YEAR, UH, BY BRINGING UH, LIGHTS ALL NIGHT BACK TO FAIR PARK FOR ANYONE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT BREAKAWAY.
THE STAGES AREN'T INDOORS, SO WORRIES THAT BE A GREAT EVENT.
UM, AND THEN JUST A QUICK NOTE, BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW AND HOW WE'RE PROJECTING REVENUE, UH, FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE'RE CERTAINLY ON PACE ALREADY TO OUTPACE THE EVENTS FROM THIS PAST YEAR.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, VISIT DALLAS REALLY JUST GOT ONBOARDED AND STARTED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
THEY HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN WARMED UP YET.
NICE UH, PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, JUST A SMALL RUNDOWN OF ALL THE EVENTS WE'VE LAUNCHED, UH, SO FAR, THE FARMER'S MARKET HAS DRAWN OVER 14,000.
UH, WE DECIDED, UH, ON SELECT DAYS TO OPEN THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM WITH, UH, ASSISTANCE OF SOME VOLUNTEERS.
AND THAT IS DRAWN WELL, THAT HAS BROUGHT IN OVER 8,000 SO FAR.
UH, NATIONS FEST WAS AN EVENT WE TRIED TO PAIR WITH IT.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE TRIED TO REACTIVATE THE BAND SHELL AND IT DID INCREDIBLY WELL.
IT BROUGHT 4,000, WHICH WAS NEARLY THE PAST.
UM, THEN THE FITNESS AMBASSADORS, UH, STADIUM SWEAT AT THE COTTON, UH, WHICH YOU'LL SEE A PICTURE THERE.
SO THE FITNESS AMBASSADOR DEAL TURN OUT SO WELL.
THEY'LL BE BACK, UH, FOR A COUPLE MORE EVENTS.
UM, IN THE FALL, EARLY WINTER, WE ROLLING OUT SOME, UH, MOVIE NIGHTS AT FAIR PARK, UH, THE GREAT A HUNT, WHICH WAS STARTED THIS YEAR.
WEATHER FORCES IT INDOORS THOUGH, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT IT CAN, UH, HAPPEN AT THE COTTON BOWL NEXT YEAR IN THE SPRING.
AND THEN I'LL BE REMISS TO MENTION OF ALL THE COLLABORATION STUDIO YOU'LL SEE IN THE UPPER RIGHT, WHILE IT'S NOT A PROGRAMMING EFFORT, THE, UH, CHILDREN'S AQUARIUM HAS PUT IN A CAROUSEL, WHICH WILL BE A NICE LITTLE ACTIVATION FOR THAT PART OF IT.
ADMINISTRATION AND, UH, CONTRACTS, AGAIN, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ME SAY STABILIZATION.
UH, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ONE YEAR CONTRACTS IN PLACE JUST FOR CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS.
UH, BUT THE NEW CONTRACTS WE NEED TO GET IN
[01:30:01]
PLACE, THESE NEW LONGER TERM CONTRACTS, UH, THEY'RE GONNA MODERNIZE HOW WE DO BUSINESS AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO STAFF AND IMPROVE THE GUEST AND CLIENT EXPERIENCE.WE NEED ROBUST BID SPECS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THESE RF CSPS, EITHER THEY DON'T EXIST OR THEY'RE FROM 2014, 2008, THEY'RE NOT OUT.
SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME MAKING SURE WE DIDN'T MISS ANY DETAILS 'CAUSE THESE ARE CRITICAL FOR US.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, OUR MARKET RATE ANALYSIS SHOULD BE KICKING OFF HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, UH, WHICH WILL KIND OF REFUND OUR PRICING STRUCTURE AND STRATEGIES.
AND BRING US TO MODERN NEXT SLIDE.
OKAY, AGAIN, I'M JUST GONNA STATE IT AGAIN.
UH, 26 WAS ABOUT STABILIZING OPERATIONS.
UH, 2027 IS GONNA BE ABOUT STANDARDIZATION, MODERNIZATION AND OPTIMIZATION.
WE NEED TO STANDARDIZE OUR PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES, MODERNIZE OUR AGREEMENTS AND OUR SERVICES, AND OPTIMIZE THE REVENUE STREAMS, THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, AND OUR OPERATIONS.
ALONG WITH THAT, I WANT 27 TO FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING NEW, UH, TENANTS FOR OUR VACANT BUILDINGS.
WE'VE HAD, UH, MULTIPLE OFFERS ON MULTIPLE OF THE FACILITIES OUT THERE AND THE TIME TO BRING THESE AND ADVANCE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND CONCEPTS TO REALITIES.
UM, AS OF TODAY, DESPITE A LOT OF THE, UH, FACILITY CHALLENGES WE INHERITED, WE ARE TRACKING TO MAKE BUDGET.
UM, AND I, I KNOW I STATED THIS ALREADY, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE CHIPPED OFF 3.7 MILLION FROM THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE LIST, THERE STILL REMAINS A ROBUST DEFERRED MAINTENANCE LIST THAT I'VE GOTTA TACKLE ALONG WITH OUR DAY-TO-DAY, UH, MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS.
UH, BIG HELP TO US THIS YEAR TOO IS THERE ARE SOME OLD BOND FUNDS OUT THERE, SOME CURRENT BOND FUNDS, AND THEN THE TRANSFER OF A FEW MULTI-YEAR FUNDS INTO MY BUDGET, WHICH WAS CRITICAL FOR US TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE MAJOR HVAC, UM, ISSUES AT THE PARK.
WITHOUT ADDRESSING THOSE, I'D HAVE A FEW MAJOR RENTAL BUILDINGS OFFLINE, WHICH DOESN'T GENERALLY THE SAME REVENUE.
AND THIS IS JUST THE SHOT OF THE MULTI-YEAR FUNDS THAT, UH, MY REFERENCE AT THE BOTTOM, UH, THE ZERO A ZERO NINE, THAT IS MY FAIR PARK SPECIAL REVENUE FUND THAT THESE GOT TRANSFERRED INTO TO HELP ME REALLY ATTACK THESE DEFERRED CRITICAL MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
UH, FAIR PARK COMMUNITY PARK, UM, THAT IS STILL ON SCHEDULE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FAIR PARK FIRST TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THIS PARK DELIVERED TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND TO LOOK AT THE, UH, FAIR PARK DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE STILL SEEKING CONCEPTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE APPROXIMATE 40 ACRES IN THE BACK.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE PARK BOARD, THE COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL ENGAGED AND INFORMED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
WE'VE HAD TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME REALLY DOING CLEANUP OF DOMAIN AND WEBSITE DATA.
UM, AND NOW THAT WE HAVE
UM, SO WE'RE IDENTIFYING OTHER RESOURCES AT OUR DISPOSALS OUT ENHANCE OUR OUTREACH.
I THINK OUR OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION NEED TO IMPROVE.
UM, SO WE'RE IDENTIFYING THOSE, UM, RESOURCES WE CAN LEAN INTO TO ASSIST IN THAT FINAL SLIDE.
SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH VISIT DALLAS DOWN THERE.
ESTABLISHED WORKING WITH OUR EXISTING PARTNERS AND BUILDING ON THE GREAT WORK THEY'RE ALREADY DOING.
UM, CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS WITH POTENTIAL PARTNERS ON VACANT BUILDINGS, WORKING ON PROCUREMENT ON THE SIX TO SEVEN CRITICAL SERVICES THAT I WANT OUT THE DOOR IN THE NEXT 45 DAYS.
AND THEN SEEKING CONCEPTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, THE BACK NEXT SLIDE.
SO THAT IS, UH, JUST A SNAPSHOT OF OUR STAFF.
A LOT OF THEM TODAY ARE AT THE PARK GETTING READY FOR JAZZ FESTIVAL.
UH, THERE'S A TRINITY GAME ON SATURDAY, SO A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE AS WELL AS LEADING INTO THE, UH, KIND OF FINAL PUSH FOR STATE FAIR.
MAKE READY WITH THAT, UH, WE'LL TURN IT OVER FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, BRETT, WILL YOU INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM MEMBERS THAT'S HERE, THE FRONTLINE TEAM? YES.
THAT'S MAKING THIS ALL HAPPEN.
ALL RIGHT, STARTING OVER HERE IS, UH, RAUL ROBLES.
HE HAS STEPPED IN AS MY ASSISTANT, UH, GENERAL MANAGER.
NEXT TO RAUL IS NICOLE OLIVER.
UM, ALL THESE CONTRACTS THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, SHE'S MY ONE-STOP SHOP AT THIS RIGHT NOW, TO CALL NEXT TO HER IS BRADEN HUEY, ONE OF OUR EVENT COORDINATORS.
[01:35:01]
I KNOW OUR TRANSITION TEAM WAS SEVEN AND HE WASN'T TECHNICALLY ON IT, BUT HE WAS OUR FIRST OFFICIAL HIRE AND HAD ALL THE EVENTS IN HIS LAB.AND HE, MONICA TAY IS OUR PROGRAMMING AND MARKETING MANAGER.
AND ALPHA JALO IS OVERSEEING OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS, MAKING SURE JAZZ FEST IS READY TO KICK OFF TOMORROW.
AND MAKING SURE TRINITY'S READY TO GET OVER THE WEEKEND IS, UH, PHENOMENAL, UH, PRESENTATION.
SO JUST, I THINK SINCE, UH, MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE NEW, UH, DIRECTOR JENKINS, YOU WANT TO GIVE ANY, UH, HISTORY OF HOW, WHY WE TOOK OVER, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING? THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
UH, YEAH, JUST A BRIEF HISTORY.
UH, SO, UH, IF YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE HAD PRIVATIZED PARK, UH, BETWEEN A NONPROFIT AND THEN WE HAD A, UH, FOR-PROFIT THAT OPERATED THE PARK, UH, THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAILY ACTIVITIES WHERE THE NONPROFIT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, FUNDRAISING AND OVERSEEING THE OVERALL CONTRACT.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHO OUR CONTRACT WAS WITH, UH, UH, THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2019.
AND THEN, UH, SOME, SOME, FORTUNATELY A LOT OF THINGS WE DIDN'T, UH, DID NOT COME THROUGH FRUITION.
UH, AS WE CAME TO THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND, UH, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS, UH, UH, WANTED TO SEE A LOT MORE ACTIVITY AT THE PARK, A LOT OF THAT DID NOT COME TO FRUITION.
UH, WE STARTED NOTICING THINGS THAT WEREN'T BEING ADDRESSED AS EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE IN THE PRESENTATION.
LIKE, UH, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON THE MECHANICAL ISSUES THAT WAS GOING ON AT FAIR PARK.
JUST THE BASIC GROUND MAINTENANCE WASN'T BEING ADDRESSED AND WE JUST, IT'S EVEN LEVEL PROGRAMMING.
AND SO WE, UH, DECIDED THAT IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT, UH, AND, UH, THAT THE PARK DEPARTMENT ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IF WE WERE TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY, THAT WE WEREN'T GONNA GO BACK TO THE SAME MODEL AS BEFORE.
BECAUSE ONE TIME THE PARK DEPARTMENT USED TO OPERATE IT, A HUNDRED PERCENT DID EVERYTHING.
AND THEN WE WENT DOWN THE ROAD OF THE PRIVATIZATION THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT.
AND SO THIS TIME WE SAID, LET'S DO A HYBRID MODEL WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE PARK DEPARTMENT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, UH, OVERSEEING THE OVERALL OPERATION FORMS, CONTRACTS AND ADMINISTRATION AND THE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE AND MAKING SURE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR FACILITIES.
BUT WE NEEDED TO, TO PARTNER WITH EXPERTS, UH, THAT WE COULD ENTER CONTRACTS WITH.
THIS IS WHAT THEY DO IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT WE WILL OVERSEE THEIR CONTRACTS.
AND BRETT MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, WE NEEDED TO HIRE AN EXPERT WITH THE LONG TERM CONTRACT.
FOLKS' GONNA FOCUS ON SPONSORSHIPS.
THEY HAVE A TRACK RECORD BRINGING IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH DIFFERENT CLIENTS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE BRING IN SOMEONE LIKE, UH, VISIT DALLAS, WHO HAS A GOOD TRACK RECORD OF ACTUALLY BRINGING EVENTS.
I MEAN, UH, BEING ABLE TO RENT OUT YOUR RENTAL FACILITIES AND BRING EXPOS.
UH, WE WANTED TO LOOK AT, OKAY, WHO CAN WE HIRE FULL OF TURNKEY FOLKS WHO CAN PROVIDE CONCESSIONS SECURITY? UH, DO WE HAVE FOLKS WHO CAN HELP BRING IN BIG CONCERTS? AND SO WE SAID, WE WILL NOT DO IT ALL ANYMORE.
WE'LL HAVE A HYBRID MODEL BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT THE PARK DEPARTMENT WILL STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF THE ENTIRE PARK.
UH, MANY THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE JUST WENT BACK TO THE SAME MODEL AGAIN.
I THINK WE'RE SEEING THAT WE LAID OUT A PLAN ONE YEAR LATER YOU ARE ACTUALLY SEEING THE RESULTS.
AND, AND I SAY, JUDGE US ON THE PLAN WE LAID OUT AND HOW WE DELIVERED ON THE PLAN.
AND I THINK OVERWHELMINGLY EVERYBODY WOULD AGREE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN WE LAID OUT A YEAR AGO IN THOSE FIVE OR SIX PILLARS, WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DE DE UH, DELIVERING ON EVERYTHING WE SAID WE WOULD DO.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD.
I WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS.
I WANT TO THANK MY TEAM, UH, MORE THAN ANYTHING, EVERYBODY BELIEVING THAT WE COULD TAKE THIS BACK OVER AND TURN IT AROUND AND GET IT MOVED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND, AND DIRECTOR JENKINS.
JUST TO ADD TO LITTLE BIT OF WHAT DIRECTOR JENKINS SAID, THIS
[01:40:01]
WAS ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING CONTRACT, UH, WHICH PARK DEPARTMENT HAD.AND, UH, THIS WAS WHEN I TOOK THE CHAIR, THIS WAS INHERITED AND WE COULD INITIALLY SEE SOME SERIOUS RED FLAGS.
UH, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A FOR PROFIT, UH, ORGANIZATION MAINTAINING THE PARK IN DISGUISE OF A NONPROFIT.
THERE WERE FINANCIAL RED FLAGS, THERE WERE OPERATIONAL RED FLAGS.
AND IT BECAME A PRETTY, PRETTY CHALLENGING AND A PRETTY CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC WHICH WAS BEING DISCUSSED.
AND UH, UH, I THINK THE DECISION WHICH WAS TAKEN WAS NOT EASY.
UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF RESISTANCE, UH, TO TERMINATE.
THIS WAS A POWERFUL ORGANIZATION WHO HAS THE CONTRACT WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER ALSO.
SO WHAT THAT STRONG STEP WAS TAKEN.
AND THAT'S WHERE DIRECTOR JENKIN JUST TAPPED IN AS HE SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN THE BOARD AT THAT TIME AND I QUESTIONED HIM, HOW WE CAN WE PARK, UH, DEPARTMENT CAN DO IT, HE SAID, THERE IS NO CHOICE.
WE CANNOT LET THIS, UH, FACILITY FAIL.
AND ONE YEAR LATER, I THINK I'VE SEEN MANY PLANS, BUT THE BEST PLAN IS WE GET SOME EXECUTION AND THIS IS SEEING EXECUTION.
SO THANK YOU DIRECTOR JENKINS.
AND WITH THAT, UH, I THINK I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR MR.
IT JUST HAPPENS TO GO THAT DISTRICT.
SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE HARD, UM, CHOICES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UM, KICKING AND SCREAMING FIGHTING BETWEEN FOLKS.
I BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM AND AS A WHOLE.
UM, BUT WE'RE BETTER TODAY BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE WENT THROUGH IN THE PAST WITH THIS PARK.
UM, I DON'T, I THINK THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY IN A BETTER POSITION, EVEN WITH ALL THE FRUSTRATIONS AND ALL OF THE NEGATIVE STUFF THAT HAPPENED.
I STILL THINK THAT WE'RE IN A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OUR PARK IS ABSOLUTELY BELOVED.
SO MANY PEOPLE, WE HAVE A LOT OF ATTENTION AT IT.
PEOPLE ARE THROWING MONEY AT IT, YET THEY'RE STILL RAISING MONEY FOR THESE, THIS COMMUNITY PARK AND THE REST OF THE PARK AS A WHOLE HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
UM, IT SHOWS HOW MUCH OUR PARK SYSTEM IS LOVED AND IT SHOWS HOW MUCH FAIR PARK IS LOVED.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, EVERYTHING I THINK THAT BRETT AND YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN DOING, UM, HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, EXCEPTIONAL.
A LOT OF IT IS, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE SCENES, THE GROUNDWORK.
UM, AND THIS NEXT YEAR WE'RE GONNA SEE IT FLOURISH, I BELIEVE, UM, MAYBE ANOTHER YEAR OF GROUNDWORK.
'CAUSE YOU GOT A LOT OF STILL FINISHING TOUCHES OF THE CONTRACTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, THE, THE ONE THING THAT REMAINS THAT WE NEED A LOT MORE SUPPORT IS COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF COMMUNITY, UM, INVOLVEMENT, A LOT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE EVENTS HAPPENING, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH THE ACTUAL COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT, I MEAN, I, I'M IN THE COMMUNITY AND I DON'T, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WELL, WHAT'S HAPPENING? WE DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S A LOT OF THE SENTIMENT, BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING AT FAIR PARK.
NOW, GRANTED THAT YOUR DEFENSE, YOU'RE DOING THE GROUNDWORK, SO THAT'S NOT GONNA BE AS FOCAL.
SO I'M GIVING YOU THE DEFENSE OF THAT.
BUT YET WE COULD DO SOME SIMPLE THINGS, COMMUNITY CLEANUPS, JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, HEY, THE PARK IS OUT HERE CLEANING UP WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT JUST CLEANING UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE STATE'S FAIR.
WE ACTUALLY DO CLEANUPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, SO I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, A FEW MORE COMMUNITY TYPE EVENTS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY BRING, UM, THE COMMUNITY IN.
UM, AND MAYBE SOME KIND OF THE GEOFENCING AND BROADCASTING AND ADVERTISING FOR THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AT FAIR PARK.
SECOND AND THIRD HAND, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE COMMUNICATION, BUT OVERALL KUDOS.
UH, THAT, UH, UH, BRAD, I PICKED UP FROM SAY SO, MR. YES.
I, I WAS GONNA COME ON HERE AND JUST SAY THANK YOU BRAD AND THE TEAM.
RAUL, JUST FOR EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT FAIR PARK THIS SUMMER, SO I GOTTA SEE A LOT OF CHANGES AS, AS FIFA WAS THERE AND, AND, AND THEN AFTER THEY LEFT AND, AND CONTINUE.
UM, I SEE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
SO I'M, I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE'RE GOING.
[01:45:01]
IS STARTING TO LOOK BETTER NOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PUTTING MONEY INTO JUST ALL THE LITTLE THINGS.I'VE NOTICED THAT TOO BECAUSE I ALWAYS BRING THAT UP.
YOU KNOW, BUILDINGS LOOK CLEANER.
UH, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
SOMEBODY CAN GO IN AND FEEL LIKE THE BUILDINGS ARE CLEAN AND, AND THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE.
ALWAYS SAY, IT STARTS WITH THE BATHROOMS. THE BATHROOMS ARE CLEAN.
IF THEY DON'T, IF THEY'RE NOT CLEAN, THEN THAT'S WHERE THEY START.
AND, AND FROM THE BATHROOMS ALL THE WAY OUT, IT'S BEEN PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
AND, AND JUST EVERYTHING WE KEEP IMPROVING ON, I THINK WE'VE GOT, WE'RE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THE JINX AND, AND SOUTH LAKE CARROLL GAME.
THAT WAS AN AMAZING, JUST HAD THOSE TWO CITIES COME TO ONE PLAY IN COTTON BOAT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS A MULTIPLE MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT ON THE JINX.
UH, LET ME GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.
I, BETWEEN THE GAMES COMING UP AND THE JAMES SOUTHLAKE, I, I FORGET WHICH ONE WAS MULTI-YEAR, THAT TOO.
AND, AND THEN WAS ALL THE GAMES THAT ARE COMING UP TO THE COTTON BOWL, EVEN THE ROLANDO PARISH, UH, UH, CLASSIC AND ALL THAT STUFF'S COMING ON.
IT'S AMAZING TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
GOING THROUGH THE CORRIDORS AND SEEING PEOPLE IN OUR CONCESSION STANDS THAT ARE SELF-EFFICIENT AND, AND ALL THAT COM COMPARE WHAT IT WAS BEFORE THE COTTON BOWL WAS EXPANDED.
IT'S, IT IS JUST AMAZING TO SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE PRIMER BILL AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN FAIR PARK AND THE COTTON BOAT.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
DON'T, DON'T, DON'T TAKE THE FOOT OFF THE PEDAL
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE WORK, BUT YOU GOT, WE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO STILL.
BUT I MEAN, JUST SEEING, KNOWING WHAT IT TOOK THE MOST BOAT TO DO, IT TOOK 'EM FIVE TO 10 YEAR WINDOW WHEN THEY TOOK OVER.
KNOWING THAT FACT THAT WE, WE, WE GOT TO VISIT WITH THEM.
WE KNOW THIS IS THE SAME WINDOW, YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY YEAR ONE, NOW WE GOT, WE GOTTA GET TO YEAR FIVE LIKE YOU SAID, AND THEN THAT YEAR 10, WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE SEE THAT WHAT, WHAT THEY GOT RESOLVED, UM, IN AND AT THE ROSE BOWL.
AND AGAIN, I WILL AGREE TO THAT.
I THINK OUR PARTNER ENGAGEMENT IS FANTASTIC.
I THINK YOU ARE PUSHING THEM TO BE BETTER PARTNERS, WHICH IS WHAT IS NEEDED.
WE NEVER SAW THIS KIND OF PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF ORIGIN AND CULTURE.
YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS AMAZING AND IT SHOWS THAT'S THE HISTORIC PLACE AND CAN'T BE A BETTER PARTNER THAN THAT.
AND THE DRIVER
IT SEEMS LIKE I'M SEEING SOME MONEY IS GOING TO COME TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OUTSIDE WITH THAT.
YOU HAVE THE BACK OF THE STUDENT.
WE HAVE NOT SEE LIKE IT'S LUNCHTIME,
[VI.4. Fiscal Year 2026 and Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Update – Ryan O’Connor, Senior Deputy Director ]
UH, SO ULTIMATELY YESTERDAY WE HAD A BUNCH OF WORKSHOPS IN THE CITY COUNCIL.ULTIMATELY, UH, ONE REVISION THAT WAS PASSED AND THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION REGARD OUR COMMUNITY POOL.
AND SO WE'LL BE MAKING THAT ONE TIME TRANSFER, UH, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 27TH TO KEEP THE SIX SCHOOLS THAT WAS OPERATING THIS FISCAL YEAR OPEN FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
EXCUSE, ASSUMING THAT IS A FI FINALLY APPROVED ON SEPTEMBER THE 16TH.
ONE ADDITIONAL THING THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS WHAT THE BOARD ALREADY KNEW.
WE SENT A MEMO OUT RESTORING THE FUNDING TO TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON AND THE CEDAR RIDGE RESERVE.
AND COUNCIL STILL HAS ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT AMENDMENTS ON SEPTEMBER THE 16TH.
SO WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT BUDGET WORKSHOP ON SEPTEMBER THE 16TH.
AND ANY ADJUSTMENTS OR CHANGES TO THE BUDGET WILL BE RECORDED AT OUR NEXT, OUR BOARD MEETING.
AND THIS IS WHERE I REQUEST ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO PLEASE SPEAK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER FINAL PUSH.
SO NO MORE SURPRISE AND NO MORE, UH, SILLY CUTS HAPPEN JUST BECAUSE SOME, UH, LAST MINUTE MANEUVERING, WHICH IS HAPPENING.
SO TRULY I THINK YOUR CALL TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE GREAT POWER OF, UH, THIS BOARD WHICH WE CAN SHOW.
[VIII. OTHER/NON-ACTION ITEMS]
REPORTS, PLEASE? YEAH, UH, GO AHEAD, MR. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.UH, WE ARE CELEBRATING A BRAND NEW DOG PARK IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
IT'S BEEN OPEN FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, BUT IT'S OFFICIAL RIBBON CUTTING IS THIS EVENING.
I WANNA SHARE A QUICK STORY ON THIS.
THEY'RE NOT CHEAP TO START AND THEY'RE NOT CHEAP TO OPERATE.
WE ARE IN TOUGH TIMES, BUT THANKFUL TO FANTASTIC PARTNERS LIKE THE DOWNTOWN DALLAS PARKS CONSERVANCY WHO CONTINUE TO BRING US GOOD THINGS EVEN IN TOUGH YEARS.
AND WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THIS CITYWIDE.
I HOPE Y'ALL CAN MAKE IT TONIGHT BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA CELEBRATE OUR PARTNERSHIPS TONIGHT AND CELEBRATE A FANTASTIC
[01:50:01]
POSITIVE OUTCOME.UM, ALSO TONIGHT AND FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, Y'ALL, I AM SO EXCITED.
LONE STAR CIRCUS IS COMING TO PLEASANT GROVE AT THE PLEASANT OAK REC CENTER.
I WAS HOPING TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THIS BEFORE OUR TEAM LEFT FOR RU 'CAUSE I WANTED TO SINCERELY THANK OUR PARTNERS, THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, UH, FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN THROUGH A GRANT AS WELL AS THE MOODY FUND FOR THE ARTS FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THAT.
UM, PRISCILLA AND AURELIA AT PLEASANT OAKS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE PARTNERS.
THEY'VE BEEN BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE SERVICE HAS EVERYTHING THEY NEED.
THE AQUATICS TEAM THERE, KEVIN, JEREMY, THE 20 DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF STAFF THAT I HAVE PULLED IN, UH, TO THIS PROJECT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S HAPPENING.
UM, AMBER AND BART FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEMS OFFICE, AND FINALLY THE CREW AT FIRE SECTION 32.
FUN FACT, DISTRICT FIVE HAS THE ONLY ELECTRIC FIRE ENGINE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, ONE OF ONLY TWO, THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THEY, WITHOUT HESITATION, AND ACTUALLY WERE VERY EXCITED TO COME OVER AND, UM, FILL UP THE, THE WATER JUGS, YOU KNOW, 33,000 GALLONS OF WATER OR 13,000 GALLONS OF WATER THAT WERE NEEDED TO HOLD THAT TENT DOWN.
SO IT IS A SITE TO BEHOLD OUT AT PLEASANT OAKS.
IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY FUN FREE THREE WEEKS.
THE EVENT IS FREE, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR AN HOUR BEFORE EVERY PERFORMANCE.
THE PERFORMERS ARE GONNA BE DOING FREE WORKSHOPS FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO LEARN CIRCUS SKILLS, CERTAIN AND ADULTS LIKE.
UM, AND THESE FOLKS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY RUN A CIRCUS SCHOOL THAT'S BEEN HERE FOR 25 YEARS.
MANY OF THEM ARE MULTI-GENERATION CIRCUS FAMILIES.
YOU KNOW, FIVE, EIGHT GENERATIONS.
THE FOUNDER, FOR EXAMPLE, HER FAMILY WAS, UM, PERFORMING IN THE CIRCUS IN PARIS IN THE LATE 17 HUNDREDS.
SO THESE, THIS IS THE REAL DEAL.
I REALLY HOPE THIS YOU GUYS OUT THERE.
I'LL, I'LL BE THERE MANY TIMES.
SO FROM SEPTEMBER 3RD TO THE 20TH, I'M OUT.
I THINK THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER REQUEST IS PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR FRIENDS WHO NEXT TWO, UH, COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
SO, BECAUSE ONCE WE, WE SPEAK, WHEN WE HEAR, I THINK WE RUN SOME MAJOR BATTLES WITH THE BOND AND ALL.
SO WHEN COUNCILING MEMBERS HERE AND ALL, IT MAKES THE JOB OF PROTECT JENKINS LITTLE EASY WHEN IS FIGHTING FOR US.
SO TO SPREAD THAT WORD TO THE FRIENDS GROUP, AND I KNOW WE HAVE VERY PASSIONATE, UH, OUR AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL, UH, ANY STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS? UH, YES.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE BOARD, I JUST, UH, WANTED THE BOARD.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND AND THEN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
WE LOST A TEAM MEMBER, A LONG TERM TEAM MEMBER, UH, MR. CAR NITON.
HE WORKED IN OUR AQUATICS DIVISION FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
HE WORKED AS A PART-TIMER FOR 22 YEARS AND HE WORKED AS A FULL-TIMER FOR SEVEN YEARS.
AND, UH, SO JUST PLEASE KEEP HIS FAMILY AND YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
UH, HE WOULD HAVE HIS, UH, CELEBRATION THIS SATURDAY.
IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE STAFF.
AND YES, MISS, AND WE DO HAVE ONE, UM, VIDEO.
THE SUMMER CAMP GRAPH, NOT SUMMER CAMP, THE SUMMER, UM, RECREATION.
DO YOU WANNA INTRODUCE THIS? SO, LIKE TO SAID, UM, THIS IS OUR SUMMER 2026 WRAP UP.
SO IT IS ENCOMPASSES ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS SUMMER.
SO NOT ONLY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE PRODUCTS, OUR, OUR, UH, MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS JUST KINDA ACCOMMODATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO IN OUR SUMMER.
[01:57:05]
WE NEED MORE OF THIS INHOUSE IN-HOUSE.YES, I COMMEND SHARE THIS WITH MAYOR, AND, YOU KNOW, VISUALS ARE STRONGER THAN
WE HAVE ONE MORE ANNOUNCEMENT.
SO OUR NEXT, UH, OR OUR FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT IS THE DEDICATION OF THE COACH EARL THOMPSON FIELD AT THURGOOD MARSHALL PARK.
AND THAT IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH AT 7:00 PM AWESOME.
YEAH, THAT'D BE A GREAT EVENING.
[IX. Next Park Board Meeting will be on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ]
WILL BE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH AT 10:00 AM AND IT IS EXACTLY 12:00 PM AND MEETING.