Inside District I
July 2018 Newsletter

 

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our nation this Fourth of July and the freedoms afforded to us, I can't help but think of the thousands of innocent children who have been separated from their parents and are being held, this very moment, in detention facilities located across the country. 

Last month, we learned of plans to open a detention facility that could hold up to 240 children at 419 Emancipation near downtown Houston . The  city was not involved in the decision or notified beforehand. U pon  learning of the proposal, Mayor Turner and I immediately met with the CEO of Southwest Key, the organization contracted by the federal government to operate the center.

The mayor and I made clear to Southwest Key that we do not support - and will do what is within our legal authority to oppose -  the opening of this detention center. And if the center is allowed to open, we  will advocate for these children and do all we can to ensure they are cared for with compassion, dignity, and respect. 

As I have stated before, children should be with their families, not warehoused in a detention center in east Houston hundreds of miles away from their parents. 

Houstonians are compassionate and caring; we will not stand by silently.


    Respectfully,
 
    Robert Gallegos
    Houston Council Member
    District I

Council Approves Funding to Speed Up Replacement of Bridges along Brays Bayou

Last week Houston City Council approved a funding agreement to expedite the reconstruction of 8 vehicular bridges as part of a major flood control project along Brays Bayou.

Under the approved agreement, the Texas Water Development Board will provide to the city a $43 million zero-interest loan to expedite the project. The city will give the money to the Harris Country Flood Control District to replace the 8 bridges. As the bridges are completed, Harris County will repay the loan.

Of the 8 bridges covered under this agreement, 4 are located in District I. Reconstruction of the Forest Hill bridge is expected to begin at the end of July 2018, Lawndale and Telephone in August 2019, and 75th Street bridge is expected to be reconstructed in August 2020. The bridges, which span over Brays Bayou, are being re-built to improve the flow of  stormwater during heavy rains. 

The bridge replacements are part of Project Brays. Other parts of the plan include widening sections of the bayou upstream, adding detention basins that can hold billions of gallons of water, and removing thousands homes and businesses from the 100-year flood plain.
Freedom Over Texas Celebration - July 4th

This year Houstonians will celebrate more than three decades of July 4th music and fireworks on Buffalo Bayou. The city's signature tribute to patriotism - CITGO Freedom Over Texas - returns with NEW live music  performances by Chris Young, The Mavericks and many more. As always, a fireworks show will conclude the night.

Wednesday, July 4th | 4 to 10 p.m. 
Eleanor Tinsley Park
500 Allen Parkway
Houston, TX 77002
Trash Collection Schedule for Fourth of July Holiday
Wednesday, July 4, 2018 (Independence Day)
CITY HOLIDAY: NO COLLECTION SERVICES. All Facilities and services closed.

Thursday, July 5, 2018
Thursday's Garbage, A-Week Curbside Recycling, Yard Waste and 1st Wednesday & 1st Thursday Tree Waste collected.

Neighborhood Depositories, Westpark Recycling Center and Reuse Warehouse re-open.

Friday, July 6, 2018
Normal schedule resumes.

For more information visit www.houstonsolidwaste.org, or call 3-1-1, the City of Houston's Customer Service Helpline.
Arts Grants Workshop - July 25th

Attention all individual artists, arts/cultural organizations, community centers, and community-based organizations with arts/cultural programming: The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) is currently conducting grant workshops across the city including in the Magnolia Park area.

Introductory Grants Workshop
Wednesday, July 25, 2018 | 5 p.m.
Magnolia Park Multi-Service Center
7037 Capitol St.

Mayor Turner and Council Member Robert Gallegos invite you to a workshop on current and upcoming funding opportunities. Come learn about HAA's different grant categories, eligibility requirements, deadlines, grant writing tips and other resources available through HAA.
Mobility  Study Underway in Southeast Houston

The Houston Planning Department is leading a comprehensive mobility study in southeast Houston. The  study (inclusive of vehicular, transit, pedestrian, bicycle and freight) is being conducted in the area bounded by Interstate 610 to the north, State Highway 288 to the west, Sam Houston Toll Road to the south, and Interstate 45 and Galveston Road to the east. 

The Plan, to be completed over a 12-month period, will be used to guide the city's short-term and long-term multi-modal mobility planning efforts and to identify projects that will improve mobility and access in the southeast. A Steering Committee and Technical Committee composed of area residents and stakeholders has been established to assist the study. P ublic meetings will also be held over the course of the project. All residents, business owners, non-profit organizations, schools, and churches are invited to attend.

"The study will help identify options for improving mobility in the area," said Councilman Robert Gallegos. "I'm hopeful it will also provide ideas for eliminating the confusing  traffic circle at the Gulf Freeway and Broadway, expanding our bike network, enhancing our public transit system and extending the Green Line to Hobby Airport."

Project scope:
  • Analyze existing transportation and mobility conditions, infrastructure, and development within the Area
  • Articulate the challenges, and local and regional needs, within the Area
  • Develop growth scenarios for the region reflective of the community's vision
  • Identify multimodal mobility gaps within the Area using projected multimodal mobility conditions and scenarios
  • Identify and prioritize short, mid and long-term mobility solutions
  • Plan for implementation of Plan recommendations 
Funding for this study was provided through the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the Houston Planning Department, Gulfgate TIRZ 8, and District I Service Dollars Councilman Gallegos allocated last year.
2018 Flood Control District Bond Programs and Meetings
Harris County has begun a series of  community engagement meetings  to solicit public input on a $2.5 billion bond proposal that would help prevent flooding. The public meetings will conclude Aug. 1, allowing time for county officials to finalize the bond package for voters.

Officials with the Harris County Flood Control District are hosting public meetings in each of the county's 23 watersheds to describe some of the projects the county is proposing and to solicit residents' input on which projects should be included. Flood Control officials also have created an interactive map detailing the status of more than 150 proposed and current projects throughout the county.

Watersheds impacting District I:

Harris County Commissioners Court voted on June 12 to place the $2.5 billion flood bond proposal on the Aug. 25 ballot. If approved by voters, issuance of the bonds would be spread over 15 years, limiting the expected Flood Control tax increase to an eventual 1.2 percent of the current bill. For more information, visit www.HCFCD.org 
New Trail Coming to Mason Park

Attention joggers and cyclists: a new 8-foot-wide trail connector is being built at Mason Park using District I Service Dollars Councilman Gallegos allocated earlier this year. The new concrete trail will replace the old 4-foot-wide sidewalk along Tipps and 75th Street, and will connect to the Brays Bayou greenway hike and bike trail.

The District I Office and BikeHouston also installed a Fix It bike repair stand that is located off the trail near the main parking lot entrance on 75th Street. 

In addition, new decorative light poles have been installed along the pathway around the gazebo.
Students Can Ride METRO For Free This  Summer

METRO is offering FREE rides for students this summer with METRO's Summer of Fun Program, which runs June 1 through Sept. 1, 2018.  Students can ride free anywhere METRO goes with a Student METRO Q Fare Card.  Students can apply by visiting www.RideMetro.org
  • Apply online
  • Apply through the mail by downloading a form & mailing it back
  • Apply in person at the METRO RideStores: 1900 Main St. or 1001Travis St.
K-12 Students - Provide only one of the following:
  • Current school ID
  • Report card
  • Class schedule
College & University Students - Provide one of the following:
  • Current class schedule and a fee receipt
  • Letter from the college verifying your a current student
  • Student METRO Q® Fare Card registration form signed and stamped by school registrar
City Pools and Spraygrounds are Open for Summer!
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The Houston Parks Department's 37 outdoor swimming pools and 29  spraygrounds are open during the summer months (June 2 - Aug. 12). All pools are FREE and open to all ages, but  children under 8 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian . The pool s are open Tuesday through Sunday, from 1 to 8 p.m. All pools are closed on Monday for regular maintenance.

What to Wear: Appropriate swim-wear is required - No cut-offs, shorts, T-shirts, or thongs. The City of Houston's policy prohibits the wearing of T-shirts in swimming pools unless an exemption letter has been accepted and filed in our Aquatics Office. Exemptions are granted based on medical and/or religious reasons, for the wearing of plain white T-shirts only.

For the Kids: Children under 8 must be accompanied in the pool by a parent or an adult. Swim diapers are required for infants and babies. No flotation devices, such as floaties and inflatables, are permitted.

What Not to Do: No smoking is allowed. No eating and drinking is allowed, except in designated areas. No beverages or alcohol in glass containers are permitted. No excessively loud music is permitted.

The department also operates a heated indoor natatorium for citizens with disabilities at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center, 1475 West Gray.

To find a pool near you visit www.houstontx.gov/parks/pools
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