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A PLEASURE FOR ME TO WELCOME EVERYBODY HERE TODAY TO THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR OUR FOUR SOCCER MULTIPURPOSE FIELDS.IT'S, IT'S BEEN A WHILE COMING, BUT UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S MUCH NEEDED.
HAVING A PART WITH RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR KIDS, AND, AND I'M JUST, UH, HAPPY TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM TO, TO ENJOY.
WITH THE ADDITION OF THESE NEW FIELDS, IT CAN BE COMBINED WITH OTHER FIELDS THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE PARISH TO REALLY BE A CORNERSTONE OF WHERE WE BELIEVE OUR ECONOMY HAS TREMENDOUS GROWTH POTENTIAL.
AND THAT'S THE SPORTS TOURISM REALM.
UM, WE FIT REALLY IN AN INCREDIBLE WAY WITH NEW ORLEANS TOURISM, AND WE'RE SITTING HERE AT A STILL PLAYGROUND, UH, WHICH IS PART OF A, A LARGE COMPLEX HERE IN ONE OF THE LARGEST PARKS IN JEFFERSON PARISH, SITTING ON OVER 600 ACRES.
UH, AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT, UH, PARK DFA MEAL IS A LITTLE BIT OVER 600 ACRES.
A LOT OF ITS WETLANDS, BUT IT WAS BOUGHT FOR THE PURPOSE.
WE'RE STANDING HERE TODAY, UH, FOR OUR YOUTH AND FALL COMMUNITY, HAVE A PARK AND A RECREATION, UH, ACTIVITIES.
THE FINAL PIECE OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IS THE RESULT OF AN INITIATIVE THAT I PERSONALLY TOOK ON AND LED THE CHARGE TO BOND OUT OUR PARK MILLAGES TWO YEARS AGO.
BREAKING THE GROUND TODAY, UH, IS A HUGE MOMENT FOR US IN OUR UNIFICATION OF THE PARISH.
I'M PROUD TO BE HERE, PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT.
IT'S ANOTHER STEP TO GIVE PEOPLE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE HERE.
AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU LOOK AT A SOCCER FIELD, BUT IT, IT'S A, IT'S A PLACE WHERE KIDS PLAY AND, AND, AND, AND PEOPLE WANNA MOVE TO A PLACE WITH, WITH GOOD RECREATION.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT WITH, WITH RECREATION WITHIN J P R D.
OUR SOCCER NUMBERS, JUST SO THAT YOU ALL KNOW, HAVE EXPLODED ON THE WEST BANK.
IN 2022, OUR SOCCER NUMBERS WERE AROUND 550 KIDS PARTICIPATING IN SOCCER.
THIS PAST SOCCER SEASON, WE HAD OVER A THOUSAND SOCCER PARTICIPANTS IN J P R D ON THE WEST BANK.
WHEN THESE FIELDS ARE DONE, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO REALLY TAKE SOCCER TO THE NEXT LEVEL HERE WITHIN J P R D.
ARE YOU GUYS READY TO TURN SOME DIRT? YEAH, LET'S DO IT.