[00:00:01]
AF GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.UM, UH, MY NAME IS BRANDON BURRIS.
[Lieutenant Governor's Bucktown Harbor Grant Presentation]
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF LOUISIANA STATE PARKS.UH, WHAT A BLESSING TO BE HERE WITH Y'ALL ON A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON.
LIKE MY GRANDFATHER ALWAYS USED TO SAY, RAIN IS A BLESSING.
SO WHAT, UH, GLAD TO SEE IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT GLAD TO BE HERE ON THIS.
IT'S A GREAT OCCASION TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS LAND WATER CONSERVATION GRANT.
OUR AGENCY, UH, LOUISIANA STATE PARKS IS THE STATE ADMINISTRATOR OF THIS PROGRAM.
OUR FEDERAL PARTNER IS THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, SPECIFICALLY THE US NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
AND WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, UH, LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUNDS ARE TO PARTNER WITH GREAT MUNICIPALITIES LIKE THIS, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, INCREASE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE STATE FOR LOUISIANA.
THAT'S OUR MISSION OF LOUISIANA STATE PARKS.
AND, UM, I KNOW THE MISSION OF A LOT OF THESE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND ALSO, UH, GREAT TO DO IT NUMEROUS TIMES WITH THE GREAT PARISH HERE.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE GLAD TO BE VERY, UM, ACTIVE IN LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUNDS.
UM, AND HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT AS OUR COUNCILWOMAN, UH, MS. VAN BRECKEN, PLEASE, YOU CAN HAVE REALLY GREAT IDEAS, UH, BUT UNLESS YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO BUILD IT SO THAT THEY WILL COME, UH, IT DOESN'T GET OFF THE GROUND.
AND SO, LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND HAS BEEN A PARTNER, UM, THAT HAS REALLY STARTED TO BRING OUR, OUR DREAMS, OUR VISIONS TO LIFE.
AND SO WE ARE, UM, SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE IN, UM, TYPICAL FASHION, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED AFTER A WORLD PANDEMIC, UM, STARTED TO INFLATE IN PRICE.
AND, UM, WE HAD TO LOOK TO OUR PARTNERS AGAIN TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE STILL REALLY WOULD LOVE TO BRING ALL OF THESE THINGS TO LIFE.
UM, A CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA, UH, THE KAYAK AND CANOE LAUNCH AND THE PADDLE CANAL, UM, THE BIRD'S NEST PAVILION, THE SIGNAGE AT THE ROADWAY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UM, THAT WE WANTED TO DO.
AND, UH, THAT TAKES, UM, MORE FUNDING, MORE EFFORT OF PARTNERS.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY THRILLED, UM, TO HAVE THOSE PARTNERS WITH US SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS YET AGAIN.
UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE RECOGNIZE OUR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BECAUSE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION, WHEN WE REACHED OUT AND WHEN WE SAID WE REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE AGAIN TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE ENVISION, UH, THEY SAID YES.
AND, UM, WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE OFFICE OF STATE PARK.
SO LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I KNOW YOU HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ACROSS THE STATE, UM, TO BRING THE GRANT FUNDS THAT BRING GREAT OUTDOOR RECREATION TO LIFE.
AND SO I WANNA, WANNA MAKE SURE YOU, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING ACROSS THE STATE.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PERSISTENT TO MAKE SURE THIS FUNDING CONTINUES FOR INCREDIBLE PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, AFTER COVID WE REALIZED, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK OUT AT WHAT'S TRENDING IN AMERICA IN THE WORLD AND PEOPLE BOUGHT RVS, BIKES, CANOES.
THEY'RE GONNA SEE THE GREAT OUTDOORS OF AMERICA.
AND SURELY, UH, THIS PROJECT, NOT ONLY THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF JEFFERSON PARISH ENJOY, BUT ALSO AS PEOPLE LOOK TO TRAVEL, THEY LOOK FOR THOSE BIKE PATHS, THEY LOOK FOR CANOE LAUNCHES, THEY LOOK FOR THE RECREATIONAL SPACE.
AND WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN GROUPS OF 10 AND 20 AND 30 TRAVELING THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD DOING OUTDOOR STUFF.
AND, AND PROJECTS LIKE THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
LIKE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, NOT ONLY TO THE RESIDENTS, BUT TO ATTRACT AND TOURISTS AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'VE PARTNERED, UH, STARTED THE PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP AT OUR STATE PARKS, UM, WE ARE GONNA SEE A DAY ONE WHEN WE WON'T NEED TAX DOLLARS TO RUN OUR STATE PARKS, BUT THEY WILL GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND THAT MONEY CAN BE USED FOR CULTURE, RECREATION, TOURISM.
SO USING OUR STATE PARKS WITH THE PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GIVE OUT GRANTS FOR A LONG TIME TO MUNICIPALITIES FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS OR TO EXPAND THEM FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
ALL WE DID WAS COPY WITH SOME OF THE OTHER STATES DO WITH THEIR STATE PARKS THAT GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PUT IN BIKE PASS CANOE LAUNCHES, BALL FIELDS, ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS SEEM TO GET ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST WHEN WE HAVE SO MUCH NEEDS IN THE STATE.
BUT USING THAT STATE PARK PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP WILL REALLY GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE GAME OF RECREATION LOUISIANA.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, I WANNA THANK ALL THE PARTNERS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COAST GUARD FOR A, ALLOW US TO COME IN OUT OF THE WEATHER, THE MEN AND WOMEN TO COAST GUARD AND USE THIS BUILDING.
AND, AND, AND JENNIFER, ONCE AGAIN, UM, THE PARISH PRESIDENTS NOT HERE.
I WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER CONTINUED SUPPORT AND OF COURSE FOR YOU CHAMPION THIS INCREDIBLE PROJECT.
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I'VE BEEN STATE PARK DIRECTOR NOW FOR SIX YEARS AND IN SIX YEARS OF LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUNDS, I'VE ONLY HAD ONE COUNCIL PERSON EVER COME KNOCK ON MY DOOR AND SAY, HOW DO WE DO THIS? AND THAT WAS YOU,UM, AND SO WE VERY APPRECIATE IT, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THOSE LOCAL PARTNERS ARE, WE GOTTA HAVE CHAMPIONS AT THE, AT THE STATE HOUSE, OUR STATE CAPITOL.
AND, UH, REPRESENTATIVE HILFERTY IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE FOR OUR STATE PARK SYSTEM AND ALL CULTURAL RECREATION TOURISM.
SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE HER UP TO SAY SOMETHING AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO APPRECIATIVE TO BE HERE.
SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS DONE.
LIEUTENANT NUNGESSER HAS BEEN A CHAMPION OF THIS PROJECT THROUGH AND THROUGH, AND REALLY THE LEADER IN GUIDING THIS PROJECT THROUGH HAS BEEN COUNCILWOMAN VAN FRANKEN.
WE HAVE SAT TOGETHER NUMEROUS TIMES TO ENVISION WHAT OCCURS IN BUCKTOWN AND THE VISION THAT IS THERE, UH, FROM A RECREATIONAL STANDPOINT.
UM, I GOTTA ADMIT I'M A FAN OF THE PLAYGROUNDS.
I GOT A BUNCH OF LITTLE ONES AROUND
I'VE OFFERED SOME OF MY UNSOLICITED ADVICE ON THAT AND OPINIONS.
UM, BUT THAT THIS WILL BE A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES CAN GO AND ENJOY.
AND SPECIFICALLY THOSE FAMILIES THAT LIVE ALONG THE LAKEFRONT.
THIS IS GONNA BE A REALLY BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO GO ON EVENINGS, ON THE WEEKENDS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, I HAVE BEEN REALLY LUCKY TO ADVOCATE FOR THESE PROJECTS AT THE STATE LEVEL AND RECEIVE STATE FUNDING FOR THESE PROJECTS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE CAPITAL OUTLAY PROCESS.
UM, SO THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A COLLECTIVE TEAM EFFORT.
UM, REALLY LED AND GUIDED AT THE COUNCIL DISTRICT LEVEL BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN FRANKEN, CHAMPION BY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR NUNGESSER, UM, AND THEN SUPPORTED BY, UH, OUR LEGISLATURE.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE COAST GUARD.
I DIDN'T WEAR MY RAIN BOOTS LIKE, UM, COUNCILWOMAN VAN FRANKEN, SO SHE WAS READY, UH, BUT FOR GIVING US A DRY, REALLY NICE PLACE TO MEET.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE.
UH, TO CONCLUDE THE PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE COUNCILWOMAN BACK UP TO SAY IT ONE MORE ANNOUNCEMENT.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WE'LL WE'LL STEP IN FRONT AND WE HAND THE CHECKOUT.
AND SO COUNCILWOMAN
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN IT'S A GOOD, GOOD AMOUNT.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, TO SAY SOME ADDITIONAL THANK YOUS, UH, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SO MANY PARTNERS ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING OUT INTO THIS, UH, AUDIENCE, RUSTY GODDE WITH, UM, SEA GRANTS HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL SINCE THE START.
UM, UH, I APPRECIATE VIOLET PETERS WITH THE JEFFERSON CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU BECAUSE WHEN WE GOT OUR VERY FIRST PROJECT OUT OF THE GRANT GROUND HERE, UM, OUR BOARDWALK, THAT THOUSAND LINEAR FEED ALONG THE LAKE AND THE MARSH, YOU PUT IT ON THE COVER, UM, YOU REALLY STARTED TO PROMOTE IT.
PEOPLE STARTED TO SAY, WHERE IS THAT? AND THEY STARTED COMING OVER THE LEVY.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT NOT ONLY AS WE'VE ALL KIND OF HIT ON, NOT ONLY IS THIS AN EXTENDED BACKYARD FOR OUR LOCALS TO ENJOY AND FOR US TO ATTRACT NEW YOUNG RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES TO JEFFERSON, BUT IT'S ECOTOURISM.
AND SO HAVING THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN LAKEFRONT AS A DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY IS PART OF WHAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU AND THE JEFFERSON CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU TO, TO MAKE HAPPEN.
AND SO THAT'S A BIG PART OF THIS.
MARIO BAZILE AND LEO WEBB WITH OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT, THIS HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.
UM, AGAIN, UM, CERTAINLY, UH, MY STAFF, LAUREN AND JEFF, UM, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS.
UH, COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU.
UM, JOEY FIR UH, WE, I CAN THINK OF AN IDEA.
JOEY'S ACTUALLY THE ONE WHO IT IS HIS BRAIN THAT MAKES THIS,
AND I'LL GIVE YOU, UH, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE WHEN I SAID WE NEED SOME SIGNAGE AT THE ROADWAY SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW AT THE ROAD THERE'S SOMETHING OVER THE LEVEE.
UM, YOU DON'T JUST GET A PLAIN SIGN THAT SAYS BUCKTOWN HARBOR
YOU GET SOMETHING THAT, YES, IT SAYS BUCKTOWN HARBOR, BUT IT HAS EGRETS, IT HAS CATTAILS, IT HAS A SUN AND WATER AND MOVEMENT TO IT.
UM, THAT REALLY SPARKS THE IMAGINATION IN ADDITION TO ANNOUNCING A GRAND ENTRANCE TO THIS PARK.
SO JOEY, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE LANDSCAPE, UH, ARCHITECT ON THIS PROJECT AND REALLY BRINGING IT TO LIFE.
UM, AGAIN, SO MANY OTHERS, UH, JESSICA, LAND COMMANDER OF THE COAST GUARD HERE FOR, FOR HAVING US OUT OF THE WEATHER
AND ACTUALLY THEY'RE THE CLOSEST SET OF EYEBALLS ON THIS SITE EVERY DAY.
AND SO WE HOPE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW YOU'VE BEEN GOOD PARTNERS.
WE HOPE WE CREATE, UH, AN ENVIRONMENT AROUND YOU THAT YOU AND YOUR CREW CAN ENJOY AS WELL.
THEY PARTNERED WITH THIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIX THE HARBOR TO MAKE IT A SAFER ENVIRONMENT.
THEY ACTUALLY PARTNERED WITH US TO PUT THE MARKERS,
[00:10:01]
THE CHANNEL MARKERS.SO AGAIN, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN REALLY JUST WONDERFUL PARTNERS ON THIS PROJECT.
UH, VIVID INK GRAPHICS FABRICATED THAT SIGN THAT JOEY DREAMED UP.
UM, ECOSYSTEM AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT, AGAIN, HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS.
UM, SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA, FLOOD AUTHORITY, DONALD GETTING US THROUGH PERMITTING WHEN, UH, WHEN NECESSARY.
AND THEN A FEW FOLKS I KNOW WHO HAVE BEEN ON OUR, UH, BUCKTOWN HARBOR COMMITTEE AND OUR EFFORTS, MELINDA BOURGEOIS, UH, YOU'VE BEEN THERE SINCE THE START.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, AGAIN, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN SUCH GREAT, UM, PARTNERS ON THIS AND WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE.
UM, THE LAST THING THAT WE'LL DO WHEN YOU'RE LEAVING, UH, BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO OUT AND CELEBRATE IT IN PERSON, BUT AS YOU'RE LEAVING, IF YOU WOULD TAKE A GLANCE AT THAT SIGNAGE ALONG THE ROADWAY, UM, IT WAS JUST INSTALLED THIS WEEK.
AND, UH, AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
I THINK NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE, UM, CHECK PRESENTATION BLACKTOWN HARBOR.