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国际区新地标 好梦成真

今午我座在国际百利大道的越法咖啡座，从窗外凝视即将完工使用的国际区艾利芙民政社区中心 ，这座佔地三十八英亩拔地而起的现代化大楼， 建筑面积是七万英尺， 除了社区活动中心之外， 将把休斯敦市政府卫生、 公园及图书馆部门设立办事处 ，将加强对市民在健康娱乐之服务。

这座美崙美奐的现代玻璃建筑， 将追求全面和社区结合， 推广文化艺文体育活动 ，為国际区套上艷丽之新装。

早在八十年代末期 美南新闻第一楝两层楼就建在它的右侧， 十七年风雨岁月， 我每天都要途経这个大公园前往上班 那个简陋的足球塲，上充斥着孩童们踢球的喧天叫声， 夏天之大太阳， 真令人难予消受。

多少年来， 我们一再向市长反应这个佔地广阔之土地上之建筑物已经破旧不堪， 体育塲上的跑道己凹凸不平， 而国际区之人口确迅速激增， 尤其是来自世界各地的新移民， 让我们成為真正的族群大熔炉， 各国方言此起彼落 ，各国美食超市及宗教寺庙， 到处可见。

今天这座代表族群共容的社区民政中心终於建成， 必然成為国际区之地标 ，它代表了我们移民在此奋斗的旅程碑。

我在这家咖啡小店口啜香醇的法式咖啡， 远眺对街的华丽社区大楼， 凝视许久， 忘了离去 ，几十年在这块土地上的汗水和泪水， 使我再次溼了眼眶， 即便要我重新再次开始， 也决不后悔， 它是我生命中最重要的旅程 ，人生还有何求?

New Landmark For The City of Houston

The new Alief Neighborhood Center in the Houston International District will be open soon. Combining three city departments under one roof, the new Alief Neighborhood Center with 70,000 square feet is located in a 38-acre urban sports park. The new center will house the Houston Health Parks and Library Department for the benefit of local residents with a special focus on community engagement to identity and improve overall well-being.

Rising above the floodplain, the building is modeled with a resilient design in a post- hurricane Harvey environment.

As early as the late 1980’s, we built the first two-story Southern Daily News building next to the park. After over seventeen years. I passed by the park and went to the office. The laughter of youngsters is always on the playground, but in the hot summer time, it really is very hot and uncomfortable.

Over the years we have welcomed so many newcomers and immigrants who have moved into the International District. We really have become the melting pot of ethnic groups. Restaurants, food markets and religious temples can be seen everywhere.

Today we have spent 58 million dollars to build this modern building which will inevitably become a great landmark for our city, and which also represents a monument to the journey of our many immigrants living here.

This morning I was sitting in a Vietnamese cafe overlooking the gorgeous, new community building. Looking across the street, I recalled the sweat and tears of the many people who worked on this land for decades and it really wet my eyes.

For us, this is the most important journey of our life. What else can we ask for?