City Park and Recreation Board approves recommendations for Fair Park
The City of Dallas’ Park and Recreation Board passed and approved four key modifications to the Mayor’s Fair Park Task Force will provide a clear way forward for the future of the 277-acre Fair Park neighborhood in South Dallas.
The City currently owns and operates Fair Park, with the Dallas Park and Recreation Board and City Council determining and crafting the park’s policies, goals and objectives. The Board encouraged the Dallas City Council to undertake and develop a comprehensive land use study and associated urban design plan for the protection of the park’s acreage and surrounding neighborhoods.
The intent of the Mayor’s Task Force is to ultimately create a non-profit entity to run Fair Park’s daily operations and provide for maintenance and marketing activities.
“Once the recommendations are approved by the City Council, the Board and the Park and Recreation Department will take the lead in negotiating a management agreement with a non-profit governance organization,” said Willis Winters, Park and Recreation Department Director.
Included in the land use study is a recommendation for underground parking to preserve the character and historical landscape of the park. Key stipulations are that membership of the new non-profit for the public and private partnership be diverse and inclusive of historic preservation expertise and citizens from the surrounding community.
The resolution approved by the board on May 7th has yet to be considered by the City Council. The last privatization of a City function, the Dallas Zoo, took nine months start to finish in 2009.
For more information on Fair Park, visit: http://www.fairpark.org/
