Dallas City Council approves long‑awaited Community Park at Fair Park

A long‑promised neighborhood park in the Fair Park area is officially moving forward, marking a major shift for a community that has waited decades for meaningful investment.

On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council cleared the way for the project, voting to let the City Manager and the Park and Recreation Board move ahead with a new agreement with Fair Park First. The partnership will guide the design, fundraising, and construction of the new Community Park.

City leaders say the project represents a major step in Dallas' ongoing effort to revitalize Fair Park and expand recreational and green space for the South Dallas community and the public at large.

A new chapter for Fair Park neighbors

For South Dallas resident Eva Jones, the transformation of a concrete parking lot behind Fair Park means far more than new green space.

"The park means inclusion," she said. "That's what this means to me. A brand new start. Economic development."

The project, known as Community Park, will replace land paved over decades ago for State Fair parking. After years of debate and distrust over development on the city's south side, the Dallas City Council has approved construction.

Council member Adam Bazaldua said the project centers on the people who live around it.

"It's the people who live in South Dallas, the people this park is being built for," he said.

A park larger than downtown's signature green spaces

Community Park will be larger than both Klyde Warren Park and Carpenter Park, giving South Dallas a major public space comparable to the city's most recognizable parks.

State Rep. Venton Jones, D‑Dallas, said the project represents a turning point.

"This is setting the stage for the future of Dallas, so kids can have a place to play on, and not concrete," he said. "We can have economic opportunity, and not just poverty."

Oversight questions linger

The project is tied to the Fair Park Trust, the nonprofit connected to the disappearance of $5.7 million in donations meant to improve the 140‑year‑old Fair Park institution.

Despite those concerns, leaders with Fair Park First, the group that will manage the new park, say safeguards are in place.

"I think we are able to mitigate concern based on things we put in place to ensure the success of the park," one leader said.

A community still healing

For longtime residents like Jones, the moment is emotional – and overdue.

"The tears shed years ago, when people were put out of their homes without anywhere to go," she said. "We can see the community economic engine in an area ignored and abandoned."

The trust needs approximately $7 million more of the estimated $35 million before construction can begin.  The agreement with the city requires raising those funds within the next six months.

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Original story

The Dallas City Council could greenlight a major transformation at Fair Park on Wednesday.

Members are set to vote on a development agreement that would allow a nonprofit to build a new 10-and-a-half-acre community park near Fitzhugh and Lagow streets. 

If approved, the agreement would clear the way for construction on the $40 million project, which supporters describe as a long-awaited investment in South Dallas.

What council is being asked to approve 

Council members will consider a Fair Park funding and development agreement between the City of Dallas and Fair Park First, a Texas nonprofit corporation formed to help improve Fair Park.

Under the proposed agreement, Fair Park First would be responsible for raising enough money to fully fund the construction contract, based on the 100% design development cost estimate and project contingency, within six months of the agreement being

Project details

The proposed 10.5-acre community park would be located on the east side of Fair Park near Fitzhugh Avenue and Lagow Street, replacing what is currently Fair Park's largest parking lot.

According to Fair Park First, the park design incorporates 100% of the amenities requested through community input.

Planned features include:

• Expansive green space
• Multiple playgrounds
• Interactive water features, including a splash pad 
• A community stage
• A fitness loop and outdoor fitness equipment 
• Native gardens 
• Shaded picnic areas
• Walking paths 
• A dog park

The community park is a Phase I initiative of the 2020 Fair Park master plan update and is intended to create a more welcoming, year-round green space for surrounding neighborhoods.

"This project is about healing and finally delivering the kind of beautiful, safe, everyday park that South Dallas has always deserved," Fair Park First Board Chair Jason Brown said.

Funding status

Fair Park First said it has raised more than $33 million toward the $40 million project, which is more than 80% of the funding needed. 

However, under the terms of the agreement, the nonprofit must raise the remaining funds necessary to fully fund the construction contract within six months of the agreement being executed.

The agreement also requires regular financial reporting and allows the city to conduct audits during the term.

"We are committed to getting this park built, on this site, for this community, with full transparency and accountability along the way," said Brown.   

Timeline

If approved, construction is targeted to begin by Aug. 31, 2026. Fair Park First must begin construction within 90 days of permit issuance.

The organization would have 24 months to complete construction and would be tentatively expected to open in 2028.

A press conference is scheduled to be held in the lobby of Dallas City Hall immediately following Wednesday's vote.

Supporters on the council have said the South Dallas community has waited years for this level of green space investment.