Some people who live and work in the neighborhood around the Crown Jewel of South Dallas say they don’t want to be let down again
DALLAS — Dallas Park and Recreation Director John Jenkins said he is “excited” to take over operations at Fair Park, but said he will need to work the city and Park Board to get adequate funding to maintain the park and its aging infrastructure.
Jenkins terminated the city’s contract with nonprofit operator Fair Park First and private subcontractor Oak View Group last week over monthslong concerns about potentially misspent donor money, missed utility payments and delayed maintenance.
“It is time to leave the past behind and move forward with the new,” Jenkins told WFAA Tuesday. “What it means is a new day for Fair Park. We’ve moving forward.”
Jenkins said he envisions adding more tentpole and regularly scheduled events to the park — like the professional soccer team Atlético, which the city officially welcomed to the Cotton Bowl in a ceremony Tuesday.
“We should be activating every single weekend with local bands, local vendors, food trucks. That’s what you’re going to see when the city takes over,” he said.
But assuming day-to-day control of the 277-acre park will come with challenges, he acknowledged.
“We’re going to have to solve for the aging infrastructure,” Jenkins said. “We will be working with the city manager, the City Council and Park Board to make sure that we get the adequate funding to make sure we can be successful.”
He said the city is still working to collect money it is owed for utility payments — and said both Oak View Group and Fair Park First need to fulfil their obligations to their vendors.
“The current structure was flawed. Let’s just be honest,” he said. “We will have the right model going forward and the taxpayers, the residents, the people coming to town are all going to benefit from the new structure.”
But some people who live and work in the neighborhood around Fair Park said they have concerns they’ve gotten their hopes up before.
“We’re the ones getting the short end of things time after time after time,” said Hank Lawson, the former chair of the Points South Revitalization Committee. “I don’t want to be negative, but you know we’ve been here before. We’ve all these promises, all these things and every time, it doesn’t fall out.”
Lawson said he wasn’t happy with how the park was being run in recent years, but wants to make sure upcoming changes involve the neighborhood too.
“We should be involved in some kind of way,” he said.
Dallas is currently in a 90-day transition period to wind down operations from Oak View Group and take over full management of the park.