2020: A Year of Firsts for the Southern Gateway Park

2020 has been a tremendous year of firsts for the Southern Gateway Park! I hope you will be inspired by the strides we have made and what is to come.

2020 by the numbers:

 
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This summer, I was welcomed as the inaugural President of Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation. As an Oak Cliff resident of 16 years, I am honored to elevate the Park’s goal of transformative investment in southern Dallas. In such a tumultuous year, when our neighbors are feeling the weight of the pandemic, racial injustice, and historic inequity, the Park gives us something hopeful to look forward to. I am humbled to lead a team of experts who can get the job done:

HKS Architects is diligently creating a design for the Park that reflects an engagement process with surrounding community members and key stakeholders.

The vision for the design was guided by the exhaustive equitable development work of C-Suite Consulting, led by Dr. Lorin Carter. Through ongoing community meetings, Dr. Carter and her team teased out top priorities from our community for the Park in six key areas: History & Culture, Health & Wellness, Educational Opportunities, Economic Development, Diverse Housing Options, and Safe & Stable Neighborhoods. You can read the summary of their initial findings here!

Keith Bjerke brings his project management expertise to the Southern Gateway Park, ensuring the Park develops swiftly and each new day brings headway. Bjerke has a well-known history with other Dallas real estate and construction projects, including our uptown counterpart, Klyde Warren Park.

Continuing in 2021 and upon completion in late 2023, the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation will present:

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  • A historic investment in infrastructure for Oak Cliff that will drive economic and community revitalization.

  • An innovative bridge park that will tie historic Oak Cliff together, engage communities, and connect us to our shared future.

  • A unique public/private partnership with the City of Dallas, North Central Texas Council of Governments, the Texas Department of Transportation, and the Dallas Zoo.

  • An equitable development plan for a historically underserved community with needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racial inequities.

We have funded $49 million of the $82 million needed to complete the Park–an exciting accomplishment! If you would like to discuss ways to support the Park, you can email me or give a gift today.

Gratefully,
April Allen
President of Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation

Hannah Lundeen