Promise Takes Root in Dallas' Newest Park

Planetizen
ALek Miller // November 21, 2009

A new multiuse park in Dallas, the first of four of its kind, is giving the downtown community a reason to celebrate.

"Tom Baker, chairman of the city's Park and Recreation Board, said that, ironically enough, it was economic interests that committed people to building new downtown parks.

He recalled the city's loss of Boeing's headquarters to Chicago in 2001 as a major turning point.

It was a wake-up call for a lot of things,' he said.

The quality of life, particularly cultural life, in downtown Dallas couldn't compare to Chicago. And the city's business benefits in terms of lower cost of living and cheaper workforce didn't close the gap.

Since the loss of Boeing, Dallas has made a lot of progress, most notably in the arts district.

Now, with the opening of the Main Street Garden, the parks piece is falling into place. Main Street Garden's opening will be followed with Belo Garden in 2011, the Woodall Rodgers Deck Park in 2012, and the still unfunded Pacific Plaza at a date uncertain."