Southern Gateway Park Announces $1M Grant For Elevated Plaza With Panoramic Views of Downtown Dallas
Share News:
Dallas voters made it clear at the polls in May that they want continued investment in city parks. Elected and appointed leaders have been saying the same for years, and the private sector is following suit, as a massive philanthropic donation for Southern Gateway Park was announced Monday.
The $82 million, 5.5-acre Southern Gateway project over Interstate 35 will connect East and West Oak Cliff and serve as a “park with a purpose’ adjacent to the Dallas Zoo.
On Tuesday, Texas Capital president and CEO Rob Holmes and members of the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation announced a $1 million grant to facilitate the construction of “Texas Capital Landing,” the park’s highest elevation, featuring panoramic views of downtown Dallas and an elevated open plaza surrounding a rain wall water feature.
Investment in The Southern Gateway Park
Voters showed their support for Dallas parks at the polls last month. A $345.27 million proposition for the construction of, repair to, and land purchase for parks, recreation centers, trails, specialty parks, athletic fields, a golf center, pedestrian bridges, and playgrounds was approved May 4 by 81.91 percent of voters.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has also loudly advocated for parks, telling KERA in December that “parks help us attract and keep families in Dallas.”
“When we’re smart about it, we get more bang for your buck with parks and trails and recreation centers than with anything else we do with your tax dollars,” Johnson said.
Texas Capital’s investment underscores a longstanding commitment to southern Dallas and will continue the critically important work of reconnecting the city’s diverse and vibrant neighborhoods through environmental, economic, and community revitalization investments officials said Tuesday.
The $1 million grant is the largest contribution by the Texas Capital Foundation since its establishment in 2023.
What Southern Gateway Park Means to Dallas
Southern Gateway Park has been a long time coming and is slated to open in 2026.
The “park with a purpose” will be a key catalyst for closing the opportunity gap that was created when Interstate 35 was originally built in the 1950s through the middle of Oak Cliff, officials with the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation have said.
The park is a public/private partnership with the City of Dallas and the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation, with support from the North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Texas Department of Transportation.
“There’s no way on earth you can build something like this and it’s not going to have spillover benefits to the surrounding communities in the form of economic development,” Mayor Johnson said.
