In the spring of 2017, Dallas residents will be asked to go to the polls to approve a $50 million bond measure for the city’s Park and Recreation Department. $15 million of that $50 million has been earmarked for a project to build four new state-of-the-art parks spanning downtown, from the West End to the steadily growing residential developments surrounding the Farmers Market. Unfortunately, that $15 million represents not even half of what it will take to make this vision for a greener, smarter, more livable and more economically viable downtown a reality.
How can you help Downtown Dallas Parks Conservancy raise the $35 million in matching funds for Carpenter Park, Harwood Park, Pacific Plaza and West End Plaza? By letting city leadership know that parks matter to you and by advocating that the city pledge its full financial support of an additional $200 million for all Dallas Park and Recreation initiatives. Informing city leadership begins with contacting your city council representative.
- First, confirm where you live in relation to Dallas’ 14 council districts. This interactive map allows you to search for your district by entering your home address. Just look for the “Council Info” link on the toolbar that pops up once you’ve confirmed your search results.
- Under the “Council Info” tab, you’ll find both your district number and the name of your council representative. Click on your representative’s name to link to their official page on the City of Dallas website (this link will open in a new browser tab or window).
- Once you’ve accessed your representative’s official page, scroll down until you see their contact info in the bottom left-hand corner of the page.
- Finally, if possible, please contact your council representative directly. Call or email and encourage them to allocate more dollars for park and recreation projects in 2017.
Together, by making it clear to our elected officials that we view our parks as a valuable investment, we can ensure a higher standard of living for our citizens and the brightest possible future for our city.
