A new children’s playground render at the planned Fair Park Community Park Complex (Image: Fair Park First and an external studio)
Dallas-based Nexpoint charity provided $1,299,410 to Fair Park Community Park and provided a one-on-one match via Fair Park and First Park for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Recreation Grants awarded previously to the project.
Nexpoint, along with the TPW Recreation Grant, will ensure that the gift will bring a massive total investment of nearly $2.6 million, and will continue the momentum that the project will bring decades of promise to bring community green space to South Dallas residents surrounding Fair Park.
“Our commitment reflects our belief that Fair Park is not only crucial to Dallas’ long-term prosperity, but also to the well-being of the communities it serves,” James Dondero, founder and director of Nexpoint’s charity, said in a statement. “Community Parks are key to providing lasting economic and social benefits to the surrounding areas. We are proud to support that transformation, and our gifts encourage others to make bold investments to move forward in Fair Park and Dallas.”
In December, the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service announced that it would win a $8.6 million grant to fund Fair Park’s community parks.
“The Hub of Community Life”
Rendering of the Community Park Complex that comes to Fair Park. (Image: Fair Park First and the studio outside)
Nexpoint features a variety of amenities designed to enhance quality of life and promote community engagement, including walking and cycling trails to promote health and wellness through outdoor activities, and children’s playgrounds provide a safe and attractive space for all ages.
The organization said the performance and activity spaces serve as a platform for cultural programming and community gatherings, creating opportunities for connection and celebration. He said native landscaping and gardens will showcase the flora of Texas and contribute to improving air quality and sustainability.
The Nexpoint charity also said the park will provide wellness and educational programming, providing learning, fitness and overall wellness opportunities for both residents and visitors.
Aerial rendering of the community park complex that comes to Fair Park. (Image: Fair Park First and the studio outside)
“The park represents more than just a recreational space. It represents an investment and commitment to the people of South Dallas,” said Jason Brown, vice-chairman of the Fair Park First Board in a statement. “We look forward to it being a hub for community life and a place of pride for generations to come.”
Pastor Todd Atkins, Pastor of Baptist Church at the Salem facility, called out those who supported the park’s vision to “Heroes.”
“The term hero is often overabundant and unutilized,” Atkins said in a statement. “A hero is not a superhuman, or a person who will save you, but he is someone who promises to come and walk with you at the right moment. It was my desire to find a hero both inside and outside of South Dallas.
“We are grateful that our heroes continue to promise to walk with us and encourage us, rather than saving our community,” he added. “This park project doesn’t just build physical things, it’s not just about building connections, resilience and hope within the community.”
Rendering of the Community Park Complex that comes to Fair Park. (Image: Fair Park First)
John Jenkins, director of the Dallas Park and Recreation Committee, said the park will have a positive effect on the area.
“This gift for Fair Park Community Park is more than an investment in land, it’s an investment in life,” Jenkins said. “It represents a strong commitment to equity, restoration and opportunity for our South Dallas families. We are proud to be part of our heritage to ensure that every child, every elder, and every residents have a beautiful, safe, and exciting place to come together, grow and thrive.”
Timeline and funds
The Community Park groundbreaking groundbreaking is scheduled for the end of summer 2026 after the FIFA Fun Fest and is expected to be completed in early fall 2027. Nexpoint said the park will be open to the public before the Texas state fair begins.
However, more funding is needed to fully realize this vision.
With Nexpoint’s matching gifts protecting Nexas Parks and Wildlife Grant, the remaining funding goal is approximately $8.77 million, Nexpoint said.
“We are grateful for this generous gift. It brings us one step closer to creating a vibrant, prosperous space for the whole community to enjoy. The parks are more than green spaces. They are a place where memories are made, connections are nurtured, and happiness is nurtured.”
Rise360 President and CEO Heather Stevens praised Nexpoint’s contribution.
“This incredible gift from Nexpoint’s charity is a testament to the power of our community and the shared vision. The parks of the future are a true reflection of what is possible when people come together to invest in the well-being of others,” Stevens said.
Don’t miss the following. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.
Track the Dallas-Fort Worth business and innovation landscape, using curated news in your inbox from Tuesday to Thursday.
Please read the following
Bridge Labs’ new centers will train the workforce that runs through the North Texas biotech boom. It produces startup speed therapy, vaccines, and groundbreaking biology from lab benches to patients. The National Therapeutic Manufacturing Satellite Campus Centre, partially funded by a charity in Ledahill, is scheduled to open this summer.
The $8.6 million grant will be awarded to the City of Dallas on behalf of Fair Park First and Community Parks and distributed through the National Park Service Land Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program.
Innovation is the process of recontextualizing legacy software applications and finding new ways to solve troublesome real-world problems. This wasn’t one of those days. These innovations are sweet, salty, sticky and crazy ingenious. And they are waiting for you from September 27th to October. At the 20th Texas Fair.
The 2024 state fair in Texas will be held at Fair Park in Dallas from September 27th to October 20th. Big question of the year: What do we eat? From Texas Rush Sugar Pickles to Hot Chick-in Pancake Poppers to Cotton Candy Bacon on Sticks, the Big Tex Choice Award finalists are: (Yum.)
Most North Texans go outside at night, spying on raccoons or get sick of in the darkness. But you might be surprised to know how many creatures actually burn midnight oil in Dallas-Fort Worth. Crocodiles, bats, bobcats, American minks, river otters, green tree frogs and owls are just some of the nocturnal animals that feel they are in their homes here.
