Buckner Park Update by Elizabeth Nelson
After the neighborhood and City of Dallas has put forth years of planning, redesign, gathering feedback, negotiating, and more designing, the City of Dallas Parks’ Department has finalized a Master Plan for Buckner Park. Now that the plan has been finalized, the next steps are: Park Board adoption, DISD land acquisition, fundraising, bond program allocation, and implementation.
Since finalizing the Master Plan, several important ‘behind the scenes’ efforts have occurred in support of making these next steps come to fruition.
Peak and Munger have joined forces to form a fundraising committee and have had initiated forming a 501c3 “Friends of Buckner Park” as well as developing an overall fundraising strategy. Key members from the Munger Place neighborhood helping with the fundraising efforts include: Andrea Nicholas, Brandon and Amanda Castille, and Sandy Doss. Andrea has taken the lead on organization of the 501c3 application and documentation and is moving along swimmingly with this effort. We could use an attorney to volunteer to review our application and documents prior to submittal to the State of Texas. If you are an attorney interested in assisting with this effort on a volunteer basis, please contact Elizabeth Nelson at 214-724-8639 or 2vp@peaksaddition.org.
Both Peak and Munger have allocated the proceeds of their home tours this year to the fundraising and implementation of Buckner Park. As many of you know, we have kicked off the initial fundraising efforts by donating the proceeds of our home tour to the park efforts. Munger Place, our neighbors, have also allocated the proceeds of their home tour held on May 3rd and May 4th, to Buckner park. We should all be there to support their tour if at all possible. Swiss Avenue also announced last week that they will sponsor a fundraising effort in support of Buckner Park. They have allocated funding from their budget specifically in support of this effort.
DISD has committed to acquiring land adjacent to the school for acquisition and to develop a pick up and drop off for the children of Zaragoza as well as a shared landscaped parking area for Buckner Park guests and Zaragoza teachers. If you have ever driven down Carroll or Worth during school pick-up and drop off, you’ll know this is going to be a great improvement. The survey on the land has been completed and appraisals are being completed next. As soon as appraisals are completed by both DISD and Parks’ and a price is agreed upon, the acquisition can take place. This acquisition could provide enough funding for the 1st phase of implementation of the Master Plan.
Fundraising and Implementation of the plan are what will “make the plan happen”. If you are interested in participating in any fundraising activities, please contact Elizabeth Nelson at 214-823-7474 or 2vp@peaksaddition.org. A few of you mentioned to me at the home tour you were interested. You’ll be hearing from me soon.