on October 28, 2009 / by Downtown Dallas Inc. / in Blog Posts, Parks and Public Space

Heard a little about Main Street Garden lately??

Thanks, Cheryl Hall – http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/columnists/chall/stories/102709dnbushall.3993442.html

And thank you, too, Robert Wilonsky (yesterday AND today)- http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/10/pulling_up_few_more_main_stree.php
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/10/a_slightly_soggy_kind_of_early.php

And add to that an announcement coming to you straight from the DOWNTOWNDALLAS World Headquarters.  This morning, Council approved our agreement with Park & Rec which designates us as the programming and management partner for Main Street Garden, and six other Downtown parks.   At the Tavern on Saturday afternoon, a very poignant question was asked to me about the agreement by a  Downtown resident, “Do you guys have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into?!”  To which I answered, “Most certainly.  Who else is equipped?  We WILL, we HAVE to make this a successful public space.”   I then received an enthusiastic high-five.

Our official statement just released:

Dallas City Council Approves Downtown Park Agreement with DOWNTOWNDALLAS 

Today the Dallas City Council approved an agreement between DOWNTOWNDALLAS and the Dallas Park and Recreation Department which gives the organization the management and programming authority over Main Street Garden, a new full-city-block park at 1902 Main Street.  The agreement also applies to six other parks in the Downtown area, including Pegasus Plaza, Carpenter Plaza, Ferris Plaza, Celebration of Life Park, Belo Garden (Future) and Pacific Plaza (future).

DOWNTOWNDALLAS has been a part of the development process of Main Street Garden since its inception more than five years ago with the Parks Master Plan.  In addition, in 2007, the organization pledged $1.25 million to the development and renovation of five parks Downtown, including Main Street.  DOWNTOWNDALLAS has since been working hand in hand with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department on fundraising, management plans and creation of the agreement that was approved today.  In addition, DOWNTOWNDALLAS was responsible for securing the park’s café operator, The Lily Pad, by Chef Doug Brown.

Within the terms of the agreement, DOWNTOWNDALLAS will provide supplemental landscaping; enhanced litter removal; increased security through the Downtown Safety Patrol; and installation of four security cameras overlooking the grounds.  DOWNTOWNDALLAS will also be responsible for permitting the park for special events (available for rentals beginning in January 2010) as well as programming events and activities that will keep the park lively.  The City Park and Recreation Department will perform standard park maintenance during its regular operating hours.

To celebrate the opening, DOWNTOWNDALLAS already has three major events in the works:

· Friday, November 13– Opening Ceremonies and Media Event (Private event)
· Friday, November 20 – City Lights holiday spectacular featuring the lighting of Neiman Marcus and the debut of the new DOWNTOWNDALLAS signature 60ft holiday tree at Main Street Garden (FREE Public event, 6:30 – 10:00pm)
· Saturday, November 21 – Music at the Park featuring Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Nights (FREE Public event, 3:00 – 7:00pm)

In an effort to provide additional private support for the ongoing maintenance of Main Street Garden, Mark Noble with Colliers International and Kent Eastman with Capital One Bank (both DOWNTOWNDALLAS members) have worked with DOWNTOWNDALLAS to establish a Founding Committee for Main Street Garden.  Current founding committee members include:  Mark Noble, Co-Chair, Colliers International; Kent Eastman, Co-Chair Capital One Bank; Charlie Morris, David Glasscock and Hunter Blanks of Collier’s International; Don Dowell, Comerica Bank Tower; David Corrigan, Corrigan Investments; Jim Truitt, Forest City Enterprises; Keith Nix, The Nix Company; and Cynthia Hall, University of North Texas System.   All funds raised will be applied to a Main Street Garden sustainability fund within DOWNTOWNDALLAS.

Founding sponsors of Main Street Garden include Capital One Bank, Comerica Bank Tower, Excitement Technologies Group, Mercantile Place, University of North Texas System and Weber Shandwick.

~Kourtny

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