Will Fair Park really change this time? - The Dallas Morning News

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We love Fair Park. And we love the State Fair of Texas. It’s loving the two together that‘s tough sometimes.

This is not a new story. Fair Park deserves to be a thriving center of culture and activity for Dallas year-round, not just during the month the State Fair is open. And it needs to be a place that is not only respectful of the communities that surround it, but one that embraces and welcomes them as its most important guests.

The history, we know, has been far different. Fair Park has struggled to balance its role as the site of the State Fair with being a year-round venue for activities that show off its beauty.

And the historical abuses of surrounding neighborhoods, including the seizure of property and demolition of homes for parking lots that would get filled a few days a year, are indefensible.

Thankfully, no one is trying to defend it anymore. And despite a long history of being burned by plans to revive Fair Park, we are as optimistic now as we’ve ever been that the park is on the cusp of a true revival that acknowledges the communities around it, serves the entire city and better balances its relationship with the State Fair.

“We have a corny dog problem,” Brian Luallen, the executive director of the nonprofit management organization Fair Park First, told us this week.

Luallen understands and actually says out loud certain important truths about Fair Park that for too long just weren’t said by city officials who ran the park.

First, people in the surrounding communities — and for that matter the rest of us — are exhausted with talk of restoring Fair Park. Luallen said people all but rolled their eyes when Fair Park First officials came asking for their opinion about the park. “We already told you and we’ve been telling you for decades,” was the answer in many cases.

Second, Luallen openly acknowledges the struggle of balancing the park with the fair. He seems to think, however, that the obstacles the fair presents might be overstated or exaggerated. That’s a harder pill to swallow given the many tenants over the years we have seen wash out in part because they struggle to operate during the months when the fair controls the park.

Third, Luallen understands that he needs to show progress on delivering change. Dusty plans of yesteryear for Fair Park could warm Dallas through a hard winter should we ever collect them all from the shelves at City Hall and toss them into a fireplace. Getting something done is harder.

That’s why we were heartened that Luallen rejected the offer of an extension to complete a new community park for Fair Park. He wants it done by 2024. So do we. One of the biggest complaints we all have with Fair Park is that, well, it’s not a park. It’s mostly parking lot.

The master plan for Fair Park includes a 14-acre community park as well as gateway parks dotting the grounds.

Luallen also hinted at many more changes to come, including deals that could place lasting tenants in its buildings. That would be a wonderful change.

Optimism around Fair Park’s future can be hard won for those of us who have been around awhile. But this page is a believer again, and we hope to see our belief rewarded very soon.

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Will Fair Park really change this time? - The Dallas Morning News
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