Comments on: ‘For Them, Not To Them’

By: Joan

Joan — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:49:45 +0000

On my way into work every day, I go past the new Main Street Garden Park. It has yet to be completed, but its little hills and sidewalks are definitely in utero. While touting such catch-all phrases as Eat, Shop, Play, the park is surrounded by buildings which do not offer those things themselves. The Universites Center of Dallas, the abandoned Dallas Grand Hotel, as well as the Hotel Indigo and some office buildings, are there, but none of these are really sights in themselves. There are no cafes, bars, clubs, or bookstores to already draw foot traffic in.

While the view from the park gives an amazing panaroma of the Dallas skyline, it it sufficiently distant from the main hub of downtown to get people wandering that far up. Its location near the EBD Transfer Center and the underpass of 75 also leaves it in a peripheral location.

Perhaps the Deck Park might end up uniting the city over a chasm. On a smaller level, Main Street Garden is trying to patch up an ugly, wounded area of downtown. I hope all the students coming in and out will bring life to the area. But will businesses and eateries follow suit by leasing property alongside the park? How will the Garden grow?

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:15:28 +0000

On my last visit to Chicago, I think spending the day in Millennium Park was the most memorable event. There were so many people enjoying it, yet it was not crowded. We just sat. Didn’t do a thing.

I hope we will be able to have that same enjoyment here in Dallas. Besides being a cure all, I get the feeling there is an expectation the park will be a turning point for the city. That’s a lot to live up to…

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:33:27 +0000

@Jerome: You’re right, it is no cure all. But the section of Millennium Park that includes Cloud Gate, the ice rink/restaurant, and the Crown Fountain comes in at around five acres.

By: jt

jt — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:45:53 +0000

here is a video i found on dallasnews

http://www.dallasnews.com/video/dallasnews/hp/index.html?nvid=398218

By: jt

jt — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:26:05 +0000

looking over the plans, there are plenty of opportunities to play for both children and adults. the great lawn hopefully will have kite flyers, football toss etc. the dog park with jumping water should be facinating to watch. the water sculpture on east end with cascading water and entry would be really fun if i were still a kid. the childrens park with story telling tree, equipment and a dragon fountain looks like somewhere i would take my kids. the plans also show a reading and games area next to the restaurant. the park also will make the DMA, Nasher, Crow Musuem, ATT Center Myerson all more attractive to come and visit. when the katy trail gets extended to the arts district, i look forward to biking with my 3 girls to spend time at park!! I am excited for Dallas!!

By: Jerome Weeks

Jerome Weeks — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:59:20 +0000

“The Woodall Rodgers Deck Park plans to offer some similar attractions, but with funding for the park’s amenities not yet set in stone, there is still opportunity to return to the park’s plan with a set of simple questions inspired by the spirit of Millennium Park: Where will the children play? Where will the adults play? Where will the teenagers play? .. Don’t worry, there’s still some time left to dream.”

My somewhat different comparison to Millennium Park can be found here: http://www.kera.org/blogs/culture/2009/02/03/woodall-rodgers-park-a-different-perspective/

What’s not often noted: Millennium Park is almost five times the size of the Woodall. Yet “in public discussions about the future of the Arts District, Woodall Rodgers Park is often held up as a cure-all for what ails the district: the lack of pedestrian-friendly design, the lack of shade, the lack of appealing outdoor activities, the lack of retail shopping and dining. So we’re cramming into that narrow little stretch a lot of expectations that the park may never be able to fulfill.”

By: James Michael Starr

James Michael Starr — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:20:08 +0000

Peter: And I hope those in decision-making roles WILL in fact dream. And dream big. Please, not Victory Park Gucci-big and not DART Deep Ellum Gateway Million-Dollar Gumby big. But big as in thoughtful, humane, Big-City Vision big. We don’t necessarily have to have the wonder of Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate or Frank Gehry’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion and BP Bridge. Just some deep thought that won’t end up making us once more look like a bunch of dorks. Oops, did I say that?

By: tom in dallas

tom in dallas — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Thank you for the splendid thoughts. Another question will be how do we get there. With the closing of Harwood street, there will be an opportunity to have some pedestrian friendly walks into the park area. It is not much fun to walk around the neighborhood of uptown around the Ritz or The Crescent. Let us have some pedestrian amenities to lure us in. Harwood might even be used to bike in from the Katy Trail and through downtown to the Farmers Market.