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Information about new Community Center proposal in Rosemont Park

Friends,

As many of you are aware, the city, in partnership with the Fort Worth Independent School District, has proposed a joint use community center/elementary school on a portion of Rosemont Park. This is a very unique opportunity. In fact, joining the ISD on this project will allow us to gain a 75,600 sq. ft. elementary school, increase the size of the state-of-the-art community center to 12,700 sq. ft. and gain more than 4 acres of dedicated park space. It’s the city’s responsibility to see that our tax dollars are spent effectively and responsibly. The city and the Fort Worth City Council seek to leverage every penny and get the most out of every project or program. That is what citizens expect and deserve.

Before explaining some of the details of this plan, let me share some history about Rosemont Park:

The park was acquired by the city in 1927. At the time, it included 68 acres of open space. During the two decades that followed, some of the property was sold to the Fort Worth Independent School District and to Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. Today, Rosemont Park encompasses just more than 30 acres. Over the years, Rosemont Park has been no stranger to change.

In the 2004 bond package, Fort Worth voters approved $2.5 million to build a 10,000 sq. ft. community center in District 9. In 2006, the city hired Landscape Alliance to assist in site selection for the community center. Their search focused on a targeted area surrounded by Berry St. to the north, McCart Ave. to the West, Seminary Dr. to the South and Hemphill St. to the east. Landscape Alliance presented six possible locations for the center within this target area. Rosemont Park was ranked at the top of the list. These proposed sites were presented to those in attendance at six neighborhood meetings, and the Park Board supported the concept of building the community center in Rosemont Park.

In 2007, Fort Worth Independent School District voters approved a $12 million bond program to construct a new elementary school in the same area. This school is greatly needed to accommodate the rapid growth in the south central portion of Fort Worth and to avoid classroom overcrowding.

The need for a new elementary school and a new community center in the same area presents a unique opportunity. Realizing the potential, representatives from the Fort Worth ISD and the city began exploring the idea of a joint use facility. This concept was later presented to the community at Travis Avenue Baptist Church on Jan. 8 and subsequently endorsed by the Park Board on Jan 28. City staff recommends this joint use concept because:

• As a joint use facility, the Community Center will be much larger than the 10,000 sq. ft. facility scheduled to be built separately. A joint use facility would include 21,600 sq. ft. of shared space and 12,700 sq. ft. of dedicated community center space.
• A joint use facility allows us to save open space by sharing basics such as parking lots. Sharing these necessities also allows us to spend more money on amenities available to citizens.
• A joint use facility will enhance programming. For example, the elementary school library will be available not just to students, but to the entire community. Another example is the cafetorium, which could be used as a community gathering place or performance hall. No other Fort Worth community center offers such amenities.
• Finally, by partnering on a joint use facility, Rosemont Park will actually gain open space thanks to the lease of 6.7 acres on West Seminary Drive to the city. This additional space will grow Rosemont Park to a total of 34.7 acres.

The city believes this joint use facility addresses the City Council’s responsibility to spend tax dollars wisely, to preserves the quality of life for our citizens and respects our precious and finite greenspace..

Sincerely,

Joel Burns