A deck park could revitalize the neighborhood around the Dallas Zoo

The Marsalis Ave. bridge, where a proposed deck park would be built.

There is a movement afoot to create a "deck park" over Interstate 35 at the Dallas Zoo (it's on the right in the picture above). Citing the success of the Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas, backers of the I-35 Deck Park hope it would change the fortunes of the neighborhoods around the Zoo, which have been in decline for decades. Of course, the issue is more complicated than that assessment, as the two locales are hardly comparable. Klyde Warren was nestled between a bustling downtown and the foot of Uptown. The neighborhoods around Jefferson Blvd. and Marsalis Ave. aren't going to change overnight, and no amount of green space will create jobs, reduce crime, or improve education choices. The Zoo, however, is a city asset worth investing in, and the surrounding neighborhoods are due some betterment from any attention the area gets.  

Click here to read an informative article by Nanette Light and Conor Shine about the proposed deck park at DallasNews.com.