Dallas City Council approves $450,000 funding for south Dallas wellness complex
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas City Council has approved a $450,000 fund to support a new wellness complex in south Dallas.
The complex will be located at the former location of the Dallas Weekly news publication at the northwest corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Meadow Street.
A press release from the city referred to the complex as the MLK Wellness Complex. It will provide a community fitness center, restaurant and office space.
The fitness center will specialize in youth mentorship and athletic training, emphasizing on a whole-body fitness program. It will also offer discounted memberships for senior citizens and neighboring businesses.
The restaurant will offer fresh food options to serve the growing demand for healthier food, such as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menu options, which the city said is absent in this community.
"To grow southern Dallas, we must invest in the people of southern Dallas," Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said. "I am pleased that we are continuing to take steps to make our historically undeserved and overlooked communities healthier, stronger and more economically vibrant."
The city will contribute the funds under the City of Dallas Small Business Center's South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund Program and the Southern Dallas Investment Fund to Kingdom Legacy LLC to support community empowerment and small business growth in south Dallas, according to the city.
Kingdom Legacy LLC Owner Ferrell Fellows said that this plan to rehabilitate and renovate the location will create jobs with increased opportunities and to close the gaps for healthy food options within the Fair Park community. Fellows also said the complex will bring awareness to the physical and mental wellness of youth in the neighborhood.
"This is a great opportunity to empower our residents and promote economic growth in South Dallas," Dallas City Manager, T.C. Broadnax said.
The South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund provides loans and grants to promote economic development and support human development initiatives in the neighborhoods surrounding Fair Park.
