Dallas Fort Worth Nonprofit Business Journal

Category: Education

  • Lena Pope, UNTHSC and The Miles Foundation partner on new Early Learning Center

    Lena Pope and the UNT Health Science Center (UNTHSC) announced in a press release that they had opened a new early learning center on the UNTHSC Fort Worth campus earlier this month.

    The Miles Foundation Early Learning Center at UNTHSC is a high-quality early childhood development center serving children from 6 weeks to 5 years of age. The Center will serve the children of UNTHSC staff and students, as well as families from the community – prioritizing 50% of available enrollment for children from low-income families.

    At a ribbon cutting on September 10, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said, “Providing high-quality early education to children across the socioeconomic spectrum is a key priority for this city – we must establish a strong foundation for our future workforce, and provide critical support and peace of mind to the working parents of today.”

    The on-campus child development center was a collaborative venture between UNTHSC, one of the nation’s premier graduate academic medical centers, and Lena Pope, an award-winning early learning provider in Fort Worth. The center was a key component of UNTHSC’s “Best Place for All” promise to its employees – to create programs, policies, and a work environment that increase team member satisfaction and engagement. The partnership also fulfills Lena Pope’s goal of offering high-quality early learning experiences for all local children and families, regardless of zip code or income.

    “We are extremely proud of this partnership, which is providing a valuable onsite resource for UNTHSC and expanding access to high-quality childcare for local families,” said Todd Landry, President and CEO of Lena Pope.

    The new Lena Pope Early Learning Center at UNTHSC will use evidence-based academic and social-emotional curriculums to achieve exceptional outcomes for children. Lena Pope’s first Early Learning Center received the Editor’s Choice Award for Best of Child Care from Fort Worth, Texas magazine in 2016, and is nationally accredited by The National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs (NAC), a distinction earned by only 11% of early education programs in the country.

    “This is an exciting endeavor that we are proud to be a part of,” said Grant Coates, President and CEO of The Miles Foundation in Fort Worth, in a release. “UNTHSC and Lena Pope are both leaders in their fields. We believe they are setting the stage for additional public-private partnerships across Fort Worth that will help broaden access to high-quality childcare for local families who are building a brighter future for themselves and the next generation.”

    ABOUT THE MILES FOUNDATION

    The Miles Foundation endeavors to honor the legacy of its founder, Ellison Miles, through investments in education that promote the next generation’s success. Mr. Miles demonstrated a passion for education throughout his life, and The Miles Foundation carries on this commitment today through its five core funding areas: 1) early childhood education, 2) third grade literacy, 3) family engagement, 4) leadership development, and 5) character development. To learn more, visit www.milesfdn.org.

    ABOUT LENA POPE

    Lena Pope’s mission is to help create hope, happiness and success for children and families. The agency provides mental health, substance use treatment and family support services. It also operates Chapel Hill Academy, an open-enrollment and tuition-free public charter school for more than 600 students in Fort Worth, and Early Learning Centers that provide quality early learning opportunities for children ages six weeks to five years. For more information, visit lenapope.org.

    ABOUT UNT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER

    UNT Health Science Center is a graduate university comprising six colleges for health care providers, researchers and scientists. Located on a 33-acre campus in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, UNTHSC has a strong culture based on values. Through extraordinary teamwork across the campus and the community, UNTHSC produces leaders in health care and science who transform lives. For more information, visit www.unthsc.edu.

  • SMU receives $5M gift for engineering research

    Southern Methodist University (SMU) has announced a $5 million gift from Rich and Mary Templeton for engineering research at the university’s Lyle School of Engineering.

    This gift, which includes $4 million for an endowment and $1 million for operations, creates the Templeton Endowed Research Excellence Fund. The fund is flexible, allowing for support of the most pressing and important research needs in the Lyle School at any given time. It covers a range of project essentials, including postdoctoral researchers, doctoral and graduate student stipends, equipment and supplies.

    Working in collaboration with SMU’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies, the Lyle School will select projects that benefit the University’s research portfolio, along with faculty who have strong track records for significant external research funding and success in recruiting elite graduate students. Metrics of success will be defined by the school and the research teams.

    “This investment in research is critical to strengthening SMU’s academic quality and attracting top graduate students who will seek solutions to some of the world’s most stubborn problems,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “Rich and Mary have a long history of supporting successful initiatives to advance technological innovation. They understand what is required to be a premier research university, and their generous gift will play an important role in moving our University closer to the global reputation we desire.”

    “Research is essential to SMU’s ability to make an impact through technology. We’re delighted to help make that happen,” said Mr. Templeton, who is chairman, president and CEO of Texas Instruments and also serves on SMU’s Board of Trustees.

    “Our family has deep connections to SMU,” said Mrs. Templeton, renowned community philanthropist and volunteer. “The University’s goals and strategies to bolster research are aligned with our vision for higher education and technology.”

    Brad E. Cheves, SMU’s Vice President for Development and External Affairs, said the University is honored to count the Templetons as supporters. “We are grateful that Mary and Rich are advocates for SMU and our educational and research aspirations. They have accomplished much in their lives, and their generosity is rooted in a desire to help others make a difference in the world.”

    SMU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Steven C. Currall said the gift addresses important University goals. “A robust and productive portfolio of externally sponsored research is key to reaching our collective vision of SMU’s future.”

    Lyle Engineering Dean Marc P. Christensen said, “This gift can mean the difference between advancing research or watching a good idea die on the vine. It allows us to recruit the most talented students and faculty, and enables them to lead the way in emerging areas of research.”

    SMU continues to raise its academic quality and standing through deliberate efforts to enhance scholarly research, including more postdoctoral researchers in targeted areas and increased support.

    “These practices will attract stronger applicants and help doctoral students complete their programs more quickly,” said James E. Quick, dean of Research and Graduate Studies at SMU.

    ABOUT SMU

    SMU is the nationally ranked global research university in the dynamic city of Dallas. SMU’s alumni, faculty and nearly 12,000 students in seven degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, communities and the world. Find out more on the university’s website.

  • Dallas Arboretum Receives $50,000 from International Paper Company for STEM Education

    International Paper Company has donated $50,000 to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden to be the presenting sponsor of its STEM Education program. This donation will provide additional opportunities to teach STEM to students, to fund grants for Title 1 schools to bring their students to the garden, and to equip educators in the latest STEM teaching practices.

    Allyson Marbut, Dallas Arboretum’s vice president of education, said “In addition to being a top display garden where we grow plants through our experiential educational field trips, outreach programs and professional development for teachers, we grow minds, too. Thanks to this grant, we’ll be able to fund these STEM education initiatives.”

    The STEM programs that the gift will support include the following:

    • Field Trips and Financial Assistance for Title I Schools: Each year, the Dallas Arboretum provides funding for bus stipends and scholarships to visiting low-income schools.
    • Nature Naturally: Through this outreach program, local teachers can bring any of the Dallas Arboretum’s indoor lessons directly to their own school campus.
    • Summer Institute: This one-week summer camp partners with the Vickery Meadows Foundation Eagle Scholars to provide unique STEM learning experiences for at-risk 7thgrade Tasby Middle School students.
    • STEM First and STEM in Action: The Dallas Arboretum partners with DISD elementary schools to implement two off-site after school programs, STEM First(3rd grade) and STEM in Action (5th grade) along with a visit to the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden.
    • Professional Development for Educators:Arboretum educators provide teacher training programs that cover best practices in STEM education and engage teachers with ways to integrate hands-on activities in their classroom.

    The Dallas Arboretum’s education programs focus on outdoor STEM, empowering children to apply science concepts aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for K-6 curriculum to the outdoor world.  The Arboretum Education team utilizes 150 interactive, science driven lessons that immerse more than 100,000 North Texas students, with a focus from kindergarten to 6th grade, in invigorating scientific inquiry each year.

    The Dallas Arboretum’s most elaborate educational resource is the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden (RMCAG), an 8-acre outdoor science museum full of interactive science based displays, laboratories and specialized outdoor learning galleries. Its design juxtaposes White Rock Lake and surrounding ecosystems with informal scientific observation and inquiry. To create this revolutionary “living classroom,” Arboretum educators first identified those concepts that children struggle to master, then targeted these difficult concepts through RMCAG’s hands-on, curriculum-aligned activities.  Engaging lessons vary from students learning about Texas wetlands through sampling and identification of macroinvertebrates in Wetlands Biologists, to learning the importance of trees in Tree Trek, the cycles of the earth in Dynamic Earth, to a study of the planets through a Planetary Voyage on our five-foot OmniGlobe. Visits to the Moody Oasis provide opportunities to learn the importance of monarch butterflies as they pass by on their way to their winter grounds and Pure Energy with its water, solar and wind interactives engaging them in learning the importance of renewable resources.

    Since its ribbon-cutting in 2013, RMCAG has hosted more than 1.7 million visits from children and families, students on field trips, summer camp participants, and curious adults.

    Pictured: AJ Forrest, Account Manager, International Paper Company; Crystal Brown-Tatum, Human Resources Administrator, International Paper Company; Ron Bullock, Complex General Manager, International Paper Company; Mark Wolf, Dallas Arboretum Board Chairman

    ABOUT DALLAS ARBORETUM AND BOTANICAL GARDEN

    The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218.  The Dallas Arboretum is also the home of the internationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. It is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular general admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for children 2-12 and free for Arboretum members and children two and under.  See website for special discounts. There is an additional cost of $3 per person for entrance into the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. On-site parking is $15; pre-purchased online parking is $9. The Dallas Morning News is the principal partner of the Dallas Arboretum.  The Arboretum is supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department.  WFAA is an official media sponsor for the Dallas Arboretum. For more information, call 214.515.6500 or visit www.dallasarboretum.org.

  • Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities hosts back to school event for kids in need

    On Friday, August 24, Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities gathered 3000 students from seven high need Dallas ISD elementary schools to the Ellis Davis Field House for a back to school experience that included free uniforms from title sponsor,  JCPenney, dental screenings and services from DECA Dental; vision screenings and free glasses from Essilor Vision, age-appropriate literature to encourage reading at home from KPMG; and Albertsons/Tom Thumb provided all students school supplies, a new backpack and a bag of groceries to take home.

    Misty Tippen, Emmitt Smith, Pat Smith

    “Five years ago, two amazing boys wrote to ask Emmitt and I to match the $300 they had earned by doing summer chores, to help some classmates who were being teased because their uniforms and shoes were worn and tattered,” said Pat Smith. “We knew we could do better than that, so we partnered with Dallas ISD to aid as many students as we could who were in financial need. That first year, we helped 400 students. Today’s Back to School experience is now hosted annually in partnership with Dallas ISD and key Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities partners. We are so thrilled that this year we will touch 3000 students and help them start the school year off the right way – feeling confident and ready so that they can focus on learning.”

    From the podium, Emmitt Smith spoke to students, “Stay focused and stay around positive people who care for you. The principals, teachers, volunteers and sponsors who are here today have shown up because we believe in each and every one of you, we believe that you deserve to start the school year off right and we want you to know that each one of you is special and has unique talents.”

    Entertainment for students was provided by Rock-T with The Ricky Smiley Morning Show, DJ Astronaut, the David W. Carter High School Band, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and mascot, Rowdy and an arts and crafts station hosted by Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities Creative Partner, Axxess and IKEA. Uniform delivery services were led by Two Men and Truck.

    ABOUT PAT & EMMITT SMITH CHARITIES

    Pat and Emmitt Smith have a passion to help young people by providing them with opportunities to reach their fullest potential, even when there may be barriers in front of them. Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities is committed to providing resources to children to help them see and dream beyond the restrictive opportunities of their environment or the limitations others have placed upon them by supporting high quality programs in North Texas through grants, scholarships and partnership efforts. In this way, their efforts are amplified throughout the community and allow them to impact thousands of children each year. Pat and Emmitt Smith personally mentor a group of high potential, high performing, students from the Dallas area through their flagship program, TEAM 22. In order to nurture their growth into confident young leaders they host unique educational experiences, send them to a leadership camp, pair them with mentors and require that they give back through community service. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/SmithCharities/.

  • Fort Worth Museum of Science and History to offer free exhibit admission on 9/11

    This Tuesday, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (FWMSH) will offer free exhibit admission in remembrance of the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. A post on the museum’s Facebook page stated:

    “In remembrance of the events that occurred on 9/11/01, Museum exhibit admission is free to everyone on Tuesday September 11, 2018. The Museum is honored to be the keepers of a beam from the World Trade Center housed in our 9/11 Tribute Exhibit.”

    The above is a picture of the beam from the World Trade Center that resides in the FWMSH that accompanied the Facebook post. In a description on the museum’s website, the beam is described as such: “At the center of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History’s 9/11 Tribute Exhibit is N-101, a full-façade panel that supported three floors (101-103) two stories above the center of the impact zone of the North Tower. The beam is comprised of three steel columns, bolted together, three stories tall and is the largest World Trade Center artifact in Texas.”

    “The Museum is deeply honored to provide the community with a tribute site that pays homage to 9/11, the people who perished in the attacks and the brave men and women who served as first responders on that tragic day,” said Museum President Van A. Romans in a statement on the 9/11 Tribute exhibit web page. “As a history museum, ours is an appropriate venue for such an important American artifact, and we hope as many people as possible can have access to it.”

    Find out more here.

    ABOUT THE FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY

    Dedicated to lifelong learning and anchored by our rich collections, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History engages our diverse community through creative, vibrant programs and exhibits interpreting science and the stories of Texas and the Southwest. Find out more on the museum’s website.

  • Dallas ISD, Toyota and SMU Collaborate to Support Future STEM-Focused School in West Dallas

    Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD), Toyota USA Foundation and SMU have joined together to collaborate on the creation of a new and innovative STEM-focused school in west Dallas, the organizations announced in a press release this week.

    The aim is to inspire and prepare students for the next generation of STEM jobs through curricula that is project-based and business-aligned.

    “This is an exciting opportunity for our students and families of west Dallas as  this unique public private partnership comes together,” said Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa. “STEM jobs are the wave of the future, and Toyota and SMU’s contribution is a major investment in shaping the next generation. This is a significant shift in education, and we’re grateful to these incredible partners.”

    Toyota USA Foundation is granting $2 million to SMU’s Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, which will develop curricula, advise on state-of-the-art educational practices, provide professional development for teachers, coordinate nonprofits operating in the area, and monitor and evaluate the program. The future school will be operated and staffed by the Dallas ISD. The Office of Transformation and Innovation will co-facilitate the design of the school in collaboration with School Leadership.

    The collaboration will also bring together nonprofits, including groups already working with Dallas ISD through the SMU Simmons School program, The School Zone, as well as Toyota Motor North America and Toyota Financial Services’ partners to address community issues like literacy, nutrition, transportation and after–school care –  each vital to creating successful outcomes for the community.

    “Collectively, our goal is to create a brighter future for students, help families become more resilient, and create a community and school model that can be replicated,” said Mike Goss, president of Toyota USA Foundation. “We want to help increase access to opportunity, connecting students to the millions of STEM jobs that exist today, and the many more that will be created as industry advances.”

    This partnership developed as a result of numerous requests from the community for STEM offerings within the Pinkston High School feeder pattern.

    “This partnership advances our efforts currently underway in west Dallas, with a holistic approach that lifts the community and provides opportunity for students,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner.  “Evidence-based education is the foundation for everything we do in the Simmons School, and we look forward to the opportunity to provide resources and research that underscore the success of the school.”

    Following an inclusive planning phase, the next two academic years will focus on curriculum and professional development for faculty.

    “Everything is still on the table, including decisions about curricula and which wrap-around services will be provided through the school by community partners,” said SMU Simmons School Dean Stephanie L. Knight. “This announcement is meant to let all the stakeholders, parents included, know that we want their input at every level as we move forward.”

    The school will begin a phased opening beginning fall 2021.

    ABOUT TOYOTA USA FOUNDATION

    The Toyota USA Foundation is a charitable endowment created to support education programs serving kindergarten through 12th-grade students and their teachers in the United States, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). For more information, visit www.toyotagrants.com/foundation.

    ABOUT DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

    The Dallas Independent School District is continually preparing its more than 156,000 students for college or a career. The district offers a competitive mix of innovative programs, choice programs and instructional initiatives that support the increased academic achievement and the social and emotional development of its students. To learn more, visit www.dallasisd.org.

    ABOUT SMU

    SMU is the nationally ranked global research university in the dynamic city of Dallas.  SMU’s alumni, faculty and nearly 12,000 students in seven degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, communities and the world.  For more information visit www.smu.edu.

  • Key School announces location of future campus

    In a recent Facebook post, Key School Fort Worth announced it will open a new campus in 2020 in Fort Worth. The 14-acre campus will be located at I-30 and Morrison Lane in east Fort Worth.

    In the post, Key School Fort Worth shared a nearly 3 minute video of a drone flying over the future campus.

    ABOUT KEY SCHOOL FORT WORTH

    Key School is devoted to helping children find their key to success. Key School’s integrated curricula, which fulfill the requirements for academic credit, are modified, augmented, and enriched to accommodate each student’s unique learning styles. This approach is paired with individualized schedules meticulously designed to build upon the specific strengths, weaknesses, and academic goals of each student. Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • BRIT Receives $1.3M Grant from the National Science Foundation to Study Biodiversity in the Philippines

    Researchers at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) have received a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct a project titled “Plant Discovery in the Southern Philippines.” Dr. Peter Fritsch, BRIT’s Vice President of Research, will head the team as Principal Investigator with co-Principal Investigators Dr. Taylor Quedensley (BRIT), Dr. Darin Penneys (University of North Carolina at Wilmington), and Dr. Daniel Nickrent (Southern Illinois University Carbondale). The project begins this month and field expeditions will begin in the spring of 2019.

    The Philippines contain unique floral and faunal diversity that includes ferns, orchids, pitcher plants, and begonias that are critically threatened by habitat loss. Only 3-7% of the Philippines’ original habitat remains. To address the urgent need for further documenting this diversity in the face of impending large-scale species extinction, BRIT research botanists and multiple collaborators will conduct a four-year project with the objective to survey the land plants and lichens of the southern Philippines through a series of large field expeditions and subsequent identification work.

    “We are so excited about this grant and the important work it will accomplish,” said Dr. Ed Schneider, BRIT’s executive director. “For the last three years, we have worked diligently to put together the right combination of scientific personnel, tools, and support programs to make a run at this caliber of grant; winning it validates our efforts and scientific direction and sets the stage for larger grant wins.”

    The project team will make thousands of observations on the occurrence and abundance of species, as documented by physical collections for museum study and high-resolution photographs, with images and data all digitized and placed online in readily searchable formats. The team will concentrate efforts on the southern half of the country in the Visayas, Negros, and Mindanao island groups, because plants are not as well-known there as in the north.

    This project is expected to result in the discovery of several new species and several scientific publications. Moreover, BRIT researchers will train botany graduate students and have opportunities to involve undergraduate students as well. 

    About the Botanical Research Institute of Texas

    The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) is a nonprofit, international research and education organization that collects and safeguards plant specimens, studies and protects living plants, and teaches about the importance of conservation and biodiversity to the world.

    BRIT’s scientists and educators work together in achieving the organization’s two-fold mission of scientific research and education. Its scientists work from local to global scales, investigating fundamental botanical questions within the themes of biodiversity exploration and species conservation. BRIT educators create new ways to turn information into knowledge through outdoor discovery, discussion, and experiential learning for both students and teachers.

    BRIT’s work benefits our community and the world in a number of areas, including environment, by understanding how plants function and interact in ecosystems; society, by educating and training a new generation of thinkers and problem solvers; and conservation, by providing the critical data needed for proper land stewardship.

    BRIT is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission is free. For more information, visit http://www.brit.org.

  • Texas Women’s University receives historic $10 million gift

    Texas Women’s University (TWU) announced in a press release that it has received a gift of more than $10 million from Frisco businesswoman Mary L.A. Stanton. This is the largest single donation in the university’s history.

    The $10,001,901 commitment supports construction of a new residential village on TWU’s Denton campus. In addition, with the $1,901 part of this gift, Stanton is inspiring the launch of the “1901 Society,” which recognizes donors who have given $1 million or more to the university in their lifetimes.

    “Mary is a smart businesswoman who serves as a role model for many,” Chancellor Carine M. Feyten said in the release. “Her thoughtful and generous gift will transform student housing at TWU. And, I am pleased to see Mary leading the charge to inspire others to give to Texas Woman’s University.”

    TWU’s new residential village will enhance the campus experience for second-year students by providing an important sense of community and campus activities aimed at boosting the academic enterprise. TWU’s Board of Regents will vote on a motion to name the residential village’s east portal building Mary L. A. Stanton Hall, or “Mary’s Hall,” at its August 10 meeting.

    “I hope my gift will provide students with a campus experience I was not able to enjoy myself,” said Stanton in the release, who, as a commuter student and working single parent, earned a bachelor’s degree from TWU in 1989. “I loved the way the Denton campus felt when I was there.”

    Opening in fall 2019 on the Denton campus, TWU’s new sophomore village (rendering pictured above) will house 875 students and contain classroom, fitness, exploratory learning and recreational spaces. The residential village will include three 4- and 5-story Georgian buildings featuring pod-style living quarters with small-scale communal baths with private bathroom and shower stalls. The project will incorporate residential amenities such as lounge spaces, study areas and community gathering places focused on the sophomore experience. The development also will have approximately 30,000 square feet of residential dining space to serve all of TWU’s commuter and on-campus student population.

    This is TWU’s first major housing development since the opening of the Lowry Woods Community in 2005.

    Read the full announcement here.

    ABOUT TEXAS WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY

    Texas Woman’s University is the nation’s largest university primarily for women with more than 15,000 students at its three locations in Denton, Dallas and Houston. Texas Woman’s is known for its contributions and leadership in the fields of education, nutrition, business, the arts and sciences, and especially in the nursing and health care professions. The university offers the student support, class sizes and campus esthetics more typically found at a private university. TWU prides itself on providing students with a well-rounded educational experience focused on service, health and well-being and integrity. Respect for diversity in all dimensions (U.S. News & World Report ranks the university tied for 5th in the nation for diversity) and a safe campus environment are among the hallmarks of a TWU education.

  • Fort Worth Botanic Garden advised to stop free admission

    The Star-Telegram reported that the Fort Worth Botanic Garden may soon implement an admission fee on the advice of a local task force.

    The task force was created in response to the organization’s $15 million deferred maintenance. According to the Star-Telegram, the organization’s repairs and funding challenges are not being met under the current system of free admission.

    Last week, the group recommended that the organization begin charging an admission fee of $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $6 for children ages 6-15. They also recommended creating an annual membership program of $100 for families and $50 for individuals.

    “I think everybody would prefer for it to be free but it’s a matter of who’s going to pay for it,” Assistant City Manager Susan Alanis told the Star-Telegram. She who noted that two-thirds of the garden’s visitors are from outside of Fort Worth.

    According to Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, no decisions have been made and the city is still in the early discussions about charging an admission. The Park and Recreation Advisory Board has a scheduled vote on the plan at its October meeting. Once approved there, the City Council would then weigh in at its November 6 meeting.

    Find out more by reading the full article here.