The property where Common Ground Soccer Plaza will open in June. Photo by Victoria Hernandez.
An unused parking lot off East Jefferson Boulevard will be transformed into a new two-acre community campus.
Located on Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) owned property, the Common Ground Soccer Plaza will include public art installations, five turf soccer fields, a pavilion and food truck plaza.
Raúl Estrada, principal of the Marcer Group and founder of Gateway Community Soccer, approached DART to lease the property for youth soccer activities earlier this year. Now, construction is underway for the $3.5 million project with an expected opening day of June 4, one week before the FIFA World Cup opens in Dallas.
Rendering of Common Ground Soccer Plaza. Photo by Victoria Hernandez.
The plaza will be operated in partnership with Gateway Community Soccer and youth empowerment organization Puede Network. The revenue surplus from field rentals, leagues, tournaments, and events will come back to support Puede Network’s youth programming that promotes “academic success, healthy living, community engagement, athletics and social-emotional growth.”
Adan Gonzalez, executive director and founder, said that this plaza is just the beginning of much greater things for the organization.
“I think what we’ve seen today, or are seeing now, is beyond magical. From the City of Dallas helping with permits, DART allowing us to lease this spot,” he said. “All these stakeholders that are coming together, bringing in all resources. It’s more than a dream … most people would say it’s impossible to get this done, and it’s getting done.”
As an Oak Cliff native himself, Gonzalez said that spaces like this are what he’s hoped for his community.
“I’m lost of words and just feel very blessed to be part of it, but more than anything, I feel this sense of gratitude that my kids are going to grow up not having that need of a safe space,” he said. “And I think that if we’re able to, in our generation, everyone who is working together has been able to accomplish this, imagine what they’re going to be able to do.”
