The park that was once a centerpiece of Dallas' Little Mexico turns 100 this year. Although it hardly resembles the cultural gathering place it once was, Pike Park hasn鈥檛 been forgotten.
Today the neighborhood around Pike Park is called Uptown. Albert Gonzales, who lived here in the '50s, still calls it 鈥淓l Barrio,鈥� or Little Mexico.
鈥淟ittle Mexico to me was my town," Gonzales said. "All our friends were here. As a boy, all my enemies were here, too."
Thousands of Mexicans moved to Dallas in the early 20th century. New homes and Mexican markets sprang up in what used to be the Polish-Jewish neighborhood. By 1920, El Barrio grew to more than 10,000 people. Even though Mexican kids had few places to play besides the dirt streets, they were allowed into what was 鈥� but only at specific times.
Whenever they were let in, music rang out.
Families would gather to hear Mexican singers who settled in Dallas, like .
Eventually, in 1931, the city established rules for the joint use of Pike Park for whites and Mexican Americans. That was when the Fiestas Patrias 鈥� celebrations of Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day 鈥� really took off.
Nellie Tafalla lived in the Little Mexico housing projects with her eight siblings for more than a decade. Every afternoon, Pike Park became her backyard, a place for her to play baseball and softball, even to swim.
鈥淲e had everything here available for my community here," Tafalla said. "I loved it here.鈥�
Tafalla said she hardly recognizes the four-acre space today. The main basketball court and swimming pool are gone, and the rec center is boarded up. Also missing: the skyline.
鈥淥ver there, on the side of the park now is big, old housing being built up. This used to be a place to just sit and look at the city of Dallas. We were the city of Dallas.鈥�
On Saturday, city officials and the will celebrate Pike Park鈥檚 centennial with a dedication of $400,000 in renovations. They鈥檝e already fixed up the gazebo, which means they can turn their attention to the mission style building behind the plaza. It鈥檚 one of only with a Mexican-American history to be declared a .
鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason why it couldn鈥檛 be revived just to serve as a small little rec center," Tafalla said. "I mean, the green space in Dallas is needed. We鈥檙e growing so fast and we鈥檙e covering up the past so fast and we鈥檙e not preserving these little green spots.鈥�
Tafalla and Gonzales want to be able to show off the park.
鈥淏ecause this park belongs not just to the history of the Mexican people and the Jewish," Gonzales said. "But all the city of Dallas.鈥�
Saturday's dedication, Gonzales said, is a step in the right direction.
More: Watch the 四虎影院 TV documentary,
