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Deep Ellum Foundation receives $2M for cultural trail

The neon sign in Deep Ellum
Jerome Weeks
/
KERA
The cultural trail will highlight the neighborhoods' unique architecture as well as it's art. The physical trail will be open come the next five years or so.

The Deep Ellum Foundation received a $2 million grant to support the development of a walking path linking three historic Dallas neighborhoods and highlighting their distinct cultures.

The Dallas Cultural Trail will reconnect the Design District, Deep Ellum and South Dallas through a walking trail system to provide an easier way across the neighborhoods while showcasing their history.

“It’ll be a cultural boon for sure,” said Stephanie Keller Hudiburg, executive director of the Deep Ellum Foundation. “It'll be an opportunity that makes it easy for tourists to navigate and explore those areas where the Dallas Cultural Trail will run. And then it will also be a benefit to our local residents.”

The $2 million comes from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will go towards planning and designing the trail.

It is envisioned to be both a physical and digital experience, Hudiburg said, with the digital trail releasing first late 2026. She said the physical version will be about five years out.

Some of Dallas’ historic sites and art installations in the various districts can be engaged with before the five-year timeline. The digital version will act as a test for the physical version.

The trail will integrate into the city grid but will be geared towards pedestrians and cyclists.

Though they have differing opening dates, both the digital and physical trails will incorporate community input and involvement, Hudiburg said.

“We're fortunate a lot of that type of work has already been done by members of the community,” she said. “Connecting that and plugging in [homeowners associations], those that have already been doing the work for a long time is going to be part of this process.”

The Deep Ellum Foundation is working on the trail with the City of Dallas as well as the Dallas Arts District, Fair Park First, Forest Forward, Friends of Santa Fe Trail and more.