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Fort Worth leaders discuss surrendering Southside Community Center land for National Juneteenth Museum builders

"To me, the most important hurdle is to hear from the community first," Chris Nettles said.

FORT WORTH, Texas — The decision on whether the Southside Community Center in Fort Worth stays or goes will come largely from what happens during Monday's public meeting.

The community center is in the 900 block of East Rosedale Street. The builders of the National Juneteenth Museum want to acquire the land for the multi-million-dollar project. 

Fort Worth residents will have a chance to voice their opinions during a community conversation hosted by Fort Worth City Councilman Chris Nettles. 

The offer to enter into a long-term lease agreement with the City of Fort Worth comes as the community center is in dire need of major repairs. An assessment of the building according to Nettles revealed everything from foundation issues to structural repairs. The city has done interval repairs over the years to keep the 60-year-old building operational.  But due to the astronomical amount of money it would cost to do repairs, the Southside Community Center is not on the City’s list for rebuilding right now.

Despite needing dire repairs, the center is used almost every day for community events, and programs for children and adults. Also, the community center has served as an early voting site which would also go away.

Although city leaders want as much feedback as possible about giving up the land for the National Juneteenth Museum, there are still several hurdles to make that happen.

"To me, the most important hurdle is to hear from the community first. I have not made a decision. The council has not made a decision. We won't make a decision, but rather leave it up to our neighbors," Nettles said.

The Historic Southside Neighborhood Association shared its support in a letter to the city and museum curator signed by its officers including President James Walker. 

"We fully support building the National Juneteenth Museum," said Walker. "But we want to make sure the services that take place at the center are still available to the residents in the southside community."

Walker hopes after hearing from neighbors -- city leaders and the museum curator can come up with a win-win solution.

"The Juneteenth Museum had to submit their portfolio. They have to submit that they have the means to acquire the land to lease it for a long time," said Chris Nettles. "So there are other hurdles that we have to climb. But to me, the most important hurdle is to hear from the community first."

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