Residents in a Fort Worth suburb launch petition for new grocery store, park funding
The signs are down and the gas pumps are gone at the Kroger in south Haltom City, but a citizens group is fighting to bring in another grocery store and other businesses.
They also don’t want to see federal funding cuts for parks.
The group, Haltom Strong, launched an online petition drive Wednesday in hopes of getting a new grocery store and other businesses in Haltom City that is already seeing an economic boon with a major industrial park and Collins Aerospace.
Haltom City is also seeing robust residential development.
When Councilwoman Gaye Vanzant and other residents living in south Haltom City learned that Kroger was closing its store at Broadway and Denton Highway, they said that was unacceptable as older and disabled people who can’t drive have no way to do their grocery shopping.
The petition drive is targeting retail and restaurants such as Chick Fil-a, Kroger, H-E-B and the Magnolia Boutique.
Vanzant said in an email to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that “it is our sincere desire to show consumer support and interest to these diverse entities. We realize this is not a guarantee of development and have been told by the naysayers it is a losing effort. Still determined, we believe if we could just get the attention of businesses to see an untapped market in a growing community it would be a ‘win-win’ to service our citizens and advance these markets”.
City Manager Rex Phelps said he is proud of the citizens group and their efforts to improve the city’s economy.
“Haltom has become an attractive place for economic development. We have more development than we have ever had going on at one time,” he said.
Haltom Strong is also asking people to sign a petition opposing proposed federal funding cuts for park and recreation programs. The cuts are included in President Donald Trump’s 2021 budget request.