Dallas is transforming vacant lots into parks, with 15 new green spaces planned—one for each city council district. Leaders say the initiative will have the biggest impact in park-deprived areas like southern Dallas. NBC 5’s Candace Sweat reports on the first five locations unveiled and how they aim to bring communities together.
More parks are coming to Dallas. There will be 15 total, and each of the city’s council districts will get one.
In 2022, Mayor Eric Johnson called for an inventory of vacant city-owned land that could be transformed into green space. The city forged a partnership with the nonprofit Trust for Public Land.
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WATCH HEREMolly Morgan is the State Director of the organization’s Texas office. She tells NBC 5 that significant progress has been made on the Dallas Greening Initiative, to transform 15 vacant lots into walkable green spaces for residents.
“We recognized that there were spaces right now in people’s neighborhoods that were already green that could be better for their communities,” said Morgan.
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SIGN UP On February 25, renderings for the first five parks were unveiled.
“Our job is to hear the community to design the park with them and then to execute on what they want and need in their neighborhoods,” said Morgan. “We can build a park right now that people can enjoy on things that are already city-owned.”
In a press release from Trust For Public Land, Mayor Eric Johnson provided a statement that reads in part:
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“As Mayor, I championed the Dallas Greening Initiative as a bold, innovative plan to ensure every Dallas resident lives within a 10-minute walk of a park or trail. With these first five park designs now unveiled, Dallas takes another major step as a national leader in urban park development.”
Renderings were released for the Bushmills Road Green Space, Lake June Road Green Space, Cotillion Drive Green Space, High Vista Drive Green Space, and Echo Lake Drive Green Space.
City Councilman Chad West applauded Mayor Johnson and said the initiative is a major step in the right direction, especially for areas considered park deserts.
“We have a neighborhood in North Oak Cliff that can’t walk to a park in 30 minutes,” said West.
West is on the heels of a victory of his own; securing approval for a pocket park in the Sunset Hill neighborhood of North Oak Cliff.
“This particular neighborhood is pretty awesome because there are so many kids there,” said West. “There are like hundreds and hundreds of kids within walking distance to this park.”
The consensus is that more parks simply make sense. Morgan said Trust for Public will continue to work in tandem with the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department and residents for input on what best meets the needs of their neighborhoods.
“We know that spending 20 minutes outside can lower your cortisol levels, and it can provide places for communities to connect with each other and to thrive,” said Morgan.
According to the Dallas Greening Initiative, some 54,000 are expected to have easier access to parks once all 15 projects are complete over the next five years.
