Dallas City Council Committee hears $399 million park bond money request Tuesday

A Dallas City Council Committee Tuesday will hear the big $399 million Parks Department request for public improvement bond money.

It is a very large ask as other Dallas needs compete for a large share of a planned $1 billion bond referendum in 2024.

Every part of the city would see improvements in the park plan.

One example is Grauwyler Park on Harry Hines Boulevard in Northwest Dallas.

On a hot Labor Day, families enjoyed the spray ground there, but the swimming pool was closed and not just because it was a holiday.

A notice of the closure was posted on the pool door, directing visitors to other pools.

The park bond plan says Grauwyler is one of 7 Dallas pools past their useful life.

Each of them would get $5 million for repair and upgrade in the bond plan.

“It’s needed because a lot of people coming here,” said Alexander Gonzalez, translating from Spanish for his grandfather Francisco Garcia who lives beside the park.

The recreation center at Grauwyler would get $20 million for a total renovation and upgrade.

The rec center is one of 9 in the bond plan scoring very high for need, but also in the city’s new equity policy that puts emphasis on underserved neighborhoods.

Visitor Steven McClellan was disappointed to find the recreation center was closed for the Labor Day holiday.

“I would like for them to make it better because I come over here a lot,” McClellan said. “It’s a great investment if you ask me. I use them all the time. Arlington Park, here and then one up the street called Bachman.”

Much bigger projects are also included in the park bond money plan.

Dredging White Rock Lake would get $20 million in bond money to win $60 million more federal money.

The Dallas Zoo would get $30 million in bond money for improvements to match with $70 million more from zoo fundraising.

The Southern Gateway Park outside the zoo over the I-35E R. L. Thornton Freeway would get $15 million in bond money to match with $72 million more from the Southern Gateway Foundation.

Kiest Park is one of three Dallas tennis centers that would get $5 million each in bond money to add indoor courts.

Golf courses, playgrounds and other park amenities around the city are also included in the $399 million request.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson helped launch a Dallas Parks Coalition last week to campaign for the entire park bond money request.

“I wanted to make sure that parks are front and center,” Johnson said.

In his inaugural address to start a second four-year term in June, Johnson said one of his top three priorities is to see Dallas become the state’s best park system.

Grauwyler visitor Steven McClellan said he supports park spending.

“Especially in neighborhoods like this, that keeps a lot of people off the street, like kids, if they got nothing to do, they’re going to find something to do,” McClellan said.

The push to gain the Dallas City Council support that will be needed to get a large share of park money in the 2024 bond referendum begins Tuesday with a briefing for the first meeting of the newly formed Parks, Trails and Environment City Council Committee.

Other big Dallas needs including public safety, streets, public works and affordable housing are also competing for large shares of the $1 billion bond referendum.

The new Dallas Equity Plan also impacts which locations receive funding.

Dallas Police and Fire pension problems limit how much the city can borrow in bond money for public improvements.