Photo courtesy of Trust for Public Land
As you drive down Bushmills Road near the intersection of Forest Lane and Audelia Road, a cul-de-sac bookends the street.
Homes sit on the right and left-hand sides of the circle, which abuts a 5.4-acre City of Dallas property sitting on the Jackson Branch of White Rock Creek. Residents used to sit by the creek to rest or chat before overgrown tree branches, bushes and weeds eventually obscured the view. To the right sits a large field with sporadically mowed grass which turns brown and lifeless come summer and winter.
But, before the end of 2026, the site will be transformed into a vibrant new green space and park teeming with native flora as part of the Dallas Greening Initiative. DGI was started in 2022 after Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson called for an inventory of all unused city-owned land in an effort to end “park deserts,” which disproportionately affect lower-income communities and bring outdoor green spaces to the over 300,000 residents who do not have access to a park within a 10-minute walk.
“It would be great because we would just walk into our backyard, and we’ll be right there,” says Raul Rivera, a seven-year neighborhood resident who also says his parents often drive long distances to find a playground for his siblings.
The city has partnered with the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit focused on bringing parks and green spaces to underserved communities, on the initiative.
“We know that spending 20 minutes outside significantly lessens stress. It lowers your cortisol levels. It’s called a nature RX, a prescription to get outside,” says TPL State Director Molly Morgan. “Dallas has some of the most stressful mental health statistics in the country, and so providing a green space is a really easy and cost-effective way to lower stress levels in communities. It also provides neighbors a place to, one, increase their physical activity, but two, meet each other and get to know the community around them.”
Using TPL data on park access throughout Dallas, the nonprofit and city identified 15 sites for new parks. A park will be built in each Dallas City Council district, and the project has an estimated budget of $10.25 million sourced from 2024 Bond funding and matching private donations.
Five sites, including the District 10 site tentatively known as the “Bushmills Road Site,” were identified as pilot projects for the initiative. The decision was made after assessing need and resident feedback.
“Actually, a neighbor in this community read about the project and had advocated for this site for some time,” Morgan says. “And so it was a mixture of us looking at things, working with the city on feasibility and then also community members who are already advocating for stuff with the city.”
TPL is responsible for project management and gathering input from the community — a process which the nonprofit has engaged in over the last two years. Three community meetings have been held at each site, surveys were opened to residents and neighbors have been able to post design ideas for their park on the DGI website’s idea wall.
At the D10 site, neighbors expressed their desire for a calm, nature-focused green space as opposed to a “big flashy Klyde Warren in their backyard.”
“At first, there was a little honest skepticism,” Morgan says. “Because sometimes people think that you’re going to come in and build an enormous park site in their backyard.”
To that end, site plans unveiled earlier this year show a public space reminiscent of White Rock Lake in its approach, with winding nature paths and benches emphasized over programming and a large playground space. An open lawn will replace the overgrown field to the right of the cul-de-sac, a wildlife viewing station overlooking the creek will give neighbors a glance at urban fauna, and a pollinator garden will invite butterflies and honey bees to the site.
While there may not be a large playground or event pavilion, there will be a small nature play area and picnic table space near the open lawn.
“I think the most rewarding thing for me is that there are neighbors here who have watched and lived next to the site for a super long time and that are not only voicing their desires for it, but are excited about the progress that’s made and what’s going to happen here,” Morgan says.
A bridge crossing over the creek, which will be cleaned up and have native flora added to its banks, is planned to be added at a later date than other features.
Each site has a budget under $750,000, with the cost of the D10 site expected to exceed $400,000. The project will break ground this June and has a projected completion timeline of 12-18 months. After completion, Dallas’ Park and Recreation Department will be responsible for maintenance at each site. Each site has 10% of its budget allocated for ongoing maintenance by TPL.
“We’re also forming friends of groups for each of the parks, business or volunteer groups, and providing some resources to them so that they know who to call when something happens,” Morgan says. “They know what they can and cannot do on-site, how they can help when things are needed.”
The remaining 10 sites will be built in the coming years in two cohorts, set to be completed over two to three years each.
“I think after COVID, we’re experiencing what the surgeon general called a loneliness epidemic. Being isolated is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day,” Morgan says. “And if we can provide a place for people to come and be together, especially a green space that provides these other benefits, it’s so critical.”
