A new deck park built above Interstate 35E in Oak Cliff is opening to the public this weekend, marking a major milestone in an effort to reconnect neighborhoods divided by highway construction decades ago.
Halperin Park, located between South Ewing and Marsalis avenues near the Dallas Zoo, spans roughly five acres above the interstate and includes playgrounds, water features, event spaces, and walking areas designed to serve both residents and visitors.
The project, developed through a public-private partnership involving the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation, the City of Dallas, and the Texas Department of Transportation, represents nearly a decade of planning and fundraising. Officials said the investment tied to the park and nearby development exceeds $300 million.
The park officially opens on Saturday at 9 a.m. with a community parade and ribbon-tying ceremony. A variety of family activities, giveaways, Mother’s Day events, and entertainment are planned this weekend for the park’s grand opening celebration.
Phase One of the project covers about 2.8 acres and includes green space, a splash pad, playground areas, an amphitheater, meeting spaces, and designated areas for food trucks and public events. A future second phase is expected to extend the park farther toward Marsalis Avenue and add features such as a dog park and a connection to the Dallas Zoo.
Organizers describe the project as more than a recreational space.
“I do think we can be an example of how you create spaces like this in areas that may have been overlooked or forgotten. And really change that trajectory for the future,” said April Allen, president and CEO of the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation, per WFAA.
Interstate 35E cut through Oak Cliff in the 1950s, separating neighborhoods and businesses. Supporters of the project say the park is intended to help restore those connections while encouraging economic growth in southern Dallas.
“And give people hope,” Allen said. “And restore some of the wounds that came from that division so many years ago. And we have the opportunity with this park to really shift that paradigm and change the trajectory and the future of Oak Cliff and our city overall.”
The park includes a promenade reconnecting walkable routes across the freeway, a large lawn and performance space for concerts and civic gatherings, shaded seating areas, gardens, and elevated overlooks with views toward downtown Dallas. Designers also incorporated extensive tree canopies and water features intended to reduce heat in one of the city’s more heat-vulnerable areas.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the park represents a broader investment in southern Dallas.
“Halperin Park bridges long-divided communities and brings beauty, utility and opportunity to Southern Dallas,” Johnson said. “As a powerful economic driver and symbol of our commitment to a greener, greater city, Halperin Park embodies the lasting impact that intelligent, thoughtful public investments can have on families, businesses and the future of our city.”
Developers and business owners in the surrounding area are already preparing for anticipated growth tied to the project.
Oak Cliff developer Hudson Henley, who has owned property nearby for years, said he believes the park will spur redevelopment and attract more visitors to the neighborhood. Henley said plans are already underway for a mixed-use development with apartments, retail, and restaurant space near the park.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Henley said, Fox 4 KDFW reported. “It’s really exciting. As you can see, it’s a gorgeous park. It’s going to be a game changer over here.”
Henley said the project is encouraging property owners to reinvest in the area.
“It’s given an incentive for those of us who own property over here to redevelop it,” he said. “And we’re going to create a new entertainment district — restaurant, retail, housing.”
The park is named after the Halperin Family Foundation, which contributed $23 million to the project. Foundation representative David Halperin said the goal is for the space to benefit the surrounding community for years to come.
“I care way more about the people enjoying this place than my name ever being on the park itself,” Halperin said, per WFAA. “I just want the people in this neighborhood to be enjoying it and using it as the proper amenity because, honestly, the people of this neighborhood enjoy, no, they deserve these amenities.”
A preliminary analysis by the University of North Texas at Dallas estimated the park could attract more than 2 million visitors annually and generate more than $1 billion in economic impact during its first five years.
