A new park may be coming to District 10 as part of Mayor Eric Johnson’s “Greening Initiative.”
The Bushmills Project, as it is currently called, would be a new park in Lake Highlands at 10600 Black Walnut Dr.
Council Member Kathy Stewart (District 10), Park & Recreation Board member Scott Goldstein, Dallas “Greening Czar” Garrett Boone, and members of the Trust for Public Land discussed the proposed park on Tuesday.
“Neighborhood greenspaces help improve public health, keep temperatures down in summertime heat waves, and build equity,” said Robert Kent, Texas state director of the Trust for Public Land.
A budget of $400,000 of taxpayer money would be allocated for the project if approved, with a planned grand opening scheduled for 2025.
“In listening to communities across Dallas, we have heard time and again that people understand these benefits and want green spaces close to home where they can walk, experience nature, and connect with their neighbors, families, and friends,” Kent continued, per the Lake Highlands Advocate.
Community residents said they did not want “a big flashy Klyde Warren in their backyard” but wanted a quaint park with benches and trails.
“We heard this loud and clear at last night’s community meeting, where neighbors expressed excitement for the potential to clean and green the pond and add walking trails and benches to make it more accessible,” Kent said.
“Over the coming months, we look forward to continuing to listen to and collaborate with the community and ultimately bring to life their vision for a neighborhood greenspace that they will be proud of,” he added.
Boone said the Bushmills Project is the first project being developed through Mayor Johnson’s Dallas Greening Initiative, which aims to ensure there is a public park within a 10-minute walk of all city residents.
Greening Initiative program manager Sofia Hernandez said that at least two more meetings will be held to gather input from the community, as reported by Community Impact. The next meeting will be held in Spring 2024.
The meeting will be held at the project site of a pop-up park that will be built by the Better Block Foundation. The final design for the project will be unveiled at the third community meeting in the summer. Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of 2024.
The Dallas Express reached out to Council Member Stewart for further comment but received no response by press time.
