Residents of Far North Dallas are getting a new pocket park.
It is the sixth site announced as part of the Dallas Greening Initiative, which aims to build 15 new parks across the city over the next four years.
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Each of the city’s 14 council districts will get a new green space, and a 15th will be designated a citywide spot. The selection criteria, first proposed by Mayor Eric Johnson in late 2022, identified neighborhoods where residents don’t have a park within a 10-minute walk.
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The public-private partnership is being led by the national nonprofit Trust for Public Land, which has collaborated with Dallas for over a decade to bring more parks to its residents.
Molly Morgan, the Texas state director of Trust for Public Land, said the program is designed to ensure residents in park-desert neighborhoods define the final spaces, and community members can truly decide what they want for their community.
“What’s most meaningful is that this project is allowing us to deliver something for people who don’t have a park within a relatively short and affordable timeline,” Morgan said. “There are people across the city who don’t have access, and it’s important to think holistically about how we’re helping achieve that.”
The sixth park is slated to revitalize a currently vacant lot adjacent to Dallas Fire Station 10, at 18201 Gibbons Dr. in District 12.
Five other green spaces have been announced.
Three of the first five locations are north of Interstate 30, while two are south of it. One is across the street from the Pleasant Grove Branch Library and alongside “The Walls” outdoor mural gallery. Another is located near the corner of the property at Forest and Marsh lanes, which will eventually be part of a new library site.
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Two more locations will be announced in early spring.
These green spaces are not intended to attract people from outside the neighborhood, but as small natural amenities for those living nearby.
The Dallas Greening Initiative has an estimated budget of $10.25 million. Trust for Public Land’s approach is that parks are designed for minimal maintenance costs. The nonprofit will allocate 10% of its capital budget to support the area’s long-term maintenance and collaborate with neighborhood volunteer groups to keep the parks clean.
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The Trust for Public Land prioritized vacant lots throughout the city without park access. Then, it determined which areas would benefit most from these green spaces using health disparities, urban heat island spots and equity indicators.
‘Parks aren’t just nice-to-have amenities’
This latest site, and the entire initiative, is as much about infrastructure as it is about social equity: ensuring that residents in historically underserved or peripheral neighborhoods have the same park access as residents in other parts of the city enjoy.
“This project is exactly the kind of practical, community-focused investment North Dallas needs,” council member Cara Mendelsohn said in a press release. “Parks aren’t just nice-to-have amenities; they are essential infrastructure that supports public safety, strengthens neighborhoods and improves quality of life.”
Each green space is different.
Studio Outside created the designs after residents provided feedback about what they wanted to see in their neighborhood.
The city’s green space strategy relies not only on adding parks but on expanding access efficiently.
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The Trust for Public Land said the partnership with Dallas Fire and Rescue is the first of its kind in this program, offering an opportunity for shared stewardship and safety.
“This new greenspace provides an opportunity to connect with our neighbors in the community we serve,” said Justin Ball, chief of Dallas Fire and Rescue. “Along with community engagement, the park will serve as an extension of the living quarters at our fire stations and provide much-needed access to nature, which is scientifically proven to reduce stress.”
The park has not yet been formally named, but officials expect the working title “Givens Green” to remain in place until community engagement begins.
“Transforming a vacant lot into a neighborhood green next to Dallas Fire Station 10 is a smart, efficient use of city-owned land that will serve families, first responders, and the broader community for years to come,” Mendelsohn said. “This is a thoughtful approach to bringing meaningful improvements to the residents of District 12.”
Like the first five parks, the new site will undergo a months-long design process shaped by direct community input.
That process will begin with a pop-up park activation meant to introduce residents to the project, followed by traditional design meetings in partnership with Better Block, a nonprofit that educates, equips and empowers communities to reshape and reactivate built environments in neighborhoods.
To ensure the space’s features align with the neighborhood’s vision, several options will be presented to the community. There will be options for both active and passive recreation, including a playground, a flex lawn, gathering spaces and a trail.
Officials expect concept renderings to be completed six to seven months after engagement begins, with full construction targeted for 2027.
“This project reflects exactly what we aspire to as a city, transforming overlooked spaces into places of connection, belonging and opportunity,” said Lane Conner, vice chair for Dallas Park and Recreation Board District 12 representative.