A Greener Dallas

[Ryan Ponce]

Dallas has been developed not only up as in taller buildings but they have also been converted into more of a green city. Their recent push for parks since 2002 and the past year with Klyde Warren seem impressive and mainstream. Though parks and development of parks in Dallas have been around since the 1920s. Today there are 47 parks in Dallas currently and that number is only going to get bigger.

            There was a large push for more parks in the city of Dallas in 2002 because of a bond that was granted that allotted 100 million dollars for the development of parks. This is known as the Renaissance Plan. This is the single most park capital development in the city’s history. This plan also allowed for the reconstruction of 23 older parks in the area.  Giving life to old parks is a piece to making the community current and nicer looking.

            To ensure the parks are nice and ascetically pleasing to the eye, Dallas made sure that a renowned professional designed each park. “Each of these was assigned to an architect with a record of design excellence, who was given a straightforward program: the pavilion should be durable and easy to maintain; it should be contextual within the surrounding community and embraced by the neighborhood; it should be functional; and most importantly, it should be safe.” (DallasParks.org) Dallas was growing in population due to business and urban sprawl. In order to create an environment pleasing to live in, Dallas adopted a City Beautiful movement, or the Renaissance Plan.

            City Beautiful was a vision induced by Daniel Burnham. “Daniel Burnham typified the new kind architect and planner who felt that large scale, rational planning initiatives were imperative if American cities wanted to create better urban environments for all of their citizens.” (Richard Klein) It is easy to say that Dallas believed this vision.

            Today Dallas has new master plans to develop more parks designed by the Carter Burgess team. There has been proven success from parks in Dallas in the past. Before parks, Dallas was lacking this rich urban fabric. Citizens of Dallas need to continue to promote and approve of newer parks in Dallas.