Bushmills Neighborhood Green opens as first park in Dallas Greening Initiative

Bushmills Neighborhood Green ribbon-cutting ceremony. Photography by Syra Castillo.

A new neighborhood green space officially opened for North Lake Highlands residents following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 5. 

Bushmills Neighborhood Green, located at 11940 Bushmills Road., is a 5.4 acre park space within a 10-minute walk for more than 2,100 North Lake Highlands residents. 

Part of the Dallas Greening Initiative (DGI), which launched in 2022 under the direction of Mayor Eric L. Johnson, Bushmills Neighborhood Green is the first park completed through the DGI’s citywide effort to transform underused city-owned lands into green spaces for community use. 

“Every one of the parks in the greening initiative is going to be a perfect reflection of the community that it serves, and the Bushmills Neighborhood Green is just the very first one in this initiative,” Mayor Johnson said. “There are actually going to be 14 more parks coming through the Dallas Greening Initiative.” 

According to Johnson, once the initiative is complete, 54,000 Dallas residents will have the opportunity to walk to a park within their neighborhood. The initiative is being developed with the help of the national nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL). 

Bushmills Neighborhood Green is part of the initiative’s first cohort of five pilot sites. The city plans to transform 15 parks across Dallas over five years. 

Molly Morgan, TPL Texas State Director, said nearby residents were supportive of including Bushmills in the initiative when planning began in 2022. 

“[Residents] wanted a place to come outside and spend time with one another and experience the beauty of nature,” Morgan said. “People really didn’t want something overprogrammed that drew too many people to the neighborhood.” 

Before construction, a temporary pop-up park created by Better Block gave residents a chance to experience potential uses for the site and share ideas about its design. Residents provided feedback on features such as walking trails, seating and gathering areas, according to Morgan. 

Councilmember Kathy Stewart said this community engagement played an important role in transforming the underused property.

“We’ve created a welcoming space where residents can enjoy walking trails, connect with nature, and come together as a community,” Stewart said.

Leaning on the community feedback, the approximately $650,000 project emphasizes the site’s natural features, including a pond, creek and existing vegetation. New amenities include walking trails, benches, a picnic area, native plantings and a wooden overlook built by Greenspace Dallas. 

TPL also improved lighting and site lines for safety and comfort. A restored pond and pollinator garden support wildlife and natural stormwater management. 

The park’s long-term care has been secured through a partnership between city-facilitated maintenance and dedicated volunteer “Friends of” groups. According to TPL, 10% of each Dallas Greening Initiative site’s budget is allocated for ongoing maintenance, which will be carried out by Dallas Park and Recreation in partnership with local volunteers. 

One resident in particular, Brian Wallace shared his experience in advocating for the park’s beginning. 

“When I first moved here in 2018, this site was a mess. The grass was always overgrown [and] people would dump old couches and bicycles,” Wallace said. “When I heard about the initiative from our mayor, I knew this was my chance, so I just emailed him.” 

Wallace’s email eventually led to Mayor Johnson’s office to reach out and begin the planning process for Bushmills Neighborhood Green. 

Patrick Doyle, a 69-year-old resident who has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years, said he initially had doubts about the park. 

“I was a little skeptical at first because I thought maybe the homeless would take over,” Doyle said. “I kind of envisioned it to be a playground with swings and slides, but it didn’t, which is a good thing.” 

After attending the ribbon cutting ceremony, Doyle said the new park is better than having to commute all the way to White Rock Lake. 

What’s next for the Dallas Greening Initiative? 

As the initiative moves forward, TPL is raising $6.5 million through the Greener Dallas Greater Dallas campaign to help fund future sites. 

TPL will also oversee construction management for the remaining projects in the initiative’s first cohort, working in partnership with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department.