Photography by Danny Fulgencio
On January 22, City Council will vote on acquiring 9,000 square feet of open space at 902 S Waverly Dr., right next to the Sunset Hill and East Hampton Hills neighborhoods.
District 1 Council Member Chad West worked with city staff to identify an opportunity to acquire land to create a new pocket park in this area which is currently considered a park desert. The Sunset Hill Neighborhood Association, Hampton Hills Neighborhood Association, and East Hampton Hills Neighborhood Association have also submitted statements in support of the effort.
If the Council approves the purchase, West plans to use additional funding for design or design-and-construction work at the site, depending on how nearby residents prefer to proceed.
“Every resident in North Oak Cliff deserves easy access to open space, no matter their zip code,” West said. “While we continue to invest in our large parks including Lake Cliff, Martin Weiss, and Kidd Springs, adding smaller neighborhood parks like 902 S Waverly Pocket Park and the Kevin Sloan Park later this year, helps ensure more residents can take a quick stroll to a safe and welcoming outdoor space. I look forward to hearing from the community and working together to determine how best to activate this new public green space.”
In their support letter, the Sunset Hill Neighborhood Association Executive Committee wrote “[t]he lot is in an area that lacks public green space. We don’t need to tell you all of the proven benefits of living near a park. We envision this as a spot that will help foster community, as both a place for planned neighborhood gatherings and a place where people meet their neighbors and build connections organically.”
“Access to parks, trails, and green spaces within a 10-minute walk of home provides incredible health and social benefits that communities across the city need.” said Trust for Public Land Texas State Director Molly Morgan. “This is a priority area for parks and we are excited that this project will positively impact more than 4,500 people, including 760 residents of North Oak Cliff who don’t currently have access to a close-to-home park, and will raise Dallas’ future ParkScore.”
