Photo by Victoria Hernandez.
The new Halperin Park located just outside the Dallas Zoo capping Highway 35 is continuing on schedule for construction and design efforts.
Incorporating green public space and reconnecting communities to forge equity, the park takes inspiration from Oak Cliff in both phases of the project.
Anne Hagan, vice president of strategic initiatives for Halperin Park, said as an Oak Cliff resident she saw the community wanting an amenity like the Klyde Warren Park in downtown.
“I want this to have a significant impact on the community,” she said. “It’s not just a park.”
Design changes have been made because the initial city plan looked more like another Klyde Warren, and she said that the park board was against that decision.
“We really want a park that looks like Oak Cliff and is reflective of Oak Cliff,” Hagan said.
The design includes a multilevel feel to be reflective of the height of the hills and trees in local geography. The playground itself has a treehouse in the woods effect with a variety of water features throughout, she said.
The plan focuses on six main components to be “a park with a purpose” for our neighborhood providing a design that includes history and culture, health and wellness, education opportunities, economic development, diverse housing options, and safe and stable neighborhoods.
On the main pedestrian pathway, plans for an Oak Cliff Walk of Fame are in the works to include an inaugural class of 10 inductees. Other goals include park programming in collaboration with the Dallas Zoo and having free WiFi for students after school to come and do their homework.
Economic development for the park is also focusing on those in the community.
“We were very intentional about how we put all of our documents forth to get bids in and made clear that minority participation and community participation was very important to us,” Hagan said.
The park is coming together with a collaboration between a traditional construction firm, McCarthy, while also working with Oak Cliff’s Eugene Walker of E.J. Construction in order to give the smaller firm more experience, she said.
Built in two phases, the Phase 1 process is nearing completion and includes features such as a multipurpose pavilion, large lawn, children’s playground and turnaround for food trucks and drop offs with an expected opening day in spring 2026.
Phase 2 has not been constructed yet and likely won’t be ready to open until about 2032, Hagan said.
