LEWISVILLE, Texas — The City of Lewisville has been awarded a $750,000 non-urban outdoor grant for its “Neighborhood Park in the Triangle” project from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.
This project comes from the "10-Minute Walk to a Park initiative" and the recognition that this neighborhood—bounded by I-35E, Corporate Drive, and SH 121—is considered a park desert that lacks public open spaces and trails, Lewisville Director of Parks and Recreation Stacie Anaya said.
The concept design for the park includes flexible open space, an area for a farmer’s market and a community garden and play and fitness equipment. It will also include native grasses and trees to reflect the three ecosystems that converge in Lewisville as well as interpretive signage and outdoor learning areas.
“This park will be the culmination of five years of community engagement and planning for a quality park in this neighborhood,” Anaya said. “The concept for the park came from residents' ideas and vision for a public open space for their families and friends to gather and socialize.”
In March 2019, Lewisville hosted an "Urban Land Institute National Study Visit" to research the neighborhood and make recommendations for improving access and community connections with residents. One recommendation was to create a park and improve trail connections within the neighborhood.
Community input confirmed the need for a public park during the initial "Movement on the Parkway" event in October 2019. The city identified an undeveloped property in the neighborhood to purchase and turn into a park.
The 2.345-acre property is located at the corner of Southwest Parkway and Kia Drive and was purchased with Community Development Block Grant funds in 2020.
In 2021, the City hired Kimley Horn to help transform community input into a design for the park. Working with the Play Lewisville on Wheels team, Horn provided additional community input from residents during visioning sessions and the Movement on the Parkway in the summer of 2021.
During these visioning sessions, residents chose Glory Park or La Gloria Park as a name, and it will be considered by city council later this year.
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Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission grants are allocated to local government entities on a 50/50 reimbursement match basis, and once funded, the sites must remain parkland in perpetuity, properly maintained and open to the public.
The total costs for the Neighborhood Park in the Triangle project are estimated at $1.3 million. Matching funds for the grant will come from Community Development Block Grant funds, 4B Project funds and Parkland Development funds.
“We are grateful that TPWD recognizes the value of close to home parks and how they can be the beginning thread of a lifetime connection to nature and play,” Anaya said.
The design phase of the Neighborhood Park in the Triangle project will continue through fall 2022.
No date has been set for the start of construction as the city and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department work on a final agreement.
The Neighborhood Park in the Triangle project supports the Lewisville 2025 vision plan. The full plan can be viewed online at cityoflewisville.com/lewisville2025.
