DALLAS — The Floral Farms community in southern Dallas is looking a lot different these days.
Neighbors are relieved since the City of Dallas ordered the demolition of the massive mound of roofing shingles popularly known as Shingle Mountain.
Earlier this year, crews hauled away thousands of tons of that environmentally hazardous debris that once towered over the homes of Marsha Jackson and her neighbors.
“We never would have thought that this would happen,” Jackson said.
Now, neighbors are celebrating the possibility of new positive developments on the property where Shingle Mountain once stood.
Erin Peavey and a team of architects and urban planners with HKS, a Dallas-based design firm, are volunteering their time with residents in Floral Farms.
HKS is helping Floral Farms visualize plans its neighbors want to see for a public park on that property off South Central Expressway.
“To walk in and the first image you see is this archway, and it says 'Together We Can Move Mountains,'” Peavey explained.
The City of Dallas now owns just over four acres of land where Shingle Mountain became a neighborhood nuisance for three years.
”You’ll see beautiful playscapes for the kids. Lots of different activities for different ages,” Peavey described as she detailed some of the proposed park design.
The design team unveiled its renderings of the possibilities to community members during an event on Thursday, Oct. 21. The design includes a variety of seating areas, space for an amphitheater, soccer fields, community gardens and so much more.
“Just to see those designs, just to see our voices are being heard and taken care of, that’s so beautiful,” Jackson said.
The design is the present step in what could be a long path toward a park becoming a reality on that site. Neighbors and supporters say they hope it won’t take moving more mountains to get the support of city leaders.
“I think Dallas has this opportunity to go from being recognized for this social and environmental injustice to being recognized for something beautiful. And I hope that they take that opportunity,” Peavey said.