To accomplish this, the city adopted the healthy infrastructure plan in 2023 which will guide the addition of over 250 acres of parkland and 51 miles of trails in addition to planting trees and renovating existing spaces, Lewisville Parks and Recreation Director Stacie Anaya said. In May 2024, voters approved a $263 million bond, with $98.8 million for parks and trails.
Bond funds from the 2024 bond will be allocated toward renovations at Lewisville’s core green spaces, which includes Lake Park, East Hill Park and Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area nature preserve, a 2,600-acre wilderness park.
“All things should lead to the green centerpiece and we should extend that green centerpiece to everybody’s front door,” Anaya said.
What’s happening?
The city renewed an agreement with Lewisville ISD in December for public access to 10 school parks. The agreement includes an 11th park, which will be built at Hendrick Middle School. The agreement increased the number of residents 10 minutes away from a park from 83% to 85% without the need for new construction. Agreements like this can help the city bridge the last 15%, which will be challenging since Lewisville is around 90% built out, Anaya said.
In the summer, the city opened Glory Park after five years of work and closed off Kia Drive in October to stop through traffic, ensuring safety for parkgoers. The $3 million project contains two playground structures, a fitness station and free Wi-Fi, giving internet access to nearby residents, Anaya said.
The city planted 80 new trees at Glory Park and will plant more at future park projects where possible, she said. In September, City Council approved a 1-mile extension of Timber Creek trail for $112,000 after previously approving at least $431,000 for design and project management services in 2021. Once complete, the trail will connect with another that runs from Central Park to Corporate Drive.
Over $42 million from the 2024 bond is allocated for Lake Park and Vista Ridge Park and Amphitheater redevelopment. Plans include renovating trails, repairing eroded shorelines and stormwater improvements to mitigate flooding, Anaya said.
“Staff plan to add fire support, beach safety improvements and neighborhood park updates to Lake Park, and an inclusive playground and ball field at Vista Ridge so kids who might use a wheelchair can play alongside their families,” she said.
The city has secured design contracts for a trail off of Levee Improvement District between Rockbrook Drive and MacArthur Boulevard, Anaya said. The $3 million trail will use 2024 bond funds and connect apartments in the area with Rockbrook Elementary to offer a safe walking route for nearby residents.
The city is targeting work in a park desert triangle made up by Business 121, Sam Rayburn Tollway, and I-35 and similar areas with disparate park access, LLELA Park Ranger Adalynn France said.
Tree planting will be a major initiative when targeting these lower socioeconomic areas and vulnerable populations, which have disparate access to parks, trails and tree coverage, Anaya said. “It’s one thing to have a 10-minute walk to a park, but if it’s too hot to make that walk July through September then what’s the use of it?” she said.
Why it matters
According to Tree Equity Score, an organization that tracks nationwide canopy coverage, cities with 33% canopy coverage are about 2.6 degrees cooler than the urban area average and cities like Lewisville with around 17% canopy coverage are 2.3 degrees warmer than the average.
“Lewisville is a great example of an urban heat island,” said Eric Wettengel, urban forestry manager with Texas Tree Foundation.
The influx of concrete and glass buildings absorb and emit heat day and night, creating temperature disparities between urban and rural areas, Wettengel said.
“A lack of green spaces and canopy coverage can increase risk of heat-related heart stress, blood pressure issues and anxiety,” he said.
Additionally, tree coverage can reduce temperatures by up to 15 degrees compared to tree barren areas while also helping to absorbing pollutants, Wettengel said. A single tree planted on the south or west side of a house can also help a homeowner save 20% on energy costs, per Oncor data.
Zooming in
For its centennial birthday this year, staff plan to plant 2,025 trees of varying sizes, Anaya said.
This will include a program called Centennial Grove where 45-gallon trees will be planted in Memorial Park, Lenard L. Woods Park, Railroad Park, Fan Park and Garden Ridge Boulevard medians. Residents can purchase a tree and be memorialized in the celebration, she said.
“One of our biggest parts of the urban tree canopy is residential property, so we also want to make sure they’re taking care of their trees and planting new trees where needed,” Anaya said.
The city also removes diseased, damaged or dead trees that may pose a risk to surrounding environments, Parks Administrative Analyst
Jose Marines said. In some years, the impact of drought and storms can increase tree removal. To combat this, the city partnered with Keep Lewisville Beautiful to coordinate planting over the last two years, Marines said.
Looking ahead
The bond allocates $4.5 million for land acquisition, which staff are in the process of evaluating potential property. Anaya said she expects the city to close purchases this year.
Design for the Timber Creek trail project is complete and construction is set for spring, Anaya said, adding that she expects the city to complete all 2024 bond work in about nine years. In around five to seven years, city staff will need to identify any gaps and look at future bond initiatives to help reach their 2035 goal.
“The goal is for residents to know exactly where they can access parks—either walking from home or a short drive—and that they feel comfortable doing so and they have fun and feel connected to that open space,” Anaya said.
