This project stems from the 10-Minute Walk to a Park initiative and the recognition that the neighborhood, bounded by I-35E, Corporate Drive and SH 121, is considered a park desert, which means its lacking public open spaces and trails, according to a city news release.
“This park will be the culmination of five years of community engagement and planning for a quality park in this neighborhood,” said Stacie Anaya, Lewisville director of parks and recreation, in the news release. “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.”
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission grants are allocated to local government entities on a 50-50 reimbursement match basis, according to the release. Once funded, the sites must remain parkland, properly maintained and open to the public. The total cost for the Neighborhood Park in the Triangle project is 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.
4B funds are funds generated from the city's portion of sales tax collected in the city, city public information coordinator Matt Martucci said. 4B funds are restricted by state law to parks and recreation uses.
“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 in the release.
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, according to the news release. One recommendation was to create a park and improve trail connections within the neighborhood.
The community confirmed the need for a public park during the initial Movement on the Parkway event in October 2019. Lewisville officials identified an undeveloped property for a potential park, according to the release. The 2.35-acre property is located at the corner of Southwest Parkway and Kia Drive and was purchased with Community Development Block Grant funds in 2020.
City officials gathered more community feedback in summer 2021.
The concept design for the park includes flexible open space, an area for a farmers market and a community garden, play and fitness equipment, native grasses and trees to reflect the three ecosystems that converge in Lewisville, and interpretive signage and outdoor learning areas, according to the release.
During resident surveys, residents chose Glory Park or La Gloria Park as a name, and it will be considered by City Council later this year, according to the release.
The design phase of the Neighborhood Park in the Triangle project will continue through the fall. No date has been set for the start of construction as the city and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department work on a final agreement, according to the release.
The Neighborhood Park in the Triangle project supports the “Green Centerpiece,” “Extending the Green,” and “Sustainability” Big Moves in the Lewisville 2025 vision plan. The full plan can be viewed online at www.cityoflewisville.com/lewisville2025.
