School Playgrounds to Parks

The Dallas Morning News editorial board expresses support for a new program in Dallas that is opening school playgrounds to use after school hours and during the summer to provide more open space and play options for families.

The Dallas Independent School District (ISD) and the city of Dallas are teaming up on an effort the editorial board calls good government after a year of quiet work to open and improve five schools in park poor areas in Dallas. The results are also due to the hard work of the Texas Trees Foundation and the Trust for Public Land, according to the editorial.

"An average of 80 trees were added to each campus, from oaks to ornamentals. Updated park equipment was installed, and things like loop trails and embankment slides were constructed," explain the editorial.

The editorial board also congratulates the effort for keeping prices down. "All of the work done to get these five campuses into better shape cost about $1 million, a bargain for such public improvements.  And $750,000 of that money came not from taxpayers but from a generous, albeit anonymous, donor."