The Country's Largest Urban Park—Coming Soon to Dallas

A Dallas News op-ed argues for a repackaging of the Dallas' ongoing open space and park investments to properly acknowledge the scale of the city's accomplishments.

1 minute read

December 9, 2016, 8:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Trinity River Dallas Floodplain

Patrick Feller / Flickr

"Dallas is about to become known as one of America's greenest cities, with America's largest urban nature park, and almost no one knows about it," writes Stephen S. Smith.

Smith describes the city's various nature-oriented projects as pieces of a puzzle—under appreciated because of the many separate agencies and entities working on the projects. All of the projects, however, are focused on the Trinity River Corridor, explains Smith, spreading "from where the main stem of the Trinity River starts, just upstream from the Mockingbird-Westmoreland bridge, and goes all the way down to where the river crosses Interstate 20 at Dallas' southern city limit."

Smith says all the disconnected projects will soon come together to create the Nature District, which will eventually total 10,000 acres, or ten times the size of New York's Central Park. Once the work is done, writes Smith, Dallas will benefit from amenities for lovers of birds, horses, golf, lakes, and more.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016 in Dallas News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Yellow electric school bus with preteen students exiting.

California Invests Additional $5M in Electric School Buses

The state wants to electrify all of its school bus fleets by 2035.

April 25 - Associated Press

City Hall building in Austin, Texas.

Austin Launches $2M Homelessness Prevention Fund

A new grant program from the city’s Homeless Strategy Office will fund rental assistance and supportive services.

April 25 - Spectrum Local News

Brick school building with mid-sized tree on front lawn.

Alabama School Forestry Initiative Brings Trees to Schoolyards

Trees can improve physical and mental health for students and commnity members.

April 25 - Governing