Dallas’ Crawford Memorial Park will soon see substantial upgrades after the Dallas Park and Recreation Board accepted a $1.5 million Urban Recreation Grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. This funding will support the first phase of a comprehensive improvement plan to enhance the park’s offerings and accessibility for the community.
Crawford Memorial Park, designated as a “Signature Park” by the City of Dallas, boasts unique environmental features, including 27.1 acres of Black Land Prairie, 49.6 acres of Post Oak Savannah, the 1.4-mile-long Prairie Creek, and an Austin chalk escarpment with natural outcroppings. “This grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife will help provide these additional amenities that will not only serve the local community, but the city as a whole,” said Dallas City Council Member Jaime Resendez of District 5.
The total budget for the improvement project is $7.6 million, with funding from both the TPWD grant and the city’s 2017 bond program. Planned improvements include an all-abilities, inclusive playground, accessible picnic sites with shade structures, a fitness complex, restrooms, outdoor furnishings, enhanced signage, and parking lot resurfacing on Prairie Creek Drive. A new 12-foot-wide, 0.95-mile hard-surface trail will connect these amenities to existing pathways, which feature two pedestrian bridges, including one spanning Elam Road.
Earlier this year, public artwork was installed in the park, adding to its aesthetic appeal. Dallas Park and Recreation Director John D. Jenkins underscored the importance of the upgrades: “We are thrilled to receive this grant. It will not be used to just fund a project. It’s an investment in this park and our entire park system. Parks bring people from all walks of life and from all areas throughout the city to get fit, stay healthy, socialize, and relax. Thanks to our city leaders, Dallas’ park system will continue to give families throughout our communities access to more parks, trails, inclusive amenities, and recreational programs.”
With these enhancements, the city aims to create a more welcoming and accessible space that serves as a community hub for residents and visitors alike.
