Former Lot Park Opens in Lake Highlands
Dallas residents near Lake Highlands gain a 5.4-acre park with trails, native plantings, and a visible pond habitat.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Landscaping
Live Poll
Should your city convert unused public land into new neighborhood parks?
Dallas opened Bushmills Neighborhood Green, a 5.4-acre park in Lake Highlands at 10600 Black Walnut Dr., on November 5, 2026. The site was once an overgrown, trash-strewn plot containing a pond, and it is the first Dallas Greening Initiative site to reach completion.
Why it matters
The park is part of a city-and-Trust for Public Land effort to put a park within a 10-minute walk of every resident, which matters for Dallas households without a nearby green space. Converting unused city-owned parcels into small neighborhood parks offers a model for how neighborhoods can gain walkable recreation space.
Bushmills Neighborhood Green covers 5.4 acres and sits on the Jackson Branch of White Rock Creek, while the Dallas Greening Initiative's smallest planned plot is one third of an acre. The Trust for Public Land plans 14 additional greenspaces across Dallas, and the source does not give their costs or schedule.
The players
Trust for Public Land
A national land-conservation nonprofit that works to create parks and greenspace, and is raising funds to support future Dallas Greening Initiative spaces.
Better Block
A community-building organization that partnered with Trust for Public Land to help nearby residents choose the park's amenities.
The details
The former overgrown, trash-strewn plot was transformed with trails, benches, picnic areas, safety lighting, and a wildlife viewing station. The pond that was once hidden is now visible and provides wildlife habitat and natural stormwater management, and native plants and a pollinator garden were added. Trust for Public Land partnered with Better Block to help nearby residents decide which amenities the park would include.
Timeline
Construction on Bushmills Neighborhood Green began in 2025.
Bushmills Neighborhood Green opened to the public on November 5, 2026.
The Home Front
Bushmills is the first completed site under the Dallas Greening Initiative, which targets a 10-minute walk to a park for every resident. The project follows a model of converting unused city-owned parcels into small neighborhood parks.
If you live near Lake Highlands or other areas targeted by the Dallas Greening Initiative, check whether a small park is planned near your home. Native plantings and pollinator gardens like the ones at Bushmills are a practical option to consider for your own yard.
The takeaway
A former overgrown lot can be turned into a walkable park with native plants that support pollinators and manage stormwater. If you are planning your own landscaping, consider a licensed landscape professional for any grading or drainage work.
What happens next
Trust for Public Land plans 14 additional greenspaces across Dallas under the Dallas Greening Initiative, with fundraising to support their construction and management.
Further reading
For more on how yards and public green spaces are planted and maintained, explore our Landscaping coverage.
Live Poll
Should your city convert unused public land into new neighborhood parks?
