Featuring the most exciting parks being planned and developed in the midst of the DFW metroplex!
Trinity River Floodplain
The Trinity River Project is intended to turn 10,000 acres of the Trinity River Floodplain and Great Trinity Forest into a vast conservancy, with public parks and designated green space. That’s the dream, at least. The reality is much harder and much more expensive to achieve. In fact, the project will take $150 million, and the planning stages have been littered with obstacles and roadblocks that have caused some concern over the project’s fate. In August, The Trinity Park Conservancy will present fresh design plans that should shed more light on this project’s future.
Envision Oak Point
While the Envision Oak Point project has been the subject of controversy because of the inclusion of apartments, the plan also means big changes for a 720-acre section of northeast Plano. The plan intends to allow for urban growth, and also includes plans for parks and green space with biking and hiking trails. One aspect intends to preserve Lavon Farms as a working dairy farm on a rural preserve, and others are in place to improve pedestrian access into Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve.
Legacy Deck Park
In October 2018, the City of Plano’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan got notice for its proposed vision of a deck park arching over Dallas North Tollway, serving as a link between Legacy Town Center and Legacy West, similar to Dallas’ much-loved Klyde Warren Park. A pedestrian bridge is already under construction. The idea sounds appealing to many Planoites, and expensive as well. The Parks and Recreation department has discussed a similar bridge over U.S. 75 to connect downtown Plano with the soon-to-be-redeveloped Collin Creek Mall.
Grand Park
Construction on a 350-acre park in Frisco is slated to begin as early as 2020. Plans for Grand Park include a 50-acre lake feature, as well as walking and biking trails. There are also plans to add land from around the former Exide Technologies Plant, which would increase the span to up to 600 acres. It could be a wonderful opportunity to create much-needed green space in one of the fastest growing cities in Texas.
Read more: On the Banks of the Trinity River: What's really brewing between Dallas and its river
Legacy Drive Park
Plano Parks and Recreation first purchased 7.11 acres of land for a park in 2017, amid rezoning for Legacy West and other mixed-use projects. Legacy Drive Park will be located on Communications Parkway, adjacent to the JC Penney Headquarters, the Legacy West townhouses and the south-west end of Legacy West. The park area will fall within the proposed boundaries of the Legacy West Villas.
Frisco Station
While a few hotels and corporate offices have already been announced for Frisco Station, the new mixed-use development will also contain over 32 acres of programmed trails and open trail space. Throughout the natural area, public art installations will be available for viewing throughout the green areas, making it a future cultural destination as well as an important green space.
Originally published as part of the June 2019 Great Outdoors Guide