P3 to transform Dallas’ Trinity River with 250-acre park

The Trinity Park Conservancy (TPC), a non-profit dedicated to connecting the Trinity River with Dallas communities, will build a $325 million park through a public-private partnership (P3) with the city of Dallas. TPC recently released designs for the 250-acre public park, called Harold Simmons Park. TPC will build the park to the west of downtown Dallas. Construction will begin later this year.

The Trinity River will weave through the heart of Harold Simmons Park, dividing its 200-acre nature preserve. Greenspace plays a key role in the project’s design, including a natural green floodplain kept in check by large levees on the park’s east and west banks. TPC will plant 1,500 trees to mitigate heat island effects and provide natural shade, as well as expand the West Overlook landscape with over 3,000 shrubs.

The West Overlook will be the signature park entrance, featuring a 40,000-square-foot event lawn capable of hosting 3,000 visitors. An event building will accommodate public and private events with a welcome center, educational classrooms and an upper-level rooftop. The park will also provide a 1,000-foot shed shade structure and a land bridge connecting visitors with the overlook lawn, levee and river. The overlook area will connect to the Commerce Street Bridge.

A play cove featuring a cable ferry, six 2-story interactive towers, bridges, slides and other climbing features is also planned. The cove will include an upper level providing views of the play and wetland areas of the park. In addition, the TPC will include shaded seating, bathrooms and concessions below the play cove.

TPC will build a water factory across from the play cove to provide an interactive play area using pipes and towers to cool visitors off. The water play area will provide shaded seating with full views of the space. An underground cistern will collect all water and use it for park irrigation.

The park will provide a 1-acre skate and bike park with a shaded pavilion. Plans include a picnic grove near the east end of the shaded shed structure complete with community-style tables and charcoal grills. On the west end of the shed structure, a cafe will provide a space for visitors to rest and relax with a bite to eat.

The West Overlook features two gardens. The terrace garden will provide a walkable space filled with a variety of plant species and flowers. The filter gardens will naturally filter and clean water to support a bio-diverse collection of plants.

The East Overlook and the 106 W. Commerce building, located across the bridge from the West Overlook, will welcome downtown visitors to the park. TPC bought the Commerce building – a former jail featuring 10 stories and 238,000 square feet of space – in 2019 with plans to renovate it to support park operations.

TPC will build the Felix Lozada Gateway to the north of the West Overlook. The area will feature four state-of-the-art sports courts for basketball, street soccer, pickleball and more. The gateway will also include a 68,000-square-foot skating rink and a rooftop café. It will connect to Ronald Kirk Bridge.

TPC plans to upgrade Ronald Kirk Bridge into a half-mile linear park. The Continental Gateway on the bridge’s east end will feature landscaping, canopy trees and dedicated activity space. Plans also call for biking, running, walking and nature trails throughout the park.

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