Ground has broken on a new greenspace in northeast Dallas: Bushmills Neighborhood Green, a 5.4-acre site at 10600 Black Walnut Dr. which sits along the Jackson Branch of White Rock Creek, began construction in mid-August and is expected to be completed in early 2026.

Once completed, Bushmills Neighborhood Green will provide a neighborhood greenspace within a 10-minute walk for 2,100 residents in the area.

Bushmills is the first of a five-site pilot program to expand access to greenspace across Dallas — part of the Dallas Greening Initiative (DGI), executed by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), in partnership with the City of Dallas, with 15 greenspaces planned over the next five years.

Bushmills Neighborhood Green was the first DGI site selected for community engagement, beginning in November 2023.

Neighborhood leaders and residents participated in three public meetings—including a pop-up park in partnership with Better Block—where they expressed a clear desire for passive, nature-based recreation where they could reconnect with nature. This feedback informed and shaped the greenspace's design, features, and amenities.

"We know that access to nearby nature improves health, reduces stress, and cools neighborhoods by several degrees,” says TPL Texas State Director Molly Morgan in a statement. “The groundbreaking at Bushmills Neighborhood Green is about honoring the voices of neighbors who asked for a place to enjoy the benefits of nature close to their home.“

The park will feature winding trails, benches, picnic areas, lighting, and a wildlife viewing station overlooking the restored creek.

Its centerpiece is a central pond, once hidden by overgrowth, that is now restored to provide scenic beauty, habitat for wildlife, and natural stormwater management thanks to Greenspace Dallas. Native plantings and a pollinator garden will further support environmental resilience and neighborhood cooling, while City-facilitated maintenance and volunteer “Friends of” groups ensure long-term stewardship.

The partnership also includes Greenspace Dallas, which is leading site cleanup and environmental preparations and has already restored visibility of the central pond, making it a scenic focal point once again for the neighborhood.

Dallas Greening Initiative
The Dallas Greening Initiative was launched in 2022 at the request of Mayor Eric Johnson, who called for an inventory of vacant city-owned land that could be transformed into parks. Mayor Johnson tapped Trust for Public Land to lead, develop, and deliver the program, with catalytic leadership and vision from Greening Czar Garrett Boone.

“The Dallas Greening Initiative is about elevating neighborhoods by turning overlooked spaces into community treasures,” Boone says in a statement. “Bushmills is the first step in that vision - a place where natural beauty is uncovered, neighbors are elevated, and everyone is welcome. Together, we’re creating a space that reflects the resilience, equity, and vitality we envision for the future of Dallas.”

Each DGI site budget is capped at $750,000, showing the affordability of the program to deliver benefits for residents. Ten percent of each site’s budget is allocated for ongoing maintenance, which will be carried out by Dallas Park & Recreation in partnership with local volunteers, with whom TPL works to form with Dallas Park and Recreation.

In Texas, TPL has preserved nearly 45,000 acres of land for public access to create several natural places treasured by Texans, including Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin, the popular Palo Duro Canyon in Canyon, Eagle Mountain Park in Fort Worth, and Buffalo Bayou in Houston.