Wet ’n Wild House

Wild 2-story waterslide makes this the most fun backyard in Dallas

If pleasing your children is a top priority in your home search, then check out 6522 Park Ln. in Preston Hollow. It boasts an epic, two-story waterslide in the backyard — which is bound to earn you more than a few brownie points with the kids.

Built in 1955, the home has nearly 3,500 square feet, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms and two living rooms — ample space for a growing family. A circle drive in the front offers plenty of parking space for friends who will inevitably come over to swim.

The interior reflects the same carefree spirit as the backyard, with bold colors throughout. This is not the most updated home on the block, but it feels comfortable — a house turned into a home by a loving family.

Speaking of loving your family, the owner certainly adored his boys; he had the waterslide installed in the 1980s, when his sons were teens. So how did he find it? He called the experts, at the Arlington water park Wet ’n Wild (now Hurricane Harbor), and they directed him to an affiliated park in Georgia.

If you’re worried about the age of the slide, don’t be. It’s as solid as a rock, according to the owner, welded tightly to the second story balcony and accessible by spiral stairs.

Although many kids have had oodles of fun on that waterslide over the years, the owner speculates that the adults may have enjoyed it more.

“The slide has turned a lot of adults into kids over the years,” he said. “Many, many kids have enjoyed it, but the adults have probably had more fun.”

So how much will all this fun cost you? The home is listed for $815,000, with Dave Perry-Miller & Associates.

What kid wouldn't want a backyard like this?

Photo courtesy of Dave Perry-Miller & Associates

What kid wouldn't want a backyard like this?

unspecified

GP News

Grand Prairie expands to the south with new master-planned community

Rendering courtesy of Provident

Goodland Grand Prairie

The City of Grand Prairie is growing fast and expanding to make way for a new master-planned development south of US Highway 287 and along Tollway 360, in Ellis and Johnson counties.

The community development, called Goodland, is the result of Grand Prairie’s recent 1,500-acre annexation extending its southern border toward Mansfield. Overall, with the added land, Goodland will be a 5,000-acre site featuring 15,000 residences including townhomes, custom homes, and gated communities for 50,000 residents.

According to a release, it will be a “city within a city” and a 45-minute drive from Dallas-Fort Worth. Beyond housing, there will be shops, restaurants, schools, public and private event venues, regional sports fields and complexes, dance halls, churches, trail systems, city parks, ponds, and preserved green spaces.

“This is a significant step in our city’s development,” says Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen in a statement. “Unlike many of our neighboring cities, we have the unique advantage of new development opportunities to our south that will drive the growth and prosperity of our city. We recognized the opportunity and took decisive action.”

Leading the development is Provident, a Dallas-based real estate firm that has created other master-planned communities across Dallas-Fort Worth, such as Preston Hollow Village and Hillstead in Collin County. Provident has plans to work nature into the space design with more than 1,600 acres of creek corridors and floodplain land.

Plans are ongoing for a centralized mixed-use walkable Town Center, complete with civic buildings and other commercial development. Further south on the property near Highway 67, light industrial uses and other private employment campuses are already underway, projects that will contribute vital tax dollars for city growth and future expansions.

“This level of placemaking is quite rare, and certainly not easy to execute, especially in a brand-new community," says Provident Managing Director Rylan Yowell in a statement. "We are committed to a long-term vision with a desire to be good stewards of the land."

A new four-lane road called Goodland Parkway will link Goodland to Grand Prairie at Tollway 360 and US Highway 287. It's set to open by December 2025.

openings