Expanding green space From the cover
BY DUSTIN BUTLER
A closer look
Zooming out
What’s next
The details
Project priority After completion of the needs assessments, project priority is determined through several avenues, such as resident input and surveys.
While funding for smaller projects like playground replacements has been identi ed, new projects will likely be paid for by bonds. If the city stays on its bond schedule, council will consider a bond in 2026, Magner said. Falgout said there are several elements, such as resident input and operation costs, that will be factored into where the funds from the potential bond would go. Other funding sources are available to the city, such as corporate sponsorship, partnerships, naming rates and more, according to the parks and recreation master plan. Although future parks and recreation projects have yet to be identi ed, Falgout said sta is continuously working on ways to improve residents’ experiences.
During the Feb. 10 City Council meeting, Jerry Harkins, owner of Tavern on Main Street, said downtown businesses need foot tra c to survive. Falgout said Interurban Commons will attract new customers and provide walkability between businesses. Interurban Common is crucial to down- town Richardson, Magner said, as it allowed the city to relieve the Belt + Main apartment complex of open space requirements. “When you have a limited area like we have in the downtown sub district, you want to develop as much of that as you can,” Magner said. “And so by sharing the open space … we can really maximize the value of the development that occurs.” The new park will also tie into the city’s Central Trail, a 4.2 mile trail that connects the city’s Dallas Area Rapid Transit stations and can be a place for residents to exercise, walk their dogs or gather, Magner said.
Amenities provide the rst impression for a city’s new residents, Richardson Parks and Recreation Director Yvonne Falgout said. City sta are looking to improve that rst impression. Several new parks have opened within the last year, including Apollo Park, which completed Phase 1 in August and Twin Rivers Park, which opened in December but is not fully completed. Additionally, a new park in downtown, Interurban Commons, will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony in late April, City Manager Don Magner said. Combined, the three new parks cost the city more than $15 million. There are no current funding opportunities for new projects, including Phase 2 of Apollo Park. When new funding does become available, park projects will be in competition with other aspects of recreation, such as aquatics, for which council recently approved a master plan.
Parks and Recreation Commission: 15% Parks and Recreation sta : 10%
RENNER RD.
PGBT TOLL
75
Consultant: 5%
CAMPBELL RD.
Resident input/ survey results: 70%
Park service area Pocket parks aim to serve residents within a quarter-mile radius, neighborhood parks within a half- mile radius and community parks within a two mile radius.
ARAPAHO RD.
BELT LINE RD.
Richardson population: 121,520
Parks and Recreation operating expense (FY 2024): $13,482,152
Operating expense per resident: $110.95
Pocket parks Neighborhood parks Community parks Parks
SOURCE: CITY OF RICHARDSON COMMUNITY IMPACT
N
SOURCE: CITY OF RICHARDSON COMMUNITY IMPACT
DALLAS 9500 N Central Expy (214) 369-2800 ADDISON 15055 Inwood Rd (972) 239-5891
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