perspective,” she said. “We looked at them from, ‘How do they impact people’s lives? How do they impact crime rates? How do they impact people’s physical health? People’s mental health?’ That was all part of what we considered.” Enhancing the parks system The plan recommends adding 262 acres of parkland and 51 miles of rec- reational trails across the city. The goal to have a park within a 10-minute walk for every resident stems from an initiative launched by the Trust for Public Land. A report from the nonprofit found that one- third of U.S. residents do not live within 10 minutes of a park. Approx- imately 70% of Lewisville residents live within that distance, according to city officials. The 10-minute walk metric is equivalent to approximately a half- mile for an able-bodied person. It is the average distance most people are willing to walk to reach a desti- nation, according to the Trust for Public Land. Lewisville made a commitment to become part of the initiative in 2017, Anaya said. Since then, city staff has made progress in their goal to add park space. Council approved a resolution to designate 50 parcels of land as pub- lic parks in October. A ribbon-cutting for one of those properties, Pali- sades Park, is expected to take place this summer. The small park will be located at Palisades Drive. Construction of Glory Park is antic- ipated to begin this spring. The $3 million project will bring two play- ground structures, a fitness station, multiple shade structures and trails to the property. Free Wi-Fi will also be available. The park will be located at Southwest Parkway and Kia Drive, according to city officials.
CLOSING THE GAP City officials aim to increase park access by developing additional parks and improving walkability to existing ones.
EXPLORE MORE LEWISVILLE Lewisville’s healthy infrastructure plan contains four elements.
KEY
10-minute or less walk to park
More than 10-minute walk to park
Non-residential areas
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Providing the recreational opportunities and the requisite facilities to promote increased play
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Creating a healthy environment via open space and natural areas, the urban tree canopy, and sustainability
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North Texas to assist in the plan’s development. The plan consists of four elements: more play, more nature, more con- nections and more access. Lewis- ville’s holistic approach makes the plan more comprehensive than most, said Kendall Howard, project manag- ing consultant from Halff Associates. “The driving force behind this plan was to kind of shift people’s mindset and realize that parks and recreation and trails are also critical infrastruc- ture of a community,” she said. Lewisville’s parks and recreation department relied on community engagement while drafting the plan. Its staff conducted surveys and gath- ered feedback at community events. Its steering committee featured rep- resentatives from Lewisville’s Parks Board, Lewisville ISD, environmental groups and community members.
Common feedback cited the desire for more shade, expanding access via trails and improving sense of safety through measures such as installing call boxes, according to the plan’s document. “Two major things that were important to me is that people weren’t going to be going on these trails and then getting in any type of danger, as well as making sure that every child has access to the things that are created,” steering committee member Morris Mims said. Equity was a crucial component for Angela Lewallen, a Lewisville ISD teacher and parks board member. She said the plan communicates to residents that those involved in its creation want to create infrastructure that is inclusive, healthy and safe. “We looked not just at parks from a, ‘Oh it’s a fun place to go play’
Providing healthy living opportunities to ensure all residents have access to a quality park system
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Improving access to parks and recreation options
SOURCE: LEWISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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grants, the plan must be renewed every 10 years and updated every five years, or when there is a signifi- cant change. A more rapid update was triggered by the annexation of Castle Hills in 2021. Lewisville worked with Halff Associates and the University of
Parents know their child’s education is more than just one high- stakes test on one day. Let’s prepare our students for the future, expand public school accountability, and Measure What Matters.
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