Dixon Branch Greenbelt Park got some much needed maintenance, just in time for spring
Neighbors in Eastwood enjoying the first days of spring may have noticed a little more than the first flowers blooming, including fresh updates to Dixon Branch Greenbelt Park.
The park, set along Dixon Branch creek, is a small green space where neighborhood children and nature enthusiasts alike can go to explore, sit with nature and even spot urban wildlife. The space first opened in late 2009, after neighbors lobbied the city for the funding and donated their own professional architectural and construction expertise.
But in early 2020, neighbors began to share concerns that the park was in need of updates and maintenance. The safety concerns drew the attention of a group of parents, including East Dallas Greater Good co-founder Kathryn Bazan. Her family frequents the park because it offers a great place to meet with neighborhood friends and to make new ones.
“I noticed that the playground equipment and landscape needed some attention,” Bazan noted, “Although the neighborhood has done so much in this space, it’s a city property and the city’s liability to make sure it remains safe for our neighbors.” She and a group of parents enlisted the help of a licensed commercial playground installer to see which repairs needed to be prioritized.
The installer found that the rope climbing feature needed to have its four posts dug up and moved outward to tighten the play in the rope. Damage to the base of the taller rock climbing feature was found to be cosmetic only and not a structural concern.
Dallas Park & Recreation made repairs to the neighborhood park in Eastwood
But a very tall and mostly dead tree loomed overhead behind the playground. A diseased hackberry tree sat over a picnic bench near the park’s entrance. An overgrowth of invasive plants had taken over a large corner of the park’s footprint where a downed tree had been left where it fell. And tall ornamental grasses created a safety issue by blocking line of sight throughout the park.
To address the issues, Bazan reached out to District 9 Dallas Park & Recreation Board Member, Maria Hasbany. Hasbany met with residents the following day and within weeks, had coordinated with Dallas Park & Recreation to make a number of the requested improvements, including:
- new signage for park rules and pet leash law reminders
- a new picnic table to replace one that had become sharp and rusted
- new housing for the trash can, which was broken
- a new pet waste bag dispenser station
- an identifier sign for the park to be installed in coming weeks
To address landscaping concerns, Hasbany convened a meeting with the city’s Urban Biologist, Brett Johnson, the city arborist and park maintenance staff. Staff agreed that the two trees neighbors had become concerned about did indeed need to be removed. Trees that had fallen into Dixon Branch creek during a storm were also approved for removal, since large trees in the creek bed can cause flooding issues and can end up down stream in White Rock Lake. The area of invasive growth and the downed tree were removed to restore the original footprint of the park.
To oversee the removals and to ensure preservation of neighborhood efforts, Bazan enlisted the help of the Eastwood Neighborhood Association’s Riparian Committee Chair, Michael Parkey. Dallas Park & Recreation has also proposed to create a formal Beautification Agreement with the Eastwood Neighborhood Association for the space, which they’ve not had before.
“It is always so gratifying to work with neighborhood groups to maintain and improve our parks. A big thank you goes out to Kathryn Bazan, Michael Parkey and ALL of the volunteers that have invested so much time and effort in this gem of a park over the years! The Dixon Branch Greenbelt and the park are wonderful examples of working together for the benefit of our entire community,” Hasbany said.
The city will continue to evaluate opportunities to improve the park space, including a soft surface for the playground and repairs to the boardwalk feature to ensure accessibility for residents with disabilities.
