Klyde Warren Park is an island of luscious green among the downtown Dallas skyscrapers and concrete freeways. The park is part of a freeway, built on a two-block platform over the Woodall Rogers Expressway.
The project began in 2009 cost more than $100 million to build and develop. It opened in 2012. Though many argued the trees and grass wouldn’t survive in a platform park, the more than 300 trees and 5.2 acres of natural grass have since thrived, forming a natural, shaded canopy above the park’s perimeter walking path.
Though Klyde Warren Park isn’t the biggest in the Dallas park system, it’s certainly one of the most favored. More than 100 thousand people visit the park each month, and more than a million people visit each year.
Children can enjoy several playground areas and splash pads. An outdoor screening area plays a schedule of movies. A dirt track allows joggers and walkers, alike, a chance to get their steps in.
Grassy areas are great for reading, or just a quiet conversation. And foodies will love the food trucks, picnicking space, and the restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating.
One of the park’s drawback is the parking. On-street parking is limited, and paid parking lots in the area charge $10-$15 for the day. That’s not too bad for a day full of downtown fun!
Because of Klyde Warren Park’s enormous success, a massive expansion is underway that will extend the park another block and add 1.2 acres of space. Although none of it will be public park space — instead, a 20,000 square foot pavilion will serve as headquarters for a Dallas tourism center — there will be an additional 75 much-needed parking spaces.
The lovers of this unique urban oasis and the people who are new to its charm will most certainly agree, the more space, the merrier.
