Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park

Dallas’s historic Highland Hills neighborhood is home to the scenic Five Mile Creek, which carves a series of hills and valleys through the community before merging into the Trinity River. But despite being home to some of the city’s most beautiful scenery, the area lacks the parks and trails that are so common in other parts of Dallas—only 54% of residents have a park within a 10-minute walk of home, compared to 73% of Dallas residents.

In 2019, Trust for Public Land raised $3.7 million in funding to purchase a stunning undeveloped 40-acre property in Highland Hills to become Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park. Construction in now underway, and once completed in 2023, the park will not only serve the nearly 4,000 people who live within a 10-minute walk of the park, but also the thousands of students at nearby University of North Texas at Dallas and Paul Quinn College, the oldest Historically Black College and University west of the Mississippi.

For two years, TPL worked hand-in-hand with hundreds of nearby residents to develop a community-inspired master plan for the park, which is part of our Five Mile Creek Greenbelt project. At community events, residents expressed their desire for the park to be a welcoming space to bring people together. As a result, the expansive 40-acre park will contain shaded gathering spaces, providing residents with a place to host events and spend time with family and friends. The State Farm Good Neighbor Outdoor Classroom will include a pavilion, free Wi-Fi, and solar-powered lighting. Several acres of Blackland Prairie will be restored while preserved woodland will offer a scenic walking trail. With an all-abilities playground, community-inspired art, and multiple spacious lawns, there will be plenty of room for everyone to play and picnic. And as part of the Five Mile Creek Greenbelt, the park will connect to the city’s growing trail system, providing accessible exploration of the Trinity River and its neighboring communities.

Named in honor of long-time community leader Judge Charles R. Rose, who served for many years as a justice of the peace for the Highland Hills neighborhood, the park will provide countless people the opportunity to build community and find joy in the outdoors. Access to the outdoors is a fundamental human need, and all communities are stronger, healthier, and more connected when everyone can get outside.