Mayor Johnson announces $1.25 million Greening Czar initiative investment
Fund contribution supports Dallas’ efforts to bring new parks and trails within a 10-minute walk of every resident.
DALLAS — Mayor Eric L. Johnson on Thursday announced that he directed Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax to allocate $1.25 million of his discretionary American Rescue Plan Act funds to support his priority initiative to transform vacant, unused, and underused city-owned land into green space. Last month, the mayor named Garrett Boone the city’s first Greening Czar to lead the initiative.
“My goal is to ensure that Dallas becomes the city with the highest level of park access in Texas,” Mayor Johnson said. “We are making progress toward achieving this goal, and Garrett Boone’s leadership combined with this $1.25 million contribution will increase our momentum.”
Boone said during the news conference that, since his appointment, he has met with Trust for Public Land Texas Director Robert Kent and leaders from the Dallas Park & Recreation Department to review the inventory of vacant, unused, and underused city-owned land that Mayor Johnson requested the Dallas City Manager produce in November 2022. Boone confirmed he and Kent are working with the Dallas Park & Recreation Department to develop a site selection process that will be shared with the Dallas Park and Recreation Board for their review and approval, at which point the “real work” will begin.
“We recognize the importance of a transparent site selection process and are working now to develop this process,” Boone said. “The process will include clear site selection criteria and robust community engagement.”
Boone also said he is seeking a $1.25 million funding match from Dallas’ philanthropic community to support the initiative.
Arun Agarwal, President of the Dallas Park and Recreation Board, was unable to attend the news conference but described Mayor Johnson as a “true champion for our city’s parks” in a written statement. He confirmed the Dallas Park and Recreation Board is eager to support Boone’s work.
“In Dallas, we are marching towards our goal of bringing new parks and trails within a 10-minute walk of every resident,” Agarwal said. “The Greening Czar initiative aligns with this mission.”
According to Trust for Public Land, the City of Dallas and its nonprofit partners have brought new parks and trails within a 10-minute walk of nearly 300,000 residents since 2014. However, more than a quarter of Dallas residents still do not live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
“This is another exciting step for increasing access to parks and green spaces across Dallas,” Kent said. “The mayor has literally put his money where his mouth is with this generous contribution, proving once again his commitment to ensuring all of our city’s residents can enjoy the benefits of the outdoors. Our Trust for Public Land team looks forward to continuing our work to make this vision a reality.”
“As I emphasize often during the Dallas City Council’s budget season, it is easy to speak in generalizations about our priorities,” Mayor Johnson said.“But until we decide to back these priorities with funding, they are just hollow commitments. When I say I believe parks are critical infrastructure in a 21st Century city, I mean it. Now is the time to take to the next level our efforts to make Dallas greener and greater for all, and I hope this funding contribution will serve as a catalyst to achieve meaningful results soon.”
