In a move that will increase the green footprint of Fort Worth, the City Council has taken decisive steps to expand its parkland. On Tuesday, they approved purchasing a slice of ranchland and struck a deal to extend a lease on existing park territory, according to the City of Fort Worth. The deals align with Mayor Mattie Parker’s Good Natured Greenspace Initiative, aiming for the preservation of 10,000 acres of greenspace over the next five years and the enhancement of the city's park system.
As detailed by the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth dished out $13.4 million for about 298 acres of the Tinsley Ranch located in the northwest part of the city. The ranch is situated west of Hwy. 287 near the City of Blue Mound, at 3150 and 3450 Tinsley Lane, will transition to a new recreation area dubbed Tinsley Ranch Park. The tract was sold by Tinsley-Alliston Ranch Lands L.P., Tinsley-Alliston Homestead L.P., and the Ruby Lea Alliston Revocable Trust. This region has been marked as underserved in terms of community-based parkland, as per city staff reports.
The council didn't stop there. They also authorized a lease agreement expansion with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the operation of Rocky Creek Park and Marina for public recreational use. This partnership traces back to 1962 when the City and the USACE engaged in a 50-year lease for the land known today as Pecan Valley Park. The park boasts a golf course, open space for picnics, trails, and a youth soccer complex. The proposed new 25-year lease agreement will add approximately 261.5 acres of parkland and about 30.9 acres for the marina to the Fort Worth park system, which equals roughly 292.4 acres in total.
A photo accompanying City News' report features a vast open space that heralds the future site of Tinsley Ranch Park. "The future Tinsley Ranch Park will be welcomed by north Fort Worth as the City balances conservation efforts with ongoing development," the City of Fort Worth's announcement reads. With these acquisitions, Fort Worth residents can look forward to expanded green space and recreational areas amid the city's burgeoning development.
