Halperin Park is a transformative 5.3-acre deck park spanning I-35E in Southern Dallas, reconnecting neighborhoods, creating much-needed green space, and serving as a vibrant destination for recreation, culture, education, and community.
After years of planning, fundraising, and construction, Phase One of Halperin Park opened in spring 2026. The first 2.8 acres feature a pavilion and amphitheater, children's playground, interactive water features, scenic overlooks, flexible event space, and year-round programming that welcomes thousands of visitors and provides free experiences for the community.
Now that the park is open, our need for community support is greater than ever. Donations not only help sustain free programming, maintain the park's beautiful public spaces, and keep Halperin Park welcoming and accessible for everyone—they also help us complete the park's full vision.
Phase Two, currently in design and engineering, will extend the park to Marsalis Avenue, completing all 5.3 acres and adding new amenities that further connect communities and expand opportunities for recreation and gathering. Expected to generate more than $1 billion in economic impact within its first five years, Halperin Park is more than a park—it's an investment in the future of Southern Dallas.
Your North Texas Giving Day gift helps ensure Halperin Park continues to thrive today while bringing the next phase of this transformational project to life.
The mission of the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation (“The Foundation”) is transformational change of communities in Southern Dallas through a catalytic investment in infrastructure. A transformative deck park (“Halperin Park” or “Park”) across I-35E in Southern Dallas attacks the chronic challenge of the city’s North-South divide. The Foundation has fulfilled a critical milestone with the opening of Halperin Park. The Park was built via a public/private partnership with the City of Dallas, North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Halperin Park serves as a vital connection between Bishop Arts District and Jefferson Boulevard Corridor to finally reach I-35E and merge into East Oak Cliff and the area surrounding the Dallas Zoo. By reconnecting communities historically divided by I-35E, the Park created a welcoming public space where people can gather, connect, celebrate, and experience the culture and history that make Southern Dallas unique.
Together with the Dallas Zoo’s intent to invest over $100 million on a new Master Plan, the collective capital investment will total over $300 million in this historically underserved area. Now open and welcoming the community, Halperin Park is helping advance a more connected and vibrant Southern Dallas while creating opportunities for economic mobility, community engagement, cultural expression and neighborhood vitality. The Foundation’s bold, transformational investment in infrastructure, will play an integral part in propelling Dallas towards its future.
The Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation is working to enact it's Community First Plan, which includes a tool kit of strategies that utilizes policy, planning, and tactical tools to meet a diverse set of community needs within six impact areas: History + Culture, Health + Wellness, Educational Opportunities, Economic Development, Diverse Housing Options, and Safe + Stable Neighborhoods.
Organization name
Halperin Park
other names
Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation
Tax id (EIN)
82-3991844
Causes
Parks and Greenspaces
Operating Budget
$3,000,000 - $9,999,999
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx
BIPOC Leadership
Executive Director/CEO
Address
900 E. Clarendon Dr. #135