A New Kind of Park Opens in Texas

Earlier this year, in the month of May, something very special happened in the city of Dallas, Texas. A brand-new park opened, but this isn’t just any ordinary park with swings and slides. This park is built on top of a highway! It’s called a “deck park,” and it’s designed to bring communities together.

For many years, a big, busy highway cut right through the middle of a neighborhood in Dallas. This highway, with its constant stream of cars and trucks, acted like a giant wall. It made it difficult and sometimes unsafe for people who lived on one side to visit friends, go to school, or play in parks on the other side. The loud noise from the traffic made the area less peaceful, too.

City leaders and planners had a big idea. What if they could build a strong, wide “lid” or deck over a part of the highway? On top of this lid, they could create a beautiful, green space for everyone. After years of planning and construction, their dream came true this spring!

The new deck park is a fantastic place. It has wide, smooth paths for walking and biking. There are large, open lawns where families can have picnics or play frisbee. Special gardens with colorful Texas wildflowers attract butterflies and bees. There are even playgrounds, splash pads for hot days, and quiet areas with benches where you can sit and read a book. The park stretches for several blocks, safely connecting neighborhoods that were once divided.

This project shows how creative thinking can solve problems and make cities better places to live. Instead of seeing the highway as a permanent problem, people imagined a clever solution. They built a bridge of green space right over it! The park doesn’t stop the cars below—they still travel to where they need to go—but it creates a wonderful new world above them. It makes the area safer for pedestrians, reduces noise, and gives hundreds of families a beautiful backyard to share.

News of the park’s opening spread quickly. Since it opened in May, it has become a popular spot. On the first weekend, thousands of people came to explore, play, and celebrate their newly connected community. It’s a place where people of all ages can meet, exercise, and enjoy nature without having to travel far from home.

This story teaches us an important lesson about our communities. Sometimes, big challenges like a dividing highway can be turned into opportunities for connection and fun. It takes teamwork, smart planning, and a vision for a greener future. The new deck park in Dallas is a shining example of how we can build spaces that are not only useful but also bring joy and togetherness to everyone.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What is the main idea of this passage?
A) Highways are very loud and busy places.
B) A new park in Texas was built over a highway to connect a neighborhood.
C) Dallas, Texas, is the best city for building new parks.
D) All parks should have splash pads and playgrounds.

2. When did the new deck park in Dallas open?
A) Last summer
B) Earlier this year, in May
C) Five years ago
D) Next winter

3. Why was the highway a problem for the neighborhood?
A) It was too colorful.
B) It acted like a wall, making it hard for people to cross from one side to the other.
C) It was a great place for a picnic.
D) It was too quiet.

4. Which of these is NOT a feature found in the new deck park?
A) A swimming pool for racing
B) Paths for walking and biking
C) Gardens with wildflowers
D) Open lawns for playing

5. What lesson does the story say the park teaches us?
A) That cars are not important.
B) That challenges can be turned into opportunities for connection.
C) That all parks must be built on top of highways.
D) That Texas has the best weather.

Vocabulary List

Community (noun): A group of people living in the same area or having something in common.
Construction (noun): The act or process of building something.
Divided (adjective): Separated into parts or pieces.
Opportunity (noun): A good chance for success or progress.
Pedestrians (noun): People who are walking, especially in a city or town.

Answer Key & Analysis

Correct Answers: