Reverchon Park

Reverchon Park is a public park in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas. It was named for Julien Reverchon.

A baseball game at the park
Bridge in Reverchon Park in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas.
Steps connecting Reverchon Park to the Katy Trail in Dallas, Texas.

The park lies along Turtle Creek, a tributary of the Trinity River. Its main entrance is at Maple Avenue and Turtle Creek Boulevard.

History

Built in 1915, Reverchon Park is one of the oldest parks in the city.[1] First named Turtle Creek Park, it was renamed Reverchon Park after Julien Reverchon (1837–1905), a botanist and a member of the La Reunion Utopian Community.[2]

In the 80s and 90s, the park was notoriously crime-ridden, but a rejuvenation project beginning in 1998 helped turn Reverchon into one of Dallas' most successful parks, according to The Dallas Morning News.[1]

The Southern Methodist University baseball team played at the ballpark from 1977–1980,[3][4][5] before the baseball program disbanded after the 1980 season.[6][7]

Features

Reverchon Park is 46 acres (0.19 km2) in area, and offers around 40 leisure and recreational program for citizens, including health screenings, tutoring, athletic leagues, yoga, volleyball, and after-school programs. The park also is home to baseball fields, basketball courts, and tennis courts.[8]

A playground in the park, accessible to children of all abilities, was designed by the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and the City of Dallas.[8]

A section of the Katy Trail, a recreational rail trail, runs adjacent to the park. It connects to parks of the Trinity River Project.

Ballpark

Reverchon Park includes a 3,500-capacity 1920s-era ballpark used for high-school and amateur baseball teams.[9] It was the home field for Southern Methodist University baseball from 1977 to 1980.[3]

In July 2018, plans were announced for a new multi-purpose stadium in the park to host a Dallas franchise in the independent Southwest League of Professional Baseball, as well as local high school playoff games, amateur baseball leagues, and the Mexican Baseball League.[3] With the Southwest League never playing a game, in January 2020 the Dallas City Council approved a renovation proposal from a group led by Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson who is also an owner of the Texas AirHogs of the independent American Association.[9] The $10 million plan included new seating, artificial turf, locker rooms, dugouts, and concessions and restrooms facilities, all to accommodate professional and amateur baseball, soccer, lacrosse, concerts and rugby.[9] In October 2020, the plan was reported to be dead when the group led by Nelson failed to submit documentation before a Sept. 30 deadline.[10]

References
  1. Selk, Avi (April 14, 2010). "Reverchon is one of Dallas' most successful parks, but it wasn't always so". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  2. "The Park". Friends of Reverchon Park. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  3. "Southwest League Announces Dallas Team". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018. ...it served as home stadium for the SMU baseball program from 1977-1980.
  4. Lamster, Mark (October 7, 2013). "Dallas' Reverchon Park restored to 1930s grandeur". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 25, 2019. ...the park's baseball field, which has in the past hosted the SMU baseball team...
  5. Tramel, Berry (October 10, 2014). "Dallas travelblog: The lights of Reverchon Park". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 25, 2019. SMU played there during its temporary foray into baseball, 1977-80.
  6. Sherrington, Kevin (June 4, 2016). "Sherrington: SMU's long-gone baseball team rarely got respect, least of all from its own school". SportsDay. The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 11, 2018. And officials pulled the plug on it after the 1980 season, just the same, citing financial concerns.
  7. Capstick, Brian (February 9, 2006). "The NightCap asks, 'Why no baseball at SMU?'". SMU Daily Campus. Retrieved September 11, 2018. The SMU Athletic Department told me that the baseball program was shut down for financial reasons.
  8. "About the park". Friends of Reverchon Park. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2006.
  9. Spedden, Zach (January 9, 2020). "Reverchon Park Proposal Moves Forward". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  10. Reichard, Kevin (October 2, 2020). "Reverchon Park renovation plan scrapped". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved October 2, 2020.

Sources
  • "Southwest Conference's Greatest Hits," Neal Farmer, c.1996

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