Pike Park offers Dallas residents a place to start exploring Little Mexico, the Mexican American neighborhood that helped shape the city north of downtown. The park at 2807 Harry Hines Boulevard remains a public landmark, even as much of the surrounding neighborhood has changed.
The Dallas Park and Recreation Department traces the area's earlier history to Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Mexican migrants later settled nearby after fleeing the upheaval of the Mexican Revolution, and the neighborhood became known as Little Mexico. Pike Park was a place for sports, family gatherings and holiday celebrations.
That role was threatened when construction of the Dallas North Tollway divided the neighborhood in the late 1960s. According to the department's history, Anita N. Martinez made preserving and rehabilitating the park a priority after becoming the first Mexican American elected to the Dallas City Council in 1969. A 1978 renovation reshaped the recreation center and replaced its former swimming pool with a plaza and gazebo.
For anyone planning a visit, the city's facility directory lists a 4.3-acre park with a playground, outdoor basketball court, baseball field, pavilion and public art. Do not assume the historic recreation building is open: the parks department says it has been closed because of building concerns and describes continuing efforts toward restoration, without announcing a reopening date.
