The Dean Highland Neighborhood Association (DHNA) is dedicated to bringing a world-class park to the old Hillcrest parking lot. You can read about our advocacy for that park here. As of January 5th, 2026, the parking lot is under an environmental review. Rest assured, the DHNA is keeping a close eye on the situation, and we will continue to do so until the issue is resolved.
While we wait in earnest anticipation for the results of the review, the DHNA thought it would be a good idea to take care of the “pocket parks” that already exist in Dean Highland: Mitchell Park and Wenz Park. Here they are on a map:
Both parks were donated to the city as park space by the land developers who built these postwar housing tracts in the 1940s. The DHNA is currently doing historical research in city and county archives to determine why these land developers set aside space for parks, but the general consensus as of Jan. 5th, 2026 is that city ordinances from the early 1940s or even late 1930s required land developers to set aside space for parks in rapidly developing postwar housing tracts such as those found in the broader Dean Highland neighborhood.
These required green spaces became known colloquially as “pocket parks,” and today they dot our city in the most delightfully surprising places.
Meet Dean Highland’s green spaces
Wenz Park
Wenz Park is tiny. Very few people, even in Waco’s Parks & Recreation Department, know about it. This green space is located across the street from our neighbors at Zion Hill Baptist Church, pastored by the wonderful, talented, and God-fearing Waylon Sias.
Wenz Park is completely undeveloped. There are no garbage cans. No foot paths. No signs or markers. The DHNA is quietly trying to convince the City to lay down a humble footpath, add a couple of garbage cans, and place a neighborhood logo in the park.
We are also looking for ways to collaborate with Zion Hill Baptist Church and make Wenz Park an anchor of the neighborhood. If you have any ideas for us, please shoot an email to deanhighlandwaco@gmail.com.
Mitchell Park
Mitchell Park is a beautiful little pocket park that features a circular cement foot path, several garbage cans and benches, lots of grass, and tall, stout trees to climb.
In 2025, the DHNA successfully convinced the city’s Parks & Recreation Department to add two soccer goals to the park, and they’ve been a big hit.
In 2026, the DHNA wants to host bi-monthly cleanups at Mitchell Park. You can check out our cleanup efforts here, and you can show up and pitch in whenever you’d like. We send notices out via email before a scheduled cleanup, so if you haven’t subscribed to our free newsletter yet, join the party! We also want to add a neighborhood logo and perhaps even some interpretive historical signs.
If you’d like to serve our “pocket parks,” then please go here and sign up to become a member of the DHNA today!