Parks

Joan Kline Park

Dedication

1974

Size

0.27 acres

Fun facts

This small park is in the heart of the historic Ryan Place neighborhood, that began in 1911 as the vision of developer John C. Ryan. Ryan Place is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which recognizes its historical and architectural significance.

History

The effort to have the Ryan Place triangle designated as a public park was played out in the local newspapers. Beginning in the mid-1960s, residents of the Ryan Place neighborhood were vocal supporters of its purchase for park purposes. In 1974, the Park and Recreation Board recommend to the city City council Council that the triangle be purchased for $1,800. However, City Manager Rodger Line told the council it was only worth $1,500. There was also the issue of the owners owing back taxes on the quarter-acre site. Then on June 11, the park board rescinded its decision to purchase the parcel in a secret meeting. Further protest from the neighborhood resulted in the board rescinding its previous reversal. The triangle became an official park later that year. In 2023 the Ryan Place Neighborhood is planning park improvements such as a walking path and benches through an adoption. On June 25, 2024 the park was renamed from Ryan Place Triangle Park to Joan Kline Park.

Recreation

The park is a traffic triangle with shade trees, benches, and a 115 path.

Geology

The park lies within the Pawpaw, Weno Limestone and Denton Clay geologic formations. Pawpaw is a calcareous ledge-forming marl interbedded with limestone and clay. Weno Limestone contains thin marl interbeds that forms resistant upland ledges. Denton Clay encompasses alternating clay, marl, and limestone.

Soils

The soils are of the Purves series, which consists of shallow, well drained, slowly permeable soils formed in ancient interbedded limestone and marl.

Ecology

The park is comprised of a small lawn area with live oak and other shade trees. Crepe myrtles line the perimeter.

View animal, plant and insect species observed at Joan Kline Urban Park and make some of your own observations through iNaturalist. See link under the "Related information" Section.

Reserve this park on ActiveNet