Hamilton Park was built in 1957 on land given to the city by the Citizens Interracial Association — a nonprofit dedicated to fulfilling the housing needs of black Dallas residents before they were protected by law from housing discrimination. At a time when most Dallas parks were segregated, Hamilton Park was integrated from its beginning.

It received updates in 1960 — a baseball diamond, tennis courts and a concrete area for basketball and volleyball.

By last year, despite improvements to the adjacent Cottonwood Trail and beautiful surrounding green spaces, Hamilton Park’s mid-century built parkland pavilion was a crumbling mess.

Today Preservation Dallas honors the Dallas Park and Recreation Department for its restoration of the pavilion, a proposal we wrote about upon its initiation.

Built in 1965, Hamilton Park Pavilion was constructed in an angular, modern style. It was the exception to the 1960s-era standardized concrete T beam pavilion designs. The Dallas Park and Recreation Department, its architect, GSR Andrade and contractor, Going Forward Inc. teamed to rebuild the pavilion which officially reopened Dec. 16. The construction cost was $154,000.

“The annual Preservation Achievement Awards distinguish outstanding commitments in saving the built heritage of Dallas,” says Donovan Westover, Preservation Dallas Events and Development Coordinator, adding that Dallas Park and Recreation has received more than a dozen Preservation Achievement Awards since the ceremony began in 1999.

Dallas Park and Recreation will be among several organizations recognized at the 18th annual Preservation Achievement Awards Wed., May 31.