An Unofficial Guide to Huffhines Park, Richardson, Texas: LINKS

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Picnic Pads

Huffhines Park is fortunate to have a natural grove of trees where COR has placed several "Picnic Pads" (my term, I don't know what the City calls them), which consist of a rectangular slab of concrete complete with three items: 1.) A sturdy picnic table, 2.) a barbecue grill, and 3.) a set of trash cans, one for ordinary refuse and the other for recyclables. Wait, did I say "COMPLETE?" Turns out, on closer inspection, that of the park's 18 Picnic Pads (not counting the Pavilion and a large slab of concrete behind it), as of March 30, 2026 and April 3, 2026 (when I conducted two inspections), only two pads were complete with table, grill, and trash cans! All the rest were missing some component, and some had none at all! All this as a result of what I will politely call "benign neglect."

Here is a list of what I found on my inspections of March 30 and April 3, 2026:

4 pads with nothing

2 pads with trash cans, but no table or grill

5 pads with table and grill, but no trash cans

1 pad with table and trash cans, but no grill

1 pad with a grill, but no table or trash cans

1 pad with grill and trash cans, but no table

2 pads with a table, but no grill or trash cans

2 pads complete with table, grill, and trash cans

1 oversized concrete pad with nothing on it

Pavilion with eight tables and trash cans, but no grill(s)

When I contacted Yvonne Falgout, COR's Parks Director, on March 31, 2026, her reply was as follows:

Thank you for reaching out. We have staff verifying the current placement of tables, trash cans, and slabs in the area.

At this time, we do not plan to add grills at each slab, as they tend to create maintenance and safety concerns and historically have not seen consistent use.

It also appears that some tables may have been moved into shaded areas. Staff will move those back to their designated slab locations.

We appreciate you bringing this to our attention.

If and/or when COR brings the Huffhines Park Picnic Area back into good shape, I'll be sure to let you know! I hope you won't have to wait very long!

HUFFINES PARK PICNIC PADS
(Photographed March 30, 2026)

This picnic pad has nothing.	Here's another picnic pad with nothing.
Here's a third picnic pad with nothing.	Here's a big slab of concrete a few yard behind the pavilion. What's it for?
Here's a picnic pad with only a grill, no table or trash cans.	Here's another picnic pad with only a grill, no table or trash cans.
This picnic pad has a table and trash cans, but no grill	Here's a picnic pad with trash cans but no table or grill
Here's another picnic pad with trash cans but no table or grill	Here's a third picnic pad with trash cans but no table or grill
This picnic pad has a table and grill, but no trash cans.	Here's another picnic pad with a table and grill, but no trash cans.
A third picnic pad with table, grill, but no trash cans--and a table with no pad.	A fourth picnic pad with table and grill, but no trash cans.
Here's a picnic pad with only a table, no grill or trash cans.	Here's another picnic pad with only a table, no grill or trash cans.
Here's a third picnic pad with only a table, no grill or trash cans.	Here's the picnic pavilion. Tables and trash cans but no grill(s).

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