In 1994, 6-yr-old Annie asked the question, “When is this going to be a park?”

Back in 1994, O.S. Gray Natural Area was not a park. It was over 70 acres of undeveloped land covered with pecan, oak trees, thick woody vines, hundreds of native wildflowers, native grasses, butterflies, beavers, foxes, and lots of birds.

Annie’s parents, Carrie & Kevin Donovan, led their three children (Annie, Eamonn, and Eoin) on hikes to enjoy the wild nature in this wooded area. The kids named it, “Our Greatest Adventure.” Today, this area is known as O.S. Gray Natural Area.

When Annie asked, “When is this area going to be a park?,” Annie’s mom went searching for answers at the Arlington Parks Department. They said there were no plans for a park. Annie’s parents didn’t accept this as an answer, so they researched the property and learned as much as theycould to protect. In their research, they learned it was a former pecan nursery called O.S. Gray Nursery several years ago. The Donovans wanted to save this beautiful natural area forever and share its beauty with everyone!

The Donovans went door to door in the neighborhood between Norwood, Park Row, Bowen, and fielder Road and collected over 500 signatures to save O.S. Gray Nursery and to turn it into a park. A lot of people in the neighborhood also wanted to help, and together with the community, the Donovans formed a group called Neighbors for Norwood. The newly formed group attended and spoke at numerous Arlington City Council meetings asking the city to add it to the next Parks bond package. After much effort, they did!

On January 18, 1997, the largest Parks bond package (up to that time) in the city of Arlington passed. The community won, but the Donovan’s efforts were not over. The former pecan nursery property was a low priority for the city, and the city still didn’t have the money to purchase this property. Carrie and Kevin learned about the Trust for Public Land and contacted them to help our city. The Trust for Public Land met with everyone involved and helped the city of Arlington to purchase the former pecan nursery and the adjacent Rosser’s meadow and woodland property for a future park.

Ten months later, on November 9, 1997, the former pecan nursery was renamed O.S. Gray Park and had its first park dedication ceremony! Eamonn, Annie, Eoin, and the neighbors leaped for joy! To help celebrate, the neighbors built a mulch trail inside the park.

Thirteen years later, in October 2010, there was a second park dedication when the former pecan nursery was officially named O.S. Gray Natural Area (OSGNA). On the same day, the Donovans formed The Friends of O.S. Gray Natural Area (FOOSGNA) for the purpose of helping with the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity within OSGNA.