Friends of Bachman Lake - March 2025
"Watch the turtle. He only moves forward by sticking his neck out." — Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.
Board Member Announcement
Friends of Bachman Lake is proud to announce the election of three exceptional leaders to officer positions on its Board of Directors: Ryan Moore, Brett Lacher and Bruce Schroeder are our new President, Treasurer and Secretary, respectively. Each individual brings a unique blend of expertise and passion for the Bachman Area that will help strengthen our mission to beautify and improve access to Bachman Lake Park.
In addition to these officer positions, we have committee leaders that are organizing the on-the-ground work for park improvements: Michael Cintron manages everything for communications, Jeff Brown is leading all work associated with the Bachman Greenbelt, Wendi Mueller is in charge of volunteer engagement at Bachman Lake Park, Nicole Vilchis is handling community events and Susanna Brown is working on grants and fundraising to keep it all chugging along.
From philanthropy and nonprofit leadership to grassroots advocacy and community engagement, all our board members share a deep commitment to the environment, equity, and strongly believe in the power of community. We thank them for their time and dedication.
Webb Chapel and Lombardy Study Yields A Promising Outlook
The City of Dallas Department of Transportation and Public Works is conducting a corridor study along Webb Chapel and Lombardy between Harry Hines Boulevard and Shorecrest Drive to evaluate potential safety improvement options -- including options that would reconfigure the roadway. A recent public comment meeting was held and the recommendations were encouraging, especially the road diet on Webb Chapel bridge! If you were not able to attend the meeting, please take the survey to add your input: https://tinyurl.com/3pd9wdrj
We look forward to the temporary lane closure solution on Webb Chapel Bridge that Transportation said they could get done in 1 to 2 years.
Park Department Update
The January session of Neighbors in the Know, a joint online session from Friends of Bachman Lake and the Bachman/Northwest Highway Community Association, focused on an update from the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department.
Top of mind and the first portion of the update was related to the Skate Park, set to open at the end of this month. We talked about the remaining lighting and other touch-ups before the newest feature at the park is ready for its grand opening on May 17th (block your calendars!).
Parks also informed the community about the updates being funded by the Department of Aviation at Midway Manor Park. The refreshed park will be maintained by the Parks Department once it is complete. The grand opening for this will be aligned to the completion of the Lemmon Ave Trail later this year.
Other news included new wayfinding signs and information on timing on the bond approved enhancements to trails, the auditorium, and the playgrounds.
You can scroll through the presentation slides from Parks below:
Do you want to help our baby plants??
We need volunteers to help water the baby plants later this spring and summer. A holding tank, gravity pump and hose have been set up for watering on a timed schedule (subject to rain conditions, of course). We have detailed instructions and a sign-up schedule for those interested:
Sign-up for an avilable watering slot
Read the instructions for watering on our website
Thank you to everyone!
DWU Adding Water Quality Monitors to Bachman Lake Dam
About 5 years ago we worked with Dallas Water Utilities (Bachman Lake Dam) to sample and test the water from Bachman Lake. We wanted to make sure that the water quality was good for humans (our rowers and fishermen) and wildlife. No issues were found and we were very grateful for their efforts to assuage our concerns. So, we are now especially impressed with the fact that DWU is taking the opportunity, through the reconstruction of the dam, to automate water quality testing at Bachman Lake. Talk about listening to the community! Thank you!
Events
Meet and Greet Every 4th Wednesday
Join our 4th Wednesday Meet and Greet at On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen.
Enjoy a casual time, talking about anything you want and eating and drinking anything you like! It's casual and it's fun! Check the events on our website for any updates or changes to these dates.
*Note that times/dates are subject to change. We will issue notices if the event changes or is postponed.