Friends of Bachman Lake Newsletter - April 2022
Updated: Apr 6, 2022
‘We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.’ — Anais Nin
Bachman Lake celebrates Earth Day by moving some earth of its own
In celebration of Earth Day, Dallas Park and Recreation is hosting cleanup events at various city parks on April 23rd. Bachman Lake Park will be hosting a series of activities on this day from 9am to 12pm, including planting, mulching, weeding and litter pickup. All you need to do is register by April 18 and show up. All supplies will be provided!
When registering, be sure to include "D6 - Bachman Lake Park" as your park of choice.
Get the 4-1-1 on Dallas 3-1-1 services
Our next Neighbors in the Know on April 6 will feature a conversation with Dallas 3-1-1 services. If you ever wondered how to report things from overgrown weeds to dead animals in the street, these services will guide you to the right people. It's even available as an app for you to file reports and get updates.
Join us via our Facebook page on April 6 at 6pm where you can provide comments and questions. If you want to participate in the Zoom session itself, register here first.
Can we have nice things?
In short, yes. But sometimes we have to make a bit of noise to get them. On the corner of Walnut Hill Lane and Hillcrest Avenue is a Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) facility that, when viewed from street level, is pretty nicely landscaped with both evergreen and deciduous trees gracing a raised berm. At Bachman Lake, DWU has a water treatment plant that we think could use some of that #GiveMeGreen touch. In fact, FoBL has asked DWU to consider planting more trees to obscure the industrial look of certain parts of the facility at Bachman and to add more CO2 absorbing greenery any place it can. We've asked for an update and will keep you posted.
Love Field dismisses study to insulate buildings from aircraft noise
Love Field responded to requests from Friends of Bachman Lake to conduct a Part 150 study (under the Code of Federal Regulations) to determine how schools, libraries and other buildings that sit under the airport flight paths can mitigate noise. The study can be funded by fees that the airport collects under Federal regulations but Mark Duebner, Director of Aviation, says there are no plans for such a study. His office stated: "We currently have no plans to conduct a Part 150 study for Dallas Love Field. The Department of Aviation does a noise contour study annually, and will be making proposed modifications to the Voluntary Noise Abatement program adopted by City Council. While a Part 150 Study would allow federal dollars to be eligible for soundproofing, there are a number of constraints to those type of programs. It is important to note that there are no additional dollars available for these activities even with a Part 150 study, those funds would have to be re-allocated from existing federal Airport Improvement Grants which are currently used for needed airport projects."
We are very interested in knowing what the proposed changes to the voluntary noise abatement program are, since there is no federal regulation that mandates aspects of a voluntary program. Noise contour studies sound proactive until you realize that notifications to residents about the current runway reconstruction went out under contour maps that excluded many residents living in Northwest Dallas who now have to endure late night takeoffs over their homes. Apparently they fell out of the noise contours used by Love Field – the ones the airport says it studies annually.
With new hangars for private aircraft that do not fall under the voluntary guidelines and an increase in flight activity that goes well past midnight due to scheduling delays, noise will be an ongoing concern. Maybe it's time to make some of our own!
In April, the Airport is due to provide the City of Dallas Environmental Committee with an update along with the reasoning behind their decision not to pursue the study. They will also outline proposed changes to the current noise abatement program. The agenda is usually posted a week in advance so be sure to monitor our social media outlets for details.
We sure could use a show of force at City Hall!
Lo and behold, another opportunity arises.
Save the date: April 19, 2022 Love Field Good Neighbor Program meeting
The next quarterly meeting of Dallas Love Field's Good Neighbor Program is Tuesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams. Neighbors are encouraged to register for the meeting by clicking here. Registration is NOT required to attend the meeting, but assists DAL staff in planning.
Save the Date: Bike Repair Event May 14, 1pm-3pm*
A first for Bachman Lake Park, there will be a bike repair event on May 14, from 12pm-2pm at the Bachman Lake Park Recreation Center. Along with Bike DFW and Preston Hollow Bike, Friends of Bachman Lake invites all cycling enthusiasts to participate, tune up those bikes and enjoy food and fun. We are currently seeking sponsors while creating materials to distribute along with a registration link. Watch for these in the coming weeks. In the meantime, put May 14 at noon on your calendar!
*This post originally had the times from 12pm-2pm. The correct times are now shown above (1pm-3pm).
EVENTS
Our monthly plogging event is every 2nd Saturday of the month! Picking up litter while jogging (or walking or cycling) is an easy way to stay healthy and keep the park looking great! Grab a bag, a friend and help make our recreational jewel shine! Check our events list for any changes.
The community has spoken and asked for the Meet and Greet be moved to 5PM. Hey, we're not ones to get in the way of a cold beer! See you for our ‘meeting of the minds’ at Bluffview Growler on the 4th Wednesday of the month. No RSVP needed.
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