Friends of Bachman Lake Newsletter - May 2025
- Friends of Bachman Lake
- May 8
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 15
“May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope.” – Emily Brontë
The Volunteer Spirit is Growing
Barely a week goes without a notification about a new volunteer signing up to help Bachman Lake Park and the Greenbelt. The momentum continues and with great partners like Greenspace Dallas who hold repeat clean-up events at Bachman, the park has never been cleaner. Even four-legged volunteers are helping, as you will see below.
Chews You Can Use
Your eyes weren't deceiving you if you took a walk along the Bachman Greenbelt in late April. Yes, those were goats you saw, happily consuming the invasive privet along the hard-to-reach areas of the Greenbelt.
The project, facilitated by Dallas Park and Recreation, enlisted the help of some four-legged friends with some very active chompers. The aim is to stay ahead of the daunting task of controlling and evenutally removing the privet that is choking off a good portion of the natural vegetation along the Greenbelt. If you want to know more or are simply into bad puns, read on.
From Bumpy Roads to Better Connections: A Reason for Optimism
Back in March, Friends of Bachman Lake took a closer look at the City’s Webb Chapel/Lombardy Corridor Study aimed at improving pedestrian access around the Bachman Lake area. Could we finally see safer crossings, traffic control lights, better trails and improvements to that notorious Webb Chapel Bridge? We certainly hope so!
Just like the constant care required to keep the park and the Greenbelt clean and enjoyable, the strong voices of our community are needed to keep making progress on a key priority for area residents – enjoying Bachman Lake Park and its surroundings without getting run over. Read on.
Yes We Cam: How One Resident's Eyes on the Ground Keeps Making a Difference
If you live around the Bachman Lake area, you might see a gentleman on foot from time to time who might appear from a distance to be decked out with almost as many cameras as a Google Earth car. That's because longtime resident Waymond Young carries all kinds of recording gear, including a conspicuous action camera on the top of his helmet, as he documents neighborhood goings on. Whether he considers his walking videos a hobby or a service, what's clear is that we're all quietly benefitting from his attention to matters on the ground.
Waymond not only gives us a street level view of daily life around our neighborhoods but he reports any issues he sees to Dallas 3-1-1! Waymond has a long list of items he's reported, from clogged sewer drains, to litter and dumping, to homeless encampents. He documents his street spotting days – and nights – on a YouTube channel he humbly calls Boring Dallas. Whether the title fits is up to his viewers but Waymond says that he's had very interesting conversations with people he meets and actually gets the occasional comment from folks in other countries who apparently like to watch videos about life in Dallas.
Some people he passes give a wave, while others hardly notice, and yet a few sometimes engage in conversations about how things have changed and what needs improvement.
As far as Bachman Lake Park is concerned, Waymond is truly "boots on the ground" good at reporting issues that affect the cleanliness and quality of life around the park. We're very grateful to have his eyes and gear spotting things around the Park well before any of us have a chance to engage the City. He's also living proof that Dallas 3-1-1 is a service that can yield results, especially when it hears regularly from its residents. It hears regularly from Waymond. He also has no intention of stopping, noting that "someday when I get a bike, my area will expand."
If you roam around and wish to report issues to the City, make sure you download the Dallas 3-1-1 app to your smart phone. You can take pictures and use geo-location to pinpoint the exact spot that needs attention. And, if you happen to see Waymond around your neighborhood, be sure and give him a wave ... and say thanks!
Charging Your Phone is a Blast - Literally
Did you know that Dallas Love Field (DAL) made headlines recently when it partnered with a local renewable energy production company to become the first airport in the world to install charging stations that use power created from jet exhaust during takeoff? The airport has installed turbines to capture jet engine wind power during takeoff rolls to produce electricity. Today, the technology is allowing travelers to charge their devices in the terminal, but as the technology improves and expands, the possibilities grow too! Read more here.
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.
Dallas Love Field Good Neighbor Program
Next meeting on May 6, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm.
Aviation Foxtronics Building
Save the Date!
May 17, 2025 10:00am
Skateboarders, scooter riders, rollerbladers, BMX riders rejoice!The long-awaited Bachman Skate Park opens! 2530 Webb Chapel Extension, Dallas, TX 75220.
District 6 Council Member Omar Narvaez as well as Dallas Park and Recreation Park Board member for the district, Tim Dickey, will be cutting the ribbon for the newest community attraction at Bachman Lake Park!
