October Newsletter

Our Asks of You

Before asking for more, we wanted to thank you for thinking of us on North Texas Giving Day! In case you were wondering, the $600 we raised will be used for banners and informational material to help with the first dedicated fundraiser for Friends of Bachman Lake planned for November 17. See below!

Save the Date! November 17th 5-7PM 

In order to turn dreams into reality, we need to raise some serious dollars to show the City and the County that we need improved accessibility for Bachman Lake and environmental / physical safety for patrons of the lake. If you can't make the fundraiser, we ask that you take the time to donate via the Dallas Parks Foundation site and designate your contribution to Friends of Bachman Lake. We provide detailed instructions on our web page friendsofbachmanlake.org (select Donate from the menu).

With additional funds, we intend to:Clear the greenbelt on the eastern side of the park of invasive privet hedge and also remove the homeless tents and trash. Establish nature trails in conjunction with Groundwork DallasCreate better access to lake activities by funding youth programs for fishing, rowing, bikingFund installation of security cameras around the parkWork with Groundwork Dallas on funding the testing of water and air quality around the lake

News

Solve for X: Bachman Lake Trail to Fort Worth?

You probably haven’t yet discovered what lies just east of Harry Hines Boulevard as you approach the entrance ramp to I-35 South. At that small junction (see map), most drivers just follow the road and nudge their vehicles leftward toward the highway, ignoring what looks like a dead-end to the right. It kind of is, but the only dead end is for city life. A gravel parking lot is your starting point to the Frasier Dam Recreation Area.

Friends of Bachman Lake took a tour of the Frasier Dam Recreation Area recently and discovered a location in Northwest Dallas where you can actually shut off the city noise and immerse yourself in nature. Groundwork Dallas has put in lots of hard labor cleaning the area of decades of debris and trash as well as brush and other overgrowth. The result has been a transformation that must be seen to be believed.  Even Robert Wilonsky, of the Dallas Morning News, was impressed and shared his thoughts some weeks ago.   

Richard Buckley of Groundwork Dallas led a group that included FoBL, the City of Irving, The Trust for Public Land, Dallas Park and Recreation, Dallas Water Utilities and Dallas County. All have an interest or stake in creating open recreational spaces connected by the numerous trails being built and improved around the region.

As you walk past the entry gate along a gravel path, you hit a point that immediately stops you. That’s because you suddenly realize that the traffic and city noise behind you from I-35, Harry Hines – and seemingly the rest of Dallas – shuts off. It’s like when the power goes out at home and the sudden silence reminds you how loud all the appliances and devices making noise around the home really are. It’s that abrupt.

Groundwork Dallas has created paths that branch off along the main trail, some leading to picnic areas while others to the water’s edge, where you can launch a canoe or kayak if traversing water is your thing. Why is the Frasier Dam area a big deal for Friends of Bachman Lake? Just across the Elm Fork of the Trinity River lies the Campion Trail in Irving. Making that link over the river plugs Northwest Dallas into a vast network that will connect multiple trails for an eventual downtown-to-downtown link between Fort Worth and Dallas. We’re hoping that Bachman Lake Trail will be a focal point for these connections in the future. 

Bachman Lens: A park for all ages

Shout-out to Alexandra Stanton, our "roving reporter" and youngest Friend who had a brief chat with Omar Narvaez, Dallas City Council Member for District 6. Here's a segment of her interview which we're providing to our newsletter subscribers before adding it to our Bachman Lens video collection. Enjoy!

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Events

The Love Field Good Neighbor Program holds its quarterly meeting this month on October 15 at 6pm at the Bachman Lake Branch of the Dallas Public Library, 9480 Webb Chapel Rd., 75220 (map).

The Love Field Environmental Advisory Committee meets on October, 17 at 6pm, Love Field Administration Building 7555 Lemmon AvenueConference Room 103. The location is just east on Lemmon past the new Braniff Centre complex.

Our monthly plogging event is every 2nd Saturday of the month from 6-7ish (or whatever time your coffee or daylight hours kick in). Bring one of those plastic bags we all have around the house and put it to good use. Walk the path or meander off of it and pick up trash. It’s great for the hamstrings! Give a shout-out to anyone you see walking around the lake with a plastic bag - they are clearly FoBLers!

Don't forget to fill out your Plogging Report when you're done. It's a great way to keep track of just how much trash is collected each month.

Also, don't forget to join us at our monthly ‘meeting of the minds’ at Bluffview Growler. It's on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 4-6PM. No RSVP needed. 

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