Back in the 80s, when White Rock Lake seemed to be gasping its last watery breath, no one could have guessed that the lake’s future would come to what it is today. The lake’s salvation has been beyond successful.

Most recently, a parks and recreation department study identified $40 million worth of improvements and renovations to White Rock. Some are calling it the “crown jewel” of Dallas’ parks. Others are heralding it as our city’s Central Park.

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Which brought us to the question … could White Rock Lake get too big for its britches? Is it possible we might see a day when those of us who live around and near the lake won’t want to visit it because of the hordes of crowds — gasp, perhaps even tourists —it might draw?

While we’d never want to see White Rock be ignored to the extent that it used to be, we’d hate to see it lose that feel that its ours. Because, let’s face it, there’s not many of us around here who consider White Rock Lake anything but the diamond in the gold-circle setting of our community.

And, if thousands of people from Frisco, Irving, Arlington and Las Colinas come filing in weekly to set sail, bike the trails, have impromptu picnic lunches and take up parking spaces, are we really gonna clap our hands with delight?