What is good for East Dallas is good for Woodrow. This month our City Council will be setting the agenda for a new bond issue. Last time, we were fortunate enough to get the dredging of White Rock included. Cochran Heights (Knox-Henderson) was able to get the funds to renovate the park next to Bonham Elementary. Now, how about a Central Expressway soundwall?
Ideas include a proposed hike/bike trail for the old Santa Fe tracks running from Tenison Park past Woodrow and Randall Park to downtown. How about reducing and redoing Gaston Avenue to encourage redevelopment? Enlarge Live Oak and replant its eponymous trees, which were unceremoniously removed almost 50 years ago. Something could be done with Ross Avenue, once called the "Fifth Avenue of Dallas" for its silk-stockinged Victorian mansions.
Something is planned for Haskell Avenue. The beautiful, divided street (aka Swiss Avenue) at CityPlace is scheduled to be extended to Fair Park, linking it with the redevelopment of McKinney Avenue Trolley. This needs more funding. Think of it as a Champ-Elysee for us.
Funding for Mill Creek area flooding has been delayed and now would be a good time to push for an idea first proposed by urban planner George Kessler almost 90 years ago. The creek was to be beautified, an Eastside twin to Turtle Creek. Instead it was covered over and run through sewer pipes under the streets. I understand part of it runs near the proposed Haskell Boulevard.
Having been fortunate enough to visit some of this country and the world’s greatest cities with an eye for real estate, it seems almost all of them have capitalized on boulevard, water and park features. That’s why I’m also for the proposed Trinity Parkway.
Let’s not forget Fair Park. What about linking it with a re-designed East Grand Avenue to White Rock and Tenison? That old Ford plant might even make a good mall, Olympic village or even (gulp) a good site for the Stars-Mavericks arena.
Let our voices be heard. Contact Mayor Kirk and your council representative.
