May 6, 2008 by park.

A meeting will be held on May 22 beginning at 7:30PM at Winfrey Point to discuss the installation of street lights around White Rock Lake. Street lights already installed will be powered by a generator for viewing.

Pro: Security at night for people and vehicles.
Con: Light Pollution. Lights will deter from White Rock Lake’s reflective pool effect, natural setting & star gazing.

<more - this was originally posted under comments, but I moved it up for greater ummm visibility>

northrup says:
May 6, 2008 at 4:33 pm | edit

A Brief History:

Some years ago, the White Rock Lake Foundation (WRLF) proposed putting hundreds of streetlights around the lakefront. The WRLF website shows a rendering of the lights along a lakeside trail – during the day. http://www.whiterocklakefoundation.org/lighting.html

Obviously the park requires some lighting - at the entrance to parking lots, etc. The City did not want to pay for the project - neither the lights nor their electric bill. So WRLF took it upon themselves to raise the funds - $1,000,000 worth of streetlights to light up the lakeside - as quoted in the Advocate, February 2005:
http://www.advocatemag.com/uploads/pdf/ED_02_05.pdf?PHPSESSID=4ca1bc9ba447bbbdea7ee86fb05761b6

WRLF was unable to raise private funds for its project. So WRLF got Parks to find money in the spillway repair project and got an earmark in a bond issue. As reported in the Dallas Observer on May 1st (OVER)
http://news.dallasobserver.com/2008-05-01/news/white-rock-lake-neighbors-want-to-know-whose-bright-idea-it-was-to-install-lights/

Hossley Lighting Associates, a lighting vendor, was brought in as a “consultant” by WRLF and Parks http://www.hlalighting.com/

Hossley, WRLF, Parks (Willis Winters), and a DPD patrol officer did the lighting plan. Only Hossley knew anything about lighting - the WRLF are laymen, Willis Winters is an architect, and the DPD officer was a beat cop.

Parks approved the final plan with no input from the neighbors or neighborhoods.

The contractor started putting in light poles in parking lots on W. Lawther Drive - until the neighbors started to complain. Councilman Kadane suspended the project, and a called a meeting for May 22 at 7:30 at Winfrey Point.

The City’s cover story on this boondoggle is the need for “more security”. But from a security standpoint, the need for this much lakeside lighting has never been demonstrated.

Most crime in the park is burglary of motor vehicles (BMV) - during the day - approximately 8 BMVs per year on W. Lawther Drive. Lighting lake front lots won’t prevent daytime BMVs. Over-lighting would just enable burglars to see into parked cars and burglarize them at night.

Lakeside lighting would attract more people to the park after the midnight curfew. So on balance, over-lighting the lakeshore could make crime go up in the park - not down. Security cameras would be a better deterrent - they work day and night.

The real crime here is the amount of lighting proposed around the lake: a $500,000 contract to spoil the lakeside views every night for everyone.

Posted in Community Notice | 2 Comments »

March 18, 2008 by park.

PNA Quarterly Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 19 March 2008 beginning 7PM at the Bath House Cultural Center.

Posted in Community Notice | 1 Comment »

March 18, 2008 by park.

DALLAS – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today continued his fight against identity theft by unveiling a new, consumer-friendly Web site. In an effort to help Texans prevent or minimize the damage from identity theft, Attorney General Abbott discussed the Web-based initiative today at the Regional Organized Crime Information Center’s ID Theft Conference in Dallas. Among the helpful tools offered on the site, , is the Identity Theft Victim’s Kit.

Posted in Community Notice | No Comments »

February 28, 2008 by park.

The City of Dallas, Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service are collaborating to increase severe weather safety awareness and preparedness, and urging residents to review and practice personal safety measures. Residents are encouraged to prepare, update and review emergency plans for their families and businesses.

Posted in Community Notice | No Comments »

February 25, 2008 by park.

A Burglary of a Motor Vehicle (BMV) occured between 5:30-8AM on Wednesday, 20 February at the 9300 Block of Biscayne.

This is the second BMV on this block this year. The last BMV at this location occured on 12 January.

Let’s see if we can get a Block Captain (preferably at home during the day) for this area that would not hesitate to call 911 and Crime Watch on all suspicious activity.

Posted in Community Notice | 1 Comment »

February 4, 2008 by park.

Good Neighbor Guide for Newcomers & Natives: http://www.dallascityhall.com/pdf/pio/GoodNeighborGuide.pdf

Posted in Community Notice | 1 Comment »

January 25, 2008 by park.

Proposals: 1) Relocate the entrance/exit to/from the Bath House Cultural Center from Northcliff Drive to E. Lake Highlands Drive into the park past Dreyfuss Point and exit the same route. 2) Install a neighborhood surveillance system monitored by DPD and security company.

Posted in Community Notice | 1 Comment »

January 23, 2008 by park.

Saturday, 12 January: Buglary of a Motor Vehicle (BMV) occured between the hours of 2-6AM in two seperate driveways of the 9300 block of Biscayne. REMINDER: Lock your vehicles & do not leave any items in plain view. Recommendation: Install motion-sensor flood lights for driveways & tree lights to assist with lighting up the street. crime.watch@thedownergroup.com

Posted in Community Notice | 2 Comments »

November 29, 2007 by stephen.

Posted in Current Weather | 1 Comment »

August 18, 2007 by stephen.

Neighbors gathered at the Bath House outdoor theater on August 7th to celebrate the 3rd annual Peninsula Neighbors night out. Fun was had by all as Peninsula President Joe Gillum acted as chief chef cooking up hamburgers and hot dogs. Members of the Northeast Dallas Police station, the Dallas Fire Department and the Dallas Pose squad attended the meeting to meet the neighbors and increase awareness. View pictures here >>

The 2007 National Night Out against crime on Tuesday night, 7 August was a great success!

There were special appreances by:
Dallas County Sheriff’s Posse on horseback
Dallas County Sheriff’s SWAT (Special Weapons Assault Team)
Dallas County Constable Precinct 3 Ben Adamcik & Deputies
Dallas Police Department Northeast Patrol Officers
Dallas Fire & Water Rescue
Golden’s Casa Linda Keys

A special THANKS goes to Janice Parson, Joe Gillum, PVIP Madeline Cyrak, PVIP Brenda Arnold, Bill/Dee/Lydia Landsear, Jim Savage/Steve Browne (music) and our outstanding Volunteers on Patrol during this event: Carol Hernandez, Carol Browne & John Young.

Park Downer
Crime.Watch@TheDownerGroup.com

Posted in Community Notice | 1 Comment »