District 12 Dallas Parks and Recreation

Good things coming soon for Rosemeade Park!

Hiking tour & planning mtg at Rosemeade Park.

The park is approx 70 acres of completely undeveloped land, with 30 acres of the only Cross Timbers ecosystem in Dallas.

Lush forests, prairies, a small pond and waterfall, lots of birds and opportunities for outdoor learning about nature.

We devoted significant 2024 bond funds to help develop this property from a nuisance to amenity. Currently there are 3 homeless encampments. There is no signage or parking to even identify it as a park. For residents who live west of PGWB, it is their only park.

The Parks Dept has done a lot of research about the area and all the species that live in the park, worked hard to do a first pass at clearing some paths, removing tons of debris, and resolving issues in the park. More work to be done, but we're on the right path!
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Good things coming for Rosemeade Park

Due to weather, It’s My Park Day is cancelled this year. Thank you to all the volunteers that signed up!

The autonomy of the Dallas Park and Recreation Department Board is being threatened during the charter review process. Great article by Sharon Grigsby of the The Dallas Morning News explaining what is happening:

Plan for Dallas City Council to take over parks and rec oversight smells of petty politics A vote next Tuesday to grant City Council and not the Dallas Park Board the ability to appoint the park department’s director threatens to eviscerate the...

Come out and help beautify our parks at the annual Dallas Park and Recreation Department "Its My Park Day." This year, District 12 will be cleaning up, mulching, planting, etc at Campbell Green Park! The date is April 20th, and we need volunteers! Sign up view the QR codes in the flyers!

This evening, the City of Dallas - City Hall Charter Review Commission is discussing amendments to the City's Charter that would move the Dallas Park and Recreation Department under the City Manager. Doing this would end the independence of the Park Department and increase the bureaucracy that currently plagues City Hall. Please send emails to [email protected] opposing these amendments.

‼️🚨 Please read and share. Urgent 🚨‼️

Would you intentionally ruin a century of history? Well, that’s what individuals behind two proposed city charter amendments are trying to do to your Dallas Park and Recreation Board.

The Dallas Park and Recreation Board had its very first meeting on May 31, 1905 and has been providing policy governance and oversight to the park department since. The two proposed amendments seek to dismantle the very core of this board’s purpose. If that happens, there would be essentially no reason to continue having a park board. And if there are no park board members, residents will have to work directly with city staff, or their council members for their park and recreation initiatives.

If you want to help save our parks and how we have operated for over a century, please take these immediate calls to action:

1️⃣ Email charter commissioners and tell them you vehemently oppose amendments 85 and 103 which would wipe out a century of the Dallas Park and Recreation Board. Email: [email protected]

2️⃣ Sign up to speak at the 6:30 PM Monday, March 4 charter review meeting at City Hall. Also tell them you vehemently oppose Amendments 85 and 103 which would wipe out a century of the Dallas Park and Recreation Board. Online registration form: http://tinyurl.com/5chub7dt

3️⃣ Attend the aforementioned charter review meeting at City Hall even if you don't register as a speaker.

4️⃣ Share this information with your network of park advocates so they also know what's at stake.

Make no mistake. If these amendments to the city’s charter pass, there will be a significant deviation from how parks are managed in this city.

As you may be aware, the City Council is being briefed tomorrow regarding the proposed funding allocations for a potential 2024 bond election. The Council will be briefed by the Community Bond Task Force (CBTF) and the City Manager.

The CBTF (which consisted of approximately 100 Dallas residents that were appointed by the City Council and Mayor from each council district, and relying on recommendations from resident led subcommittees) recommended $350 million for parks and recreation funding, as well as additional much needed dollars for capital projects at libraries and arts/culture facilities. Unfortunately, the City Manager’s proposal significantly slashes funding from all these departments.

Please contact the Mayor and City Council and ask them to support the CBTF recommendations to fund parks, arts, and libraries! You can go to this page to email all the City Council Members and Mayor all at once: https://dallascityhall.com/government/Pages/contacts.aspx

My colleague Rudy Karimi - District 14 Park and Recreation prepared this chart which details the City Manager’s proposed modifications, which are severe. This would reduce parks funding by $125M, and putting in danger many critical projects.

Please ask the Mayor and Council to support the CBTF recommendations!