Bachman Lake Greenbelt Gets Needed Much-Needed Attention From Friends Group

Bachman Lake Park is in a renaissance phase and shows no signs of slowing down thanks in large part to the Friends of Bachman Lake (FoBL) — and surrounding West Dallas neighborhoods will reap the benefits.

If you have driven near Dallas Love Field Airport, there is little chance that you missed the airport’s construction of the Lemmon Avenue streetscape enhancements. The improvements include sidewalks, bicycle paths, neighborhood pocket parks, and more. Approved by the Dallas City Council in 2018, the streetscape enhancements are slated for completion by summer 2025.

These improvements are a big deal for surrounding neighborhoods such as Briarwood, West Love, Shorecrest, and Elm Thicket/Northpark, just to name a few. Residents will be able to walk or bicycle to the lake and connect with the 3.3-mile path already in place around Bachman Lake Park.

While improvements at the Bachman Lake Park are progressing such as a new skate park to be finished by the end of the year, it is the dedicated volunteers of the FoBL that have taken on the role of, let’s say, an air traffic controller in making sure all the appropriate city departments know what the other is doing so improvements have the proper infrastructure.

Renaissance Was Overdue For Bachman Lake Park

“Few people realize that Bachman Lake Park is one of the oldest parks in Dallas and there is no master plan to help guide the vision of the future of the park,” said Susanna Brown, president of the FoBL. 

Created in 1903, Bachman Lake was intended as the original water source for Dallas. When it was apparent that it would not suffice, White Rock Lake was constructed in 1911. Bachman Lake is still home to the city’s oldest water treatment plant, which is operated by Dallas Water Utilities.

It was not until the FoBL was organized in 2017-2018 that the group started bringing focus to what a gem Bachman Lake Park could be to residents who live in northwest Dallas. Last year saw the opening of the Bachman Aquatics Center just in time for the summer season.

“What we are doing is trying to bring the different city departments together,” Brown said. The streetscape enhancements will be a driving force for park usage. There will be lighting, art sculptures, and all those new trees. It will be transformative.”

A total of 250 trees will be planted along Lemmon Avenue.

It is that willingness to work across different city departments that will help connect the Bachman Greenbelt with the rest of the park.

Options For The Greenbelt Include An Environmental Center

The FoBL is already looking ahead to how they can re-incorporate the 40-acre greenbelt to the rest of Bachman Lake Park. 

“There was a time when the parks department maintained the greenbelt but over the years the maintenance has ended due to budgetary cuts so nature took over,” said Dorie Cranshaw, a FoBL board member.

“The greenbelt is currently not being used so this is a great opportunity to come up with an alternative that will benefit the community,” Cranshaw said.

The FoBL has begun looking at a collaboration between the Dallas ISD and the parks department to create an environmental learning center utilizing the greenbelt.

The DISD Environmental Education Center in Seagoville is immensely popular, Cranshaw said. But while the education center in Seagoville has buildings on the 500 acres, that is not what the FoBL is considering for the greenbelt.

“Constructing buildings would be too costly and would take too long,” Cranshaw said. “I envision an RV being used. That is what the Perot Museum does when they visit schools. They have everything they need for a lesson in their RV.”

Cranshaw added that the Friends group is excited about exploring their ideas with Dallas school district representatives at a meeting planned for Oct. 22.

“A good goal would be to do this without any taxpayer dollars. We could pitch naming rights,” she said. “It is an exciting opportunity for DISD that solves a problem for the parks department.”