Discovering Dallas One Neighborhood and Park at a Time Is Best Part of My Job
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When our friend and CandysDirt.com co-worker April Towery took the next, well-earned step in her career, she left a gap that several of us stepped in to fill. One of those gaps was covering our neighborhoods and parks. Let me tell you, it has been a gift that I did not know I wanted and now I love it to pieces. In other words, I am having fun.
Getting to meet people and talking to them about their neighborhoods is fantastic. There is nothing more fun than talking to someone when they are excited and passionate about where they live and why it is so special to them. It has always been my most favorite part of being a journalist.
Then there is covering our park and recreation department. (Fun fact, the City of Dallas calls it Park and Recreation, instead of the popular NBC show title, “Parks and Recreation.”) From privet-eating goats to hearing someone use the word “gnarl” in everyday conversation to learning about people who have parks named after them is the ultimate in fun. I have developed a great appreciation for Dallas.
After living in this city for 30 years, I feel like I am finally getting to know it and enjoy it. It’s like exploring your city for the first time. If you want to do the same, take a whirl around these neighborhoods and parks:
Arapaho Heights/Heights Park in North Dallas
When considering what makes a neighborhood special, one would think it is the legacy it creates in terms of the neighbors that come and go, the schools that educate the next generation, and the homes and environment that build a tight-knit community. Legacy is the word I would use to describe the neighborhoods of Arapaho Heights and Heights Park.
When I put out a call for people to tell me about their neighborhoods, Realtor Anne Foster with Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate reached out and I am ever so grateful that she did. Currently living in Arapaho Heights, she and her husband originally started out in Heights Park.
Merriman Park/University Manor Neighborhood in Northeast Dallas
When I asked Merriman Park/University Manor (MPUM) residents what made their particular oasis so special, they responded with how quiet the connected neighborhoods are. I was dubious because this part of Northeast Dallas is bordered by Northwest Highway and Skillman Street/Abrams Road. Let me tell you how wrong I was.
“We hear that this neighborhood is a well kept secret and in a lot of ways, it is,” said Dottie Giesler, who has lived in MPUM with her husband, Robert, since 1987.
Originally an orchard of pecan trees, Merriman Park/University Manor is a neighborhood of 1950s Ranch-style homes that will take you back in time to that era. Unlike many older neighborhoods in Dallas that are dealing with original homes being replaced with quickly built, oversized, white box homes, MPUM remains the same as when the neighborhood was constructed.
Midway Manor Park Along Lemmon Ave. in Northwest Dallas
The Lemmon Avenue Streetscape Project, a City of Dallas project to bring more trees, landscaping, and trails to the neighboring communities around Dallas Love Field, will be a transformation of the road that separates the airport from residential neighborhoods such as Bluffview and Briarwood.
“We are still on schedule for Fall 2025,” said Rozalind Dickerson Cleaver, the community engagement manager for the Dallas Department of Aviation. “Midway Manor Park is 60% complete and will reopen in July.”
That is great news for children who live in the area. The new park replaces the old, dated park with new playground equipment and a safer, rubber flooring to prevent scraped knees. A perimeter walking trail will also be in place so parents can get their steps in while their children play in the park.
Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park in South Dallas’ Highland Hills
The late Judge Charles R. Rose left a legacy of serving his beloved Highland Hills neighborhood as a justice of the peace, a Wilmer-Hutchins School Board Trustee, and as an advocate for South Dallas. When he passed in 2019, the community felt that loss.
“It is an honor for the city parks department to be responsible for a park with the name of Judge Charles R. Rose,” John Jenkins, director of the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department, said at the grand opening of the Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park, 3200 Simpson Stuart Rd.
Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park is located in the historic Highland Hills neighborhood, home to the scenic Five Mile Creek, which carves through hills and valleys before merging into the Trinity River.
Bachman Greenbelt in Northwest Dallas
When the Bachman Greenbelt was overrun with invasive privet, “Operation Goat,” as I have dubbed this endeavor, was the solution. In April, 200-250 goats were dropped off at the Bachman Greenbelt for an all-you-can-eat buffet courtesy of the Dallas Park and Recreation Department.
“They’ll clear about an acre to an acre-and-a-half a day,” said Brett Johnson, conservation manager for the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department.
By all accounts, the most economical and creative solution was a success as the goats ate their way from Cochran Chapel to the back of the Embassy Suites.
4 Comments
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I’ve always loved your insightful and lively take when you present a neighborhood to your readers.
My history is long in real estate and it has been a learning experience my entire career.
I would love to be a part of your organization, please keep me in mind when you have an open spot inside of Candy’sDirt.com, I would prove a valuable asset.
Thanks for the stories!
Hi Tara: Thank you so much for the kind comment. It’s been fun getting to meet such nice people all over Dallas. Here’s hoping you have a good week. Thanks for the read.
Mimi, these articles are a delight to read. I love the story of the goats and look forward to more stories on them.
Thanks for adding some joy to our news day.
Thank you so much for the kind comments. I am having such a good time writing these stories. Thank you again.