Park News

Dallas' Crawford Memorial Park receives $1.5M grant for upgrade

Crawford Memorial Park

dallasparks.org

A park in southeast Dallas received a million-dollar-plus grant from the state of Texas: Crawford Memorial Park, located at 8700 Elam St., was awarded a $1.5 million Urban Recreation Grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), which will go towards a comprehensive improvement project executed by the city of Dallas.

The Dallas Park and Recreation Board voted to accept the funding at a meeting on November 7. It will help fulfill a plan to improve the park that has been on the city's agenda since at least 2018.

Established in 1964, Crawford Memorial park currently includes gardens, paved trails, a playground, athletic fields, and courts. It's also a part of the City of Dallas trails system. Its unique environmental characteristics include a 266.2 acres with 27 acres of black land prairie, 49 acres of post oak savannah, the 1.4 mile-long Prairie Creek, and an Austin chalk escarpment area with exposed outcroppings.

The park is also designated as a signature park — a regional attraction and landmark that's part of the city's park system.

Improvements will include an all-abilities inclusive playground; picnic sites with shade; exercise complex, restrooms, outdoor furnishings, signage, and parking lot resurfacing at Prairie Creek Drive.

A 12-foot-wide, 0.95-mile hard-surface trail will connect the new amenities to existing pathways that feature two pedestrian bridges, one of which spans Elam Road.

The total budget for the project is $7,632,933, which includes funding from the grant and the 2017 bond program. Dallas Park and Recreation will oversee the design and construction.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant. It will not be used to just fund a project. It’s an investment in this park and our entire park system. Parks bring people from all walks of life and from all areas throughout the city to get fit, stay healthy, socialize, and relax," said Dallas Park and Recreation Department director John D. Jenkins.

“This grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife will help provide these additional amenities that will not only serve the local community, but the city as a whole," said Dallas City Council Member Jaime Resendez of District 5, in whose disrict the park is located.

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Election News

Dallas decriminalizes marijuana and other election results

Redheaded Blackbelt

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Dallas voted to decriminalize marijuana among the results of the November 5, 2024, election. Other measures included 18 propositions, a presidential election, plus votes on Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.

Figures are from the Dallas County election results which were last updated on Wednesday, November 6, 2:34:56 AM as follows:

National elections
Dallas County voted solidly blue with results that differed greatly from the actual outcome of the elections, as follows:

President: In Dallas County, Kamala Harris won with 497,992 votes (59.72%) vs. Donald Trump, who earned 316,416 votes (37.94%).

Senate: In Dallas County, Colin Allred won with 517,894 votes (62.88%) vs. Ted Cruz, who earned 285,726 votes (34.69%).

U.S. House of Representatives

District 5: Ruth Torres (D) won with 69,046 votes (51.29%) vs. Lance Gooden (R) who earned 65,579 votes (48.71%).
District 6: John Love III (D) won with 19,846 votes (50.94%) vs. Jake Elizey (R), who earned 19,111 votes (49%).
District 24: Beth Van Duyne (R) won with 74,601 votes (56.51%) vs. Sam Eppler (D) who earned 57,409 votes (43.49%).
District 30: Jasmine Crockett (D) won with 180,465 votes (85,24%) vs. Jamar Jefferson (Lib) who earned 31,244 votes (14.76%)
District 32: Julie Johnson (D) won with 117,053 votes (61%) vs. Darrell Day, who earned 69,928 votes (36.45%).
District 33: Marc Veasey (D) won with 56,713 votes (67.23%) vs. Patrick David Gillespie (R) who earned 27,645 votes (32.77%).

Marijuana
Voters approved the decriminalization of marijuana in Proposition R. Also known as the “Dallas Freedom Act” and spearheaded by Ground Game Texas, it prohibits the Dallas Police Department from making arrests or issuing citations for marijuana possession or considering the odor of marijuana as probable cause for search or seizure, except as part of a violent felony or high priority narcotics felony investigation, for those with four ounces or less of marijuana. The proposition got a high-profile endorsement from Willie Nelson.

Propositions
There were 18 proposed amendments to the Dallas city charter that included 14 from the Dallas City Council and four from resident petitions. Nearly all passed.

Proposition A: City of Dallas would contribute to the city’s employees’ retirement fund:
For 240,470 (68.74%) Against 109,365 (31.26%) - Total: 349,835

Proposition B: Add a preamble to the charter that declares the city to be an equitable democracy, comprised of representatives that act to make the city fair, equitable, just and safe for all residents.
For 261,727 (72.63%) Against 98,646 (27.37%) - Total: 360,373

Proposition C: Increase annual salary for the mayor to $110,000 (up from $80,000) and the annual salary for city council members to $90,000 (up from $60,000)
Against 210,409 (57.78%) For 153,729 (42.22%) - Total: 364,138

Proposition D: Shift city elections from May to new date.
For 231,096 (65.13%) Against 123,736 (34.87%) - Total: 354,832

Proposition E: Eliminate ability for city council members to run again after serving the maximum four two-year terms and eliminate the ability for the mayor to run for mayor again after serving the maximum two four-year terms.
For 250,932 (68.99%) Against 112,746 (31.01%) - Total: 363,578

Proposition F: Require city council to provide employees to the city secretary and city auditor.
For 237,526 (67.62%) Against 113,724 (32.38%) - Total: 351,250

Proposition G: Add eligibility criteria for serving on the city’s redistricting commission.
For 247,680 (70.75%) Against 102,394 (29.25%) - Total: 350,074

Proposition H: Eliminate the requirement that members of the redistricting commission, city plan commission, civil service board, and park and recreation be registered to vote, qualified voters or qualified taxpaying citizens.
For 186,225 (52.22%) Against 170,402 (47.78%) - Total: 356,627

Proposition I: Extend deadline to collect signatures for initiative and referendum ordinances from 60 to 120 days and reduce the number of signatures required on a petition from 10% of the qualified Dallas voters to 5%.
For 191,766 (54.76%) Against 158,410 (45.24%) - Total: 350,176

Proposition J: Allow the city council’s appointments to city boards and commissions to be replaced by city council prior to the completion of a member’s two-year term.
For 212,388 (61.39%) Against 133,550 (38.61%) - Total: 345,938

Proposition L: Make the city’s Inspector General appointed by the city council and outline the duties of the Inspector General.
For 239,521 (69.56%) Against 104,807 (30.44%) - Total: 344,338

Proposition O: Require associate municipal judges be residents of the city of Dallas within four months of the date of appointment and practicing attorneys in good standing; associate municipal judges must be appointed by the city council and receive assignments from the administrative judge or administrative judge’s designee.
For 277,116 (79.64%) Against 70,842 (20.36%) - Total: 347,958

Proposition P: Delete requirement that a city employee who appeals their firing or demotion pay half of the costs associated with the appeal hearing.
For 189,241 (54.69%) Against 156,774 (45.31%) - Total: 346,015

Proposition Q: Align city charter with city code or state law and better match what the city’s practices are now.
For 251,107 (72.9%) Against 93,355 (27.1%) - Total: 344,462

Proposition R: Decriminalize possession of marijuana for those with four ounces or less.
For 242,241 (66.51%) Against 121,999 (33.49%) - Total: 364,240

Proposition S: One of three controversial propositions from Dallas HERO group allows any resident of Dallas to bring a lawsuit against the city to require the city to comply with provisions of the city charter, city ordinances, and state law. It also waives the city’s governmental immunity from suit and liability in claims brought under the amendment.
For 197,523 (55.04%) Against 161,329 (44.96%) - Total: 358,852

Proposition T: One of three controversial propositions from Dallas HERO group requires the city to conduct a city-commissioned community survey each year of a minimum of 1,400 Dallas residents that results in either the city manager earning a performance-based pay raise or the city manager’s firing.
Against 198,769 (55.27%) For 160,858 (44.73%) - Total: 359,627

Proposition U: One of three controversial propositions from Dallas HERO group has two elements: Dedicate at least 50% of new revenue each year to fund the Dallas Police and Fire Pension. Require Dallas to maintain a force of at least 4,000 police officers and increase starting pay for officers.
For 183,450 (50.52%) Against 179,658 (49.48%) - Total: 363,108

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