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May 4, 2012
Here is the latest edition of Week In Review - a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on events at City Hall. A list of links for stories in this edition is available at the bottom of the page.
Cottonwood Art Festival to Take Place This Weekend
The Cottonwood Art Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday in Cottonwood Park. The free event includes a juried art show, live music, art and craft activities and food.
The festival is the premier fine arts event in North Texas and attracts artists from throughout the country to display and sell their artwork. The featured artist is Mark Keller, whose oil paintings have been displayed in galleries throughout the United States and the United Kingdom.
Cottonwood Art Festival’s hours of operation have been extended this year, to 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
Live music will include Denton-based Brave Combo, who will perform 5:15-8 p.m. Saturday. The two-time Grammy winners perform an eclectic mix of music and have recorded for numerous movies and television shows.
Click the link below for more information about the Cottonwood Art Festival:
http://www.cottonwoodartfestival.com
Follow the Cottonwood Art Festival for Live Updates This Weekend
The Cottonwood Art Festival will provide live updates on musical performances, artists and activities throughout the weekend on both Facebook and Twitter. This is the first community event that will be covered live on City social media channels.
Click the links below to like the Cottonwood Art Festival on Facebook and to follow Cottonwood on Twitter:
http://www.facebook.com/CottonwoodArtFestival
http://twitter.com/CAFRichardson
Breckinridge Park Multi-Agency Recreation Center Feasibility Study
The City Council held a joint meeting with the Murphy City Council on Monday to discuss a feasibility study for a new recreation center proposed for Breckinridge Park in eastern Richardson. The two cities are considering whether to build and operate the center together.
The study so far has analyzed feedback from more than 250 people who attended a community meeting about amenities they would like to see offered at a future facility. Next steps include assessing funding opportunities and refining the amenities that would be included.
The area surrounding Breckinridge Park is considered underserved by recreation opportunities and a partnership between Richardson and Murphy would allow for extra amenities to be included in the recreation center while also saving money. Breckinridge Park's master plan for the future includes a recreation center to one day be built on the site. Its close proximity to the cities of Murphy, Garland, Plano and Sachse make it a good candidate for possibly creating a jointly funded facility. So far, Murphy and Richardson are the only two communities currently working together to create the project, but it is hoped that others may also come on board.
Construction and operating costs for a future facility will depend on the level of amenities that are added. Both cities agree that creating unique activities would create the most benefit to try to attract residents and other additional partners for the project. The City of Richardson anticipates that funding for a joint facility would need to be supported by a future bond program that would have to be approved by voters.
Click the links below to watch the City Council discussion:
http://richardsontx.swagit.com/e/04302012-518/#3
http://richardsontx.swagit.com/e/04302012-518/#4
CPC Recommends Approval of Movie Theater in Heights Shopping Center
The City Plan Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of a seven-screen movie theater in the Richardson Heights Shopping Center at Belt Line Road and Central Expressway.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas would be a movie grill type of theater that serves dinner to patrons while they watch movies. The theater could be a potential catalyst for the shopping center, which was built in the late 1950s and early 1960s and has been a focus of revitalization efforts by the City and property owners.
A City Council public hearing on the project is scheduled for May 14.
Click the links below to watch the CPC public hearing:
http://richardsontx.swagit.com/e/05012012-697/#5
http://richardsontx.swagit.com/e/05012012-697/#6
http://richardsontx.swagit.com/e/05012012-697/#7
Eisemann Center Named in Top 25 Entertainment Venues by DBJ
The Eisemann Center was recognized in last week’s edition of the Dallas Business Journal (DBJ) as one of the Top 25 entertainment centers in the Metroplex.
Venues were rated according to attendance in 2011, and more than 186,000 people attended concerts and other performing arts events at the Eisemann Center last year.
D Magazine “Best of Big D” Voting Will End May 6
Wildflower! Richardson's Arts and Music Festival, the Cottonwood Arts Festival and the Eisemann Center are nominated for D Magazine’s 2012 Best of Big D Readers’ Choice awards. Community support will help to gain exposure throughout the Metroplex for two of Richardson’s major community events and the City’s performing arts center. Winners will be published in D’s August 2012 issue.
Voting in the Culture category will end Sunday. Visit www.dmagazine.com/bestofbigd2012 to cast your vote. Each person can vote once a day.
Police Explorers Receive State Honors
The Richardson Police Department Explorers won awards at the 2012 Texas State Law Enforcement Explorer Competition last weekend in Waxahachie.
RPD Explorer Capt. Cheyenne Packard was named the 2012 State of Texas Explorer of the Year. The team also won second place in the Intoxicated Driver competition and third place in Crisis Negotiation, Active Shooter and Physical Agility – Male Advisor.
The Explorers were recognized at a banquet held last night at the Civic Center.
Pictured from left: Explorer Jesus Benitez, Explorer Sgt. Joshua Gonzalez, Police Chief Jim Spivey, Explorer Sgt. Luke Barton and Explorer Capt. Cheyenne Packard
Visit the RPD Explorers website for more information: http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=573
Galatyn Overpass Construction Lane Closure Changes
This week, the inside (left) lane on the southbound Central Expressway frontage road closed to allow for the next phase of construction on the Galatyn Parkway extension project. The lane closure will be in effect throughout most of this year.
Traffic may be periodically reduced to one southbound lane as construction continues. In addition, the speed limit on the frontage road has been reduced to 35 mph to protect the safety of construction workers.
Preparation Under Way for Heights Park Bond Projects
As the City prepares to begin construction on the new Heights Recreation and Aquatics Centers, Oncor is working to relocate nearby utility poles.
According to Oncor they are planning to begin their electrical distribution line work May 9 and will be complete no later than July 20. There will be some traffic lane disruption along both Floyd Road and Arapaho Road during the course of this work, but not the entire time.
Construction on a new recreation center and pool to replace the current facilities is expected to begin May 16.
Rendering of the new Heights Recreation Center
New Dine Smart Dine Local Website Launches
The Richardson Convention & Visitors Bureau this week launched a new Dine Smart Dine Local website that includes an interactive map of restaurants in the City and a search feature to filter restaurants in a variety of ways. You can also sign up for a weekly e-mail to have Restaurant of the Week discounts and offers sent directly to you.
Dine Smart Dine Local is a joint initiative between the Richardson Chamber of Commerce and the Richardson Convention & Visitors Bureau to increase local and regional awareness of Richardson restaurants by offering money-saving discounts and offers to Richardson’s residents, corporate residents and visitors.
Click the link below for information about Dine Smart Dine Local:
http://www.cor.net/dsdl
May Richardson Today and Summer Recreation Guide has Been Mailed
The May edition of Richardson Today began arriving in mailboxes this week. The latest edition focuses on Wildflower! Richardson’s Art and Music Festival and also includes a story about revised Stage 3 water conservation measures. The May edition also includes the 2012 Summer Parks and Recreation Guide.
Richardson Today is mailed to every residence in the City and is also available at the Heights and Huffhines recreation centers, the Senior Center, City Hall and at the Richardson Public Library. A Richardson Today interactive edition is also accessible through the City’s homepage located at www.cor.net. Ask your local mail carrier if you live in the City and do not receive your copy of Richardson Today.
Click the link below to read the latest edition of Richardson Today, as well as archived editions:
http://cor.net/index.aspx?page=148
Taiwanese American Heritage Week Performance Scheduled for May 9
To celebrate Taiwanese American Heritage Week, the City is hosting a free performance presented by the Da-Guan Dance Theatre and the Department of Dance at the National Taiwan University of Arts.
The performance is being presented in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of International Business Development and the Richardson Chamber of Commerce. It will take place 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. May 9 at the Grand Hall of the Civic Center.
Get Help at Library Downloading Digital Books
The Library will offer a "Digital Drop-In" service to help with downloading Library eBooks, from 10 a.m. to noon every Saturday in May. Bring your Library card, your Kindle, Nook, iPad, Android or other digital device to the second floor of the Library to learn how to borrow from the Library's growing collection of eBooks. No registration is required. For more information call 972-744-4350.
Eastside will host Elvis in the Park Concert Saturday
Eastside at Richardson will host an evening of music with Elvis Presley tribute artist Kraig Parker. The free event will take place 5-9 p.m. Saturday in the amphitheater area of Eastside, located at the intersection of Campbell Road and Central Expressway.
Richardson Animal Shelter Pet of the Week
Meet the Richardson Animal Shelter’s Pet of the Week on the Shelter’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RichardsonAnimalShelter. You’ll see details about the adoptable animal and find out how you can take the pet to your own home. The Shelter Facebook page also has photos of other animals available for adoption and information about upcoming events at the Shelter.
Dough Boy--Pet of the Week
Related Links
City Council videos: http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=752
City Council agenda: http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=1006
City Council meeting documents: http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=1329
Find Richardson Today on Facebook and Twitter.
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