March 14, 2025

This 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 municipal events. If you would like to sign up to receive this in a weekly e-mail click here.

Throughout the year, the City Council or City Plan Commission will hold meetings on topics of significant interest to local neighborhoods or the community in general. Links to view all City Council or City Plan Commission meeting documents that may have topics of interest to you can be found here:

City Council | City Plan Commission

City, CBRE Seek Proposals for Redevelopment of Arapaho Center Station
Real estate services and investment firm CBRE and the City of Richardson have partnered to release a Solicitation Notice seeking innovative proposals related to the redevelopment of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)’s Arapaho Center Station. Richardson is seeking a private development partner to develop a transit-oriented, mixed-use development on the 14.47-acre property.

Arapaho Center Station is one of several transit-oriented development projects that DART is executing to reinvigorate stations throughout the metroplex. DART and the City’s partnership entrusts the City with the stewardship of its development and selection of a suitable development partner to execute the City’s vision and augment DART’s services through the development of the site.

The site is a key gateway to the Richardson Innovation Quarter (The IQ®), home to more than 1,000 businesses with over 19,000 workers. Plans for the mixed-use development are intended to complement Richardson’s thriving business landscape, enhance public transit access, and introduce innovative residential, retail and commercial opportunities that solidify the Arapaho Center Station as a catalyst for the City and region.

More information/forms for proposals: www.ArapahoCenterStation-rfp.com

Blue Recycling Bag Letters Have Been Mailed; Should Hit Mailboxes Soon
Richardson’s annual Blue Bag letter was mailed to all residents today and should be arriving in mailboxes soon. The letter may be redeemed for two rolls of blue recycling bags (52 bags total). Through the Blue Bag program, residents may conveniently combine all their recyclable materials into one bag, which can be placed out for weekly pickup service.

Blue Bag letters are distributed annually during the spring season to inspire the community to actively participate in recycling—the City Council is dedicated to championing recycling and encourages everyone to learn what to recycle, utilize the free bags and contribute to our shared community goal to increase recycling participation.

Letters may be redeemed at the following locations (note that past years’ letters do not expire and may also be redeemed):

• City Hall, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Suite 525
• City Hall Annex, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Suite 550
• Heights Recreation Center, 711 W. Arapaho Rd.
• Huffhines Recreation Center, 200 N. Plano Rd.
• Library, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Suite 500
• Service Center, 1260 Columbia Dr.

More information: www.cor.net/recycling

Free Leak Detection Kits Available Beginning Monday
Next week, Richardson is celebrating Fix a Leak Week, an EPA WaterSense program, to bring attention to water waste in the home and encourage residents to check for leaks and drips. From March 17-23, free toilet leak detection tablet packs will be distributed at several city facilities.

Did you know that a toilet leak can waste more than 200 gallons of water a day and is one of the largest water wasters in a home? Although you can usually hear a running toilet, some toilet leaks are silent.

Pick up leak detection packs during normal business hours through March 23 at the following facilities, while supplies last (note that the packs do not require any special tools, just follow the instructions with the tablets in order to detect a leak):

• Richardson Service Center, 1260 Columbia Dr.
• Heights Recreation Center, 711 W. Arapaho Rd.
• Huffhines Recreation Center, 200 N. Plano Rd.
• Senior Center, 820 W. Arapaho Rd.

More information: Fix a Leak Week | US EPA

One More Week to Enter Wildflower! Budding Talent Vocal Competition
Registration closes at midnight Friday, March 21 for the Wildflower! Budding Talent Vocal Competition Auditions, to be held Sunday, April 6 at the Richardson Senior Center. The chosen finalist in each of five categories, ranging from Seedlings (K-2nd grade) to Wildflowers! (11th-12th grade), will perform on the Singer/Songwriter Stage in the Eisemann Center during the Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival Sunday, May 18.

Contestants are required to sing one song from memory in front of the panel of judges and their age group peers, not exceeding three minutes. They may sing a cappella, bring a phone or iPad for musical accompaniment, accompany themselves on an acoustic instrument or bring an accompanist (with an instrument). Small vocal ensembles of 2-4 singers are eligible as well as soloists.

More information/application: Budding Talent Vocal Competition | Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival

No City Council Meeting Next Monday
Due to PISD Spring Break, there will be no City Council work session or meeting Monday, March 17. The City Council will next meet Monday, March 24 at 6 p.m.

www.cor.net/CityCouncil

Portion of Waterview Parkway to be Fully Closed Tomorrow; Detour Planned
Both northbound and southbound Waterview Parkway between Synergy Park Boulevard and Frankford Road is expected to be fully closed to traffic Saturday, March 15 from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. as asphalt replacement work takes place at the railroad crossing (part of the DART Silver Line Project). Northbound traffic will be detoured to eastbound Synergy Park Boulevard and southbound traffic will be detoured to southbound Coit Road. The work is expected to be complete by 9 p.m. that day.

Lane Closure Expected at Greenville/Polk Intersection in The CORE District
The right lane of northbound Greenville Avenue at Polk Street, extended 100 feet north and south of the intersection, may be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. as two utility poles are replaced. The work is expected to be complete by early September.

www.cor.net/projects

“Birding for Beginners” Nature Walk Tomorrow
Breckinridge Park (west side of the park near 3501 Moroney Dr. in south parking lot)
Fee: $5 per person (children under 18 attend free with a parent) (registration link: click here)
Saturday, March 15
8:30 a.m.

Go on an exciting and informative birding walk through Breckinridge Park led by a bilingual Texas Master Naturalist who is an experienced bird watcher—the walk will be narrated in both English and Spanish. The walk is a great opportunity to learn about the natural environment and the beautiful birds found in Richardson. Part of the City’s Urban Naturalist program.

Registration Now Open for City’s Annual “Easter Eggstravaganza”
Breckinridge Park Pavilions (Lot C), 2794 Brand Rd.
Fee: $10 per resident child; $12/non-resident child (registration link: click here)
Saturday, April 12
10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Bring a basket and join us for the City of Richardson Eggstravaganza! This is not your typical egg hunt—you’ll be “hoppin’ down the bunny trail” collecting eggs from various booths hosted by local community organizations! Other activities include story time with the Richardson Library, bounce houses, arts and crafts, and photos with the Easter Bunny. For ages 3-12.

Learn to Create a Butterfly Garden Tomorrow
City Council Chamber, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Ste. 525
(City Hall entrance and parking located near Plano Road/Greenville Avenue intersection)
Admission: Free
Saturday, March 15
1-2 p.m.

Dallas Master Gardener Janet Smith will show us how to create a butterfly garden in our gardens or outdoor spaces during this Library-sponsored event. Smith specializes in creating attractive landscapes that conserve natural resources and money, are good for the local ecology, and that attract bees, butterflies and birds. Free seeds available while supplies last. For adults and teens.

Smart Art! Tuesday Evening for Ages 9-12
Youth Services Storytime Room
Admission: Free (registration required; call 972-744-4358 to register or visit the YS Help Desk to register)
Tuesday, March 18
7-7:45 a.m.

Kids ages 9-12 are invited to get creative and learn something new as they explore different art tips, tricks, and techniques from around the world and throughout art history using a variety of artistic mediums.

At the Eisemann Center:

“Hip Hop Orchestra Experience featuring Ensemble Mik Nawooj” Tonight
Bank of America Theatre
Tickets: $25-$45 (tickets)
Friday, March 14
8 p.m.

Prepare to immerse yourself in the groundbreaking fusion of classical and hip-hop with the Hip Hop Orchestra Experience featuring Ensemble Mik Nawooj and members of the Plano East Senior High Orchestra and guest soloist Anna Fredericka Poppova. This electrifying production is not just a concert – it's a dance party and a journey through the underground scene reminiscent of New York’s hip-hop birthplace. Set in the new Eisemann Center Cabaret, come early to enjoy drinks and snacks before the show!

“Endless Summer” America’s Beach Boys Experience Tomorrow Night
Hill Performance Hall
Tickets: $55-$90 (tickets)
Saturday, March 15
7:30 p.m.

Have Fun Fun Fun and feel Good Vibrations with this Beach Boys experience featuring spot-on vocal renditions with perfect harmonies, talented musicians and excellent showmanship presented by Tribute Masters! Featuring some members who performed with The Beach Boys, you can ride waves of nostalgia as this six-piece show takes you on a musical journey to the fabulous 60s. The audience becomes an extension of the stage as they are included in irresistible sing-alongs.

Free Concert Sunday Afternoon: RCB Plays Pirate Classics
Hill Performance Hall
Admission: Free (General admission ticket required; reserve here)
Sunday, March 16
3 p.m.

The Richardson Community Band presents, “AARGH!”, a program of classics old and new with a pirate theme. Featured performer will be Richardson native and oboist Abby Hawthorne.

Anoushka Shankar Tuesday Night
Hill Performance Hall
Tickets: $70-$80 (tickets)
Tuesday, March 18
7:30 p.m.

With 30 years’ performance since her teenaged debut, 11 Grammy nominations and an Honorary Degree in Music from Oxford University under her belt, Anoushka Shankar has spent her career redefining the conventions of the sitar. Alongside a musical ensemble celebrated for their endless virtuosity, sensitivity and ear for improvisation, Shankar expands the vocabulary of her sitar, looping and bending sound to create a bold new Indo-futurist vision for her music.

Community Theater

“The Glass Menagerie” Opens at The Core Theatre Tonight 
518 W. Arapaho Rd., #115
Tickets: $15-$20 (Ticket link: click here)
March 14-30
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

In this award-winning 1944 play by Tennessee Williams, Amanda Wingfield is a faded remnant of Southern gentility who now lives in a dingy St. Louis apartment with her son, Tom, and her daughter, Laura, who has a physical handicap and debilitating shyness. The father has left home; Tom supports his mother and sister with a shoe-factory job he finds unbearable. When Amanda convinces Tom to bring home a “gentleman caller” from his workplace for Laura, the illusions that Tom, Amanda, and Laura have each created in order to make life bearable collapses.

Time to Plant Warm Season Flowers and other March Gardening Tasks
With weather expected to be sunny and mild this weekend, it’s a good time to plant warm season flowers, prune back overgrown ground cover, and remove winter damage from shrubs and other ornamentals. The Dallas County Master Gardeners Association (DCMGA) includes those recommendations in its list of March Garden Tasks available at the group’s website—here are a few more: 

• Divide and replant fall flowering plants such as asters and mums
• Plant cool season flowers such as daisies, dianthus and geraniums (mid to late March)
• Plant spinach, radishes, and lettuce, through mid-April
• Continue to protect tender plants from late freezes—the average date of “last freeze” in Dallas County is March 21-31

Remember that if you don’t mulch your leaves to be left on your lawn, you can place them in compostable bags and call the City’s BABIC service for collection. BABIC also picks up large piles of brush and tree limbs.

DCMGA Website: Click here
BABIC Information: www.cor.net/babic  BABIC request line: 972-744-4111

Ozone Season Has Begun; Know the Basics
Ozone season in North Texas began March 1 and lasts until Nov. 30, which means as temperatures rise, we can expect a larger number of high-level risk ozone days. Ground-level ozone forms when nitrogen oxides and/or volatile compounds combine with sunlight and intense heat—a harmful air pollutant that’s especially dangerous for people who have asthma or respiratory problems as well as young children. It’s not only important for high-risk groups to know about ozone, but everyone else needs to know about it, too, so they can help mitigate the problem.

When the Air Quality Index (often seen on local news and on weather apps) indicates weather conditions are going to create high-level-risk ozone days (those noted as Orange, Red or Purple), here are some steps everyone can take to minimize ozone:

• Conserve electricity
• Minimize vehicle idling
• Refuel after dusk
• Use sustainable ways to get around
• Use environmentally safe household products

More information: Air North Texas - Ozone Season: Know Before You Go
More information: Here Comes The Sun (and Smog) Ozone Season Begins

Enter Your Garden in the Richardson Woman’s Club Annual Garden Tour
The Richardson Woman’s Club is looking for gardens to be a part of its Annual Garden Tour. Scheduled for May 3, the annual event features 5-7 gardens throughout Richardson. If you have a garden you would like to be included, sign up at https://feedback.cor.gov/s/Garden-Tour-Yard/tt-JRa03 by March 17. For more information on the tour, visit www.rwctx.org.

911 Dispatcher ($54,223 - $75,309 Salary)
The Police Department is looking for an individual operate various telecommunications equipment, dispatch and deploy public safety units, notify other support services and provide pre-arrival emergency medical instructions. High school diploma or G.E.D. certificate required. CPR certification and Emergency Medical Dispatch certification (through IAED), TCOLE Basic Telecommunicator Proficiency Certificate and TX Telecommunicator License required, or must be obtained within one year of hire. Texas Driver’s License, Class C, required.

Heavy Equipment Operator ($48,661 – $66,831 Salary)
The Public Services Department has multiple job openings for Heavy Equipment Operator for individuals with experience operating heavy motorized equipment. Depending on department, a Class A or Class B Texas Commercial Drivers License will be required or obtained within 6 months.

Day Camp Counselor ($13.00/hr - $14.25/hr)
The Parks and Recreation Department is looking for individuals with experience working with children. Must be at least 16 years of age with CPR and First-Aid Certification required or obtained during job orientation.

www.cor.net/jobs

Pet of the Week

Meet Kaiser, a delightful 2-year-old German Shepherd with a heart full of sweetness. He carries a curious nature, always eager to explore his surroundings. His intelligence shines through in his ability to follow commands with precision. Kaiser is also a pro at walking on a leash, making him a perfect companion for those leisurely strolls in the park. Initially, he may seem a bit shy, but with a little patience and time, he warms up, revealing his charming personality. His adoption will not only bring happiness to your home but will also give him the loving family he deserves. 

For information about animals available for adoption, visit the Animal Shelter’s web page here.

City Council Links