Winfrey Point: Don’t Pave Paradise, And Put Up a Parking Lot!

The dispute between the Dallas City Council and White Rock Lake residents and supporters continues. The furor arose as a result of the City Council allowing the Dallas Arboretum to park cars at Winfrey Point at White Rock Lake, an area that contains several acres of protected Blackland Prairie grasses. Winfrey Point is part of a very unique and endangered ecosystem that is home to rare birds, plants and many animals. 

 Supporters of Save Winfrey Point gather to protest

This morning, a judge ruled against the defendants preventing them from constructing any permanent structures, but he did allow temporary parking at Winfrey Point and mowing of the area.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION!

You can click here to watch one of the TV news reports, and click here for Channel 5 NBC.

 A protestor makes her point - Save Winfrey Point!

Save Winfrey Point immediately arranged a protest and concerned residents and supporters gathered at Winfrey Point, as well as TV news crews and reporters. 

 The press converged on Councilman Sheffie Kadane upon
his arrival at the Winfrey Point protest

Sheffie Kadane, councilman for the area, arrived to address the gathering. He immediately assured concerned protestors that no mowing would take place this weekend, and that the Arboretum would not be parking cars in the area this weekend (the Chihuly exhibition starts this weekend). Kadane said he would do everything in his power to prevent the parking lot proposal going forward. The crowd was skeptical, but Councilman Kadane seemed sincere in his remarks.

 Councilman Sheffie Kadane (white shirt) addressing the gathering
at Winfrey Point, White Rock Lake, with Chris Herron.

Halfway through his address, one of the Save Winfrey Point supporters asked Mr. Kadane if he would wear a “Save Winfrey Point” t-shirt if he was given one. The councilman readily agreed, and sportingly squeezed into a t-shirt that was at least two sizes too small for him.

 Councilman Sheffie Kadane showing some solidarity with the
Save Winfrey Point supporters

 Ironically, the Dallas Little League erected the sign below at Winfrey Point.

 Do not pick wildflowers ... the city will mow them for you!

The supporters of Save Winfrey Point will be protesting outside the Dallas Arboretum tomorrow.

Hopefully, they will have the support of a portable stereo blaring out the more familiar cover version of Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows.

             Don't it always seem to go
          That you don't know what you've got
          'Til it's gone
          They paved paradise
          And put up a parking lot

Winfrey Point, White Rock Lake, Dallas to be used as a Parking Lot

Let’s state this categorically at the outset: we love and support the Dallas Arboretum. They are a HUGE attraction in Dallas, and they deserve their rock star status … BUT … hands off Winfrey Point! 

White Rock Lake is a gift that belongs to the people of Dallas. The objective is to conserve it, not pave it for a parking lot. Turning Winfrey Point into a parking lot is a totally absurd idea.

 This endangered ecosystem is home to birds, plants and
all kinds of animals

If ever there was a situation that epitomized the 1970's Joni Mitchell song, Big Yellow Taxi, this is it.

It would appear that the takeover of Winfrey Point is part of a larger planned expansion of the Dallas Arboretum and the opening of the children’s interactive education park in 2013.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION!

Whilst we will always remain huge fans and support the Dallas Arboretum, we believe that they need to exploit all options for a creative solution to the problem, and Winfrey Point should not be part of the solution.

The Issue

The Dallas Arboretum has run out of parking space for special events.

Without any consultation with residents or concerned citizens, the Dallas Parks Board recently authorized parking in the Texas Lone Star Land Steward prairie grass and wildflower areas on Winfrey Point at White Rock Lake.

Winfrey Point is located on the east side of White Rock Lake, the “crown jewel” of the Dallas parks system. It is the site of many cultural, athletic and community events and contains several acres of protected Blackland Prairie grasses. This is a very unique and endangered ecosystem that is home to rare birds, plants and many animals. 

 Protected native tallgrass prairie at Winfrey Point

Dallas Parks have won a Texas Land Steward award for their efforts to protect and preserve this prairie.

The prairie is a diverse ecosystem of mainly native grasses and flowering plants with prairie wildlife, soil, and geology all playing important roles. Texas used to have 20 million acres of beautiful tallgrass prairie. Today, there is less than 1%, and losses are still occurring due to plowing, improper overgrazing, and development.

Now this incredible resource, and specifically the area around Winfrey Point, is in danger of becoming a parking lot!

What YOU can do about it

We should be getting back to nature, not deliberately destroying it. YOU can help Save Winfrey Point so that all may enjoy the natural beauty at White Rock Lake. 

Voice your opinion by:

• Signing the petition to save Winfrey Point, and by 
• Contacting the officials who are in favor of destroying the Blackland prairie at Winfrey Point and/or those who are able to help stop this from going forward.

Maybe the protestors and supporters of Save Winfrey Point should use Big Yellow Taxi as their call to battle.

We will let Joni Mitchell have the last word:

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
'Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Note

Counting Crows had a huge hit with Big Yellow Taxi in 2002 and consequently it is the more famous version.