Photo by Danny Fulgencio
The Dallas parks department, along with all the others under the umbrella of “quality of life,” took severe budget cuts in 2008.
Now that the city is working with its biggest budget in history — $2.81 billion — Parks and Recreation would receive a $3.2 million increase in the proposed 2014-2015 proposed budget. Some of that money would go toward increasing hours at rec centers.
The Lake Highlands North Recreation Center is one of many that would be open until 5 p.m. on Saturdays instead of closing at 2. The proposed new hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 2-7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.
The Willie B. Johnson Recreation Center is one of six that would be closed on Saturdays. That center’s hours would not increase, but it would be open until 9 p.m. one day a week. The proposed new hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; noon- p.m. Tuesday and 2-7 p.m. Friday.
Harry Stone Recreation Center would be open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 2-7 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m.-5 pm. Saturday.
The Ridgewood-Belcher Recreation Center would be open five more hours a week. The proposed new hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 2:30-6:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.
Parks department chief Willis Winters told City Council last week that the department learned to do more with less after the budget cuts. Each rec center director is in charge of two centers, for example.
Winters also found $35,000 in the budget to provide wireless internet service to all rec centers that didn’t already have it.
