(Photo by Danny Fulgencio)
Dallas United Crew’s efforts to build a boat house to keep their expensive equipment secure began back in 2012, and at times, split the community. But last week, years of negotiating finally paid off when the Dallas City Council approved its request to build a “temporary” shelter on the bank of White Rock Lake.
“We are just thrilled and ecstatic,” DUC president Tammy Adams says.
The city is set to benefit from the deal as well. DUC will pay $6,200 in annual rent, funds that will go to maintain the lake, in addition to providing $25,000 in student scholarships each year. Adams says the group is already doing that, with $32,000 in scholarships passed out this year. The contract also requires DUC to host on-campus recruiting events at Dallas schools, and host community days where neighbors can give the sport a try.
The structure’s design will be subject to the approval of the Park and Recreation Department, but it will sit in the location of the old Snipes Club on East Lawther Drive, where the team currently keeps its boats stacked on trailers.
DUC’s contract is for five years, with two options for five-year renewals, meaning the “temporary structure” could be a piece of the neighborhood for at least 15 years. It’s a much different plan than the water-based option that neighbors and the White Rock Lake Task Force approved earlier this year, but it will keep the equipment safe from vandals, which was all DUC ever wanted, Adams says.
