The Alexander’s Village HOA turned a few heads in October when they arranged for mature Bradford Pear trees in the median of Walnut Hill to be removed. People from all over Lake Highlands who pass through the area near Abrams and Fair Oaks took to social media and Nextdoor.com (a few even messaged us here at the Advocate) demanding to know who was chopping down trees.
The removal was just Phase One of the larger project, expected now to be completed after the first of the year. Ten new Monterrey Oaks and six new Redbuds, provided free of charge by the Texas Trees Foundation, will replace the dying trees planted 30 years ago by the HOA. Gateway signage, similar to what’s planned on Skillman near Alamo Drafthouse, will be installed to announce drivers’ “arrival” into Lake Highlands.
The trees were removed at no charge by Dallas’ Public Works Urban Forestry division, and Kimley-Horn has created landscape design. The city’s MOWmentum Reforestation Program will reimburse half the HOA’s landscape expenses over the next 5 years, and the Dallas Parks Foundation is making a $2,500 grant and matching funds up to an additional $2,500.
Although the effort is being led by the neighborhood HOA surrounding the medians, members there stress that their work to create a welcoming gateway to Lake Highlands visitors and bolster this major east-west passageway used by large numbers of LH residents benefits the entire neighborhood.
If you’d care to make a tax-deductible donation to help complete the project, you may contribute online at the Dallas Parks Foundation here (specify Alexander’s Village HOA Median Project) or mail a check payable to Alexander’s Village HOA Median Project to Dallas Parks Foundation, 9450 Garland Road, Suite 381-117, Dallas TX, 75218.