A Note from Patrick Sanders, UCPID Executive Director
October 2018
It's October and time to make your pumpkin patch, Halloween and festival plans! It's a good thing you can get ALL of this in your University Crossing neighborhood! Stop by Central Market on Lovers Lane or Kroger to pick up your perfect pumpkin, grab a Halloween costume at Uptown Cheapskate and stop by the Mockingbird Music Festival at Mockingbird Station on Friday nights in October.
The pedestrian bridge over Mockingbird Lane ("Bridge") is a tremendous asset for the University Crossing community, and I hope everyone has enjoyed it. Serving as an advocate for our community, the University Crossing Public Improvement District ("UCPID") maintains close contact with the City of Dallas ("City"). To that end, please contact us if you have any suggestions on how to improve your experience on the Bridge, particularly as it relates to maintenance and security.
As noted last month, the UCPID Board of Directors funded a Design Plan for pedestrian lighting along the portion of the trail that runs through our community. In September, we hosted a "Kick-off" meeting with our engineering consultant, City officials, TXDOT, Oncor and several UCPID Board members to outline any development obstacles. This is an exciting step for pedestrian lighting in our community, and the UCPID will provide updates as the project proceeds.
Welcome to the University Crossing Trail! The UCPID is proud to announce a name change, for the trail in our community! Last month, Dallas Park and Rec formally changed the name of the trail, from the Ridgewood Trail to the University Crossing Trail. The name change will only affect the portion of the trail that runs from Glencoe Park in the south, to SMU Blvd. in the north, and Skillman St. to the east. As part of the name change, the UCPID will replace the trail markers, in the affected area, and we will examine other improvements we can add to the trail. We would like to thank City staff for their assistance with the name change and we are grateful for their partnership.
We continue to provide ongoing maintenance to our neighborhood. To reduce litter in our community, the UCPID installed three (3) new custom trash receptacles, along SMU Blvd. Furthermore, at the UCPID's request, DART installed an additional trash receptacle, along Mockingbird Ln., to help reduce litter along the street. The UCPID appreciates DART's timely response to our request, and we hope these receptacles will help reduce litter in our community.
We encourage you to take part in some of the UCPID's ongoing programs. For example, The UCPID sponsors live music every Saturday evening, at 6pm, at Mockingbird Station near the Angelika Theater with the Music on Mockingbird program.
The UCPID also offers a Lunch & Learn program, where a Dallas Police officer can visit your residence or business and offer "Best Practices" related to calling 911, motor vehicle safety, and more. If you are interested in scheduling a Lunch & Learn at your property, please contact us at the email below. Furthermore, to supplement our Lunch & Learnprogram, the UCPID has developed a Resource Guide, which is free to all citizens. This guide is designed to provide "Helpful Hints" related to such topics as: When to Call 911, Crime Watch Tips, Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety, and how to obtain a Criminal Trespass Affidavit. If you would like a copy of the Resource Guide, please let us know.
The fall weather is a perfect for you to take advantage of the UCPID bike share program developed by Mockingbird Station and the UCPID. These bikes are free for the first three (3) hours of riding, and if you return the bike to any station in this network, before the three (3) hours is up, the clock will reset. Stations are located near:
1) the Highland Hotel (along the trial);
2) Mockingbird Station;
3) 6060 Building;
4) the Shelby (near Twisted Root); and
5) the Meadows Building
For more information about where the stations are located and how to use these bikes, you can visit our landing page at: http://bike.zagster.com/mockingbirducpid/.
Thank you for your support, and if you have any suggestions on how to improve our community, I welcome your input.
Patrick Sanders
UCPID Executive Director