H.R. No. 1259
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of the creation of
White Rock Lake in Dallas, and area residents are celebrating the
centennial of this treasured landmark; and
WHEREAS, City officials began to acquire land in the White
Rock Creek valley in 1907 in anticipation of creating a reservoir to
meet growing water supply needs in Dallas; water shortages in 1910
prompted the city to move forward with plans to build a dam on the
creek, and by 1911 the work was finished; the first water from the
lake was pumped into Dallas mains in 1913, and the lake was
determined to be at capacity the following year; and
WHEREAS, After Lake Lewisville in Denton County was completed
in 1929, White Rock Lake and the land surrounding it became a city
park, and sand was brought in to make a bathing beach; Dallas
residents soon discovered that the lake was an ideal place for
outdoor sports; and
WHEREAS, During the Depression, a Civilian Conservation
Corps unit was established at the lake, and the men stationed there
were responsible for planting many of the trees that line its shores
today; during World War II, the Army Air Corps used the CCC barracks
as an induction center and boot camp, and later it served as a
prisoner-of-war camp for German noncombatants captured in North
Africa; it was subsequently used to house an overflow of Southern
Methodist University students when many former soldiers were
attending college on the GI Bill after the war; and
WHEREAS, A drought in 1953 forced city officials to put the
lake back into service as a water supply, and it was never reopened
to swimmers; although the lake entered a period of decline in the
following years, a resurgence of interest took place in the 1970s,
when the first "Run the Rock" marathon was held and a hike and bike
trail was built; the abandoned bathhouse was converted into a
community center for the visual and performing arts in 1981; and
WHEREAS, Further improving White Rock's future prospects, a
collection of Dallas citizens formed For the Love of the Lake in
1995, and by 2001 the organization had 3,500 volunteers who did much
to clean and restore the area; a new leash-free dog park has been
added, and the lake today offers sailing, rowing, bird-watching,
and fishing opportunities as well as picnic areas, playgrounds, and
athletic facilities to more than two million visitors each year;
and
WHEREAS, District 9 City Council member Sheffield Kadane has
appointed a committee of Dallas citizens and lake stakeholders,
co-chaired by Darren Boruff and Reena Morris, to plan, coordinate,
and oversee more than 20 different events and activities related to
the Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration through the
cooperation of 20 different groups, including the City of Dallas
Park and Recreation Department, the Dallas Water Utilities, and the
Dallas Police Department; and
WHEREAS, The 2011 Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial
Celebration runs from March through June; serving as honorary chair
of the celebration is iconic city Realtor and former park and
recreation board member Ebby Halliday, who in 2011 also turned 100;
a golf tournament, a bike ride, a half marathon, a bass fishing
tournament, rowing sprint championships, and family fun weekends
are just a few of the many ways organizers are marking the occasion;
and
WHEREAS, For a century, White Rock Lake has contributed to
the quality of life in the city of Dallas and beyond as an important
water source and a beloved destination for leisure, solace, and
recreation, and it is indeed fitting to commemorate the rich
history of this urban oasis; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
creation of White Rock Lake in Dallas.
Sheets
Branch
Johnson
Flynn
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1259 was adopted by the House on April
21, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House