Q. Will enforcement of the city sign ordinance in May pull the plug on all of the popular neon around town, such as the Centennial Liquor cowboy on Central Expressway? E.H., Dallas.
A. No, but some of the .neon signs may have to go. The ordinance, which was adopted in 1973 with the stipulation that it be enforced 10 years later, makes no specific mention of neon. Rather, it spells out restrictions concerning, among other things, size, projection and number of signs on business property, all in relation to the size of the business and the property, and the proximity to traffic. Certain extravagant neon signs that don’t otherwise comply with the code may be eligible for landmark status, which would designate them a community asset and keep them lit. Centennial is applying for landmark status and will probably receive it, which will place the tall Texan in the luminary company of downtown’s bright red Pegasus.
Q. Can you please tell me . why tor two blocks Cedar Springs Road and Turtle Creek Boulevard are the same street? M.D., Highland Park.
A. Cedar Springs Road runs south from Oak Lawn and makes a 90-degree turn to the right, hitting what appears to be Turtle Creek Boulevard. The road then continues as Cedar Springs under a railroad overpass and on toward downtown. But even the most observant driver would assume that the turn right would put him on Turtle Creek Boulevard, which runs south from Highland Park. Turtle Creek Boulevard passes the tricky intersection only to make its own abrupt right, two blocks later, turning up the hill at the site of the Mansion hotel and restaurant. The six mile stretch of Cedar Springs abruptly changes direction 24 times. Turtle Creek Boulevard was built to follow the winding creek.
Q. Are there any organ- ized women’s soccer teams in the Dallas area? I’m new to the area and want to get involved. J.B., Mesquite.
A. You’ve come to the . right place. There are four women’s soccer leagues in Dallas with more than 100 teams. An estimated 1,700 women in the Dallas area, ranging from age 18 to 50 plus, participate. And don’t think they bend the rules to protect the “weaker sex”; they play by the same rules as the professionals. The North Texas Women’s Soccer Association is the largest in the area, with 80 teams, but leagues are forming in Grand Prairie, Arlington and Fort Worth. For information, call the North Texas State Soccer Association at 458-8900.
Q. I heard that one of the . Dallas County Community Colleges offers a program in commercial music. I understand that the courses prepare students for writing and performing television and radio commercials. Is this true? A.P., Mesquite.
A. Cedar Valley College . offers an Associate’s Degree in Commercial Music. The course work, however, does not deal specifically with television and radio commercials. The word “commercial,” in this case, means any type of music performed for money. Dr. Mary Davidson, chairperson of the Division of Communications and Humanities at Cedar Valley, says that traditionally, music degrees were divided between conservatory programs and music education programs. Here, the college is attempting to introduce more practical aspects of the art, such as recording technology and retailing along with performing, composing and arranging. The program has been offered at Cedar Valley for six years. In that time, student enrollment has jumped from about 35 to 145.
Q. I’m very impressed with the landscaping at Las Colinas. Do the Las Col-inas developers have their own landscape company? If so, what is the name? J.P., Irving.
A.The developers, South- land Real Estate Resources Inc., have a landscape company called Las Colinas Landscape. The company takes care of all the public areas owned in Las Colinas and also all the buildings that are owned by Southland Real Estate. It is the responsibility of these landscape artists to keep Las Colinas in a perpetual blooming state (plantings are changed every season). So far, 240,000 pansies, 240,000 tulips, 30,000 chrysanthemums and 225,000 summer annuals have been planted on Las Colinas property. Owners of the buildings that are not owned by Southland Real Estate are responsible for keeping their own landscaping attractive.
Related Articles
Local News
In a Friday Shakeup, 97.1 The Freak Changes Formats and Fires Radio Legend Mike Rhyner
Two reports indicate the demise of The Freak and it's free-flow talk format, and one of its most legendary voices confirmed he had been fired Friday.
Local News
Habitat For Humanity’s New CEO Is a Big Reason Why the Bond Included Housing Dollars
Ashley Brundage is leaving her longtime post at United Way to try and build more houses in more places. Let's hear how she's thinking about her new job.
Sports News
Greg Bibb Pulls Back the Curtain on Dallas Wings Relocation From Arlington to Dallas
The Wings are set to receive $19 million in incentives over the next 15 years; additionally, Bibb expects the team to earn at least $1.5 million in additional ticket revenue per season thanks to the relocation.