Highland Neighborhood Association June 2021 Meeting: Cancelled

Hi all,

I just wanted to let you all know that the HNA’s June meeting is cancelled. Too many board members are out of town or otherwise engaged. We’ll reconvene in September. I have a few things I’d like you to know about, though.

Waller Creek clean up initiative

HNA has started talking with the North Loop Association about the state of Waller Creek. They’ve begun an initiative with their association to do regular cleanups of the creek. We are going to start working with them to begin cleanups of our part of the creek, hopefully by fall. Our first step is to get CapMetro, who owns the right-of-way along the train tracks along Airport, to do a “professional” trash removal of that branch of the creek—the garbage that’s in there now is beyond a group of volunteers’ abilities to remove. But once they’ve done a preliminary cleanup, we’ll start scheduling regular cleanup events along Waller Creek in our neighborhood. I’ll keep you posted.

St. Johns and I35

It looks like most of the work on that intersection has been completed, including the new turning lane onto the frontage road from Huntland. They’ve even expanded the bike lanes on St Johns. As for the crime situation up there, it’s felt a bit calmer lately. We’ll see if it sticks. I do enjoy the calming classical music the 7-11 broadcasts now…

Yellow line at Crestview Station/Ryan Drive development

I attend an event at Blackstar Coop last week on the development of the Yellow line down Lamar and the expansion of Crestview Station. The consensus really does seem to be that the existing rail line that crosses Lamar will be buried (or raised), which would really do wonders for that intersection by removing the gates. Everyone I’ve talked to prefers that to building and overpass for the Yellow line (where riders get on and off the train from a raised platform). If you haven’t already, sign up for coucilman Vela’s newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/666ffd4f92c6/district4. I finally got to meet him in person and he’s a really nice, communicative guy, and very accessible.

HNA Picnic

We had our first annual HNA potluck picnic last month at Highland Neighborhood Park. It was great meeting new people and and old friends. It was warm, but the oaks kept us in the shade. I do hope you can make the next one. Maybe we’ll do another in the fall…

Anyway, that’s all for now. Best, Nick Pellicciotto, HNA President