Neighborhood News

CANA Storm Drain Marking Event

Pictured from left to right:  Carol Taylor, Harry Swanson, Luke Kachiros, Anthony Kachiros, Debbie Shaw, Jordan
Edwards, Martha Quigley, Preston Wilms, Christina Smith, little Mac Wilms, Adam Ozier.

Not pictured: Stefani Micheau

 

The Claremont Addition Neighborhood Association (CANA) and its members participated in a Storm Drain marking event in conjunction with the City of Dallas.  Adam Ozier, a CANA member, organized this environmental event for our neighborhood which took place on Saturday October 12, at 9:00 am.

 

Congratulations!  11 neighborhood volunteers participated, and together we marked 71 storm drains! 

 

Judy Schmidt with the City of Dallas’ Office of Environmental Quality was on-hand to educate us on the importance of keeping our storm drains clean.   

Stormwater, which is rainwater or runoff from private and public properties, washes down storm drains located along the curbs of our streets. The purpose of these storm drains is to transport water out of the streets during heavy rain events, thus mitigating neighborhood flooding. Trash, debris, grass clippings, yard waste, and other solid materials can quickly clog these storm drains diminishing their ability to remove the rising waters from our streets.

The environmental impacts, however, are even more concerning. These storm drains empty directly into our local creeks completely untreated, carrying with it toxic chemicals, oils, pesticides, fertilizers, trash, and other pollutants which harm the plants and animals that live in and around our creeks. They depend on these waterways for their survival and can only do so if the water is kept clean. The bigger picture: our local creeks feed into adjacent streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs which the citizens of Dallas rely upon for outdoor recreation and clean drinking water. 

The Claremont Addition neighborhood is blessed with a significant number of creeks, and the good news is stormwater pollution can be controlled if everyone plays their part – exercising responsible use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers in lawn and landscape maintenance; properly disposing of used oils and toxic materials; and keeping trash, debris, and pet waste out of the storm drains.

 

Our effort of marking storm drains throughout the Claremont area will remind people of the vital importance of those ubiquitous openings along our streets that so often get passed by without a thought.  Thank you to all the volunteers who made this possible!

Storm Drain Marker

CANA’s youngest help 2 yr old Mac

Yard of the Month for October 2024

October Yard of the Month goes to 8259 Claremont.

The Morgan-Martin family moved here in 2019 and has been steadily enhancing their landscaping. They have added native and adapted perennials to their yard like sages and herbs. I’m glad that I was able to catch some of their Fall Aster in peak bloom. They are excited about their two new peach trees.

As the temperature finally cools down, we’re getting into prime planting season. So feel free to holler at me if you have any questions.

Happy fall, y’all.

National Night Out – October 5, 4-7 pm

In case you’re sitting around with nothing to do next Saturday, come join us at our neighborhood’s 3rd annual National Night Out block party! Saturday October 5, from 4-7 pm on Claremont Drive between Telegraph Avenue and El Cerrito Drive.

It’s cooling down fast, it’s officially fall, and our 3rd annual Claremont Addition Neighborhood Association / National Night Out Block Party is on for next Saturday, Oct. 5, 4-7 pm.

Location: Claremont Drive between Telegraph Avenue and El Cerrito Drive.

Come out and get to know your neighbors! There will be music and a DJ, a cakewalk with delicious cakes as prizes, pumpkin and face painting, a bounce house, and food trucks! Dallas Police Officers and Firefighters will make guest appearances in their firetrucks, squad cars and (maybe) even a helicopter!

  • BYOB for grownups.
  • BYOLC (bring your own lawn chair).
  • Leashed pets welcome.

Baked Goods Needed for Cakewalk at Block Party
Please consider baking or donating a cake, pie, cupcakes, cookies or other baked goods as prizes for our fund-raiser cakewalk at the block-party. Our goal is to collect as many baked goods as possible to ensure that every cakewalk participant has a chance to win. No quantity is too small or too large – every contribution gratefully appreciated!

To bake or donate a cake or other baked goods, click here to volunteer or scan the QR code below!

All these links take you to the same sign-up sheet. Scroll down to “Donate or Bake a Cake” to sign up. If you’re more of a phone or email person, please contact Dixie or Chris directly:

More Block Party Volunteers Needed!

  • Set Up Crew – 2 – 4 pm.  Help set up tables and chairs, trash cans, traffic barriers, etc. (1 more volunteer needed.)
  • Sign In Table – 3:45-5:00 pm. Register attendees. (1-hour shifts) (2 more volunteers needed.) .
  • Tear Down Crew  – 7 – 8 pm  Dispose of trash and pack up tables and chairs and other equipment. (2 more volunteers needed.).
  • Bounce House Monitors – Keep an eye on children as they have fun bouncing. – 3:45 – 7 pm (1-hour shifts) (1 more volunteer needed.)
  • Floaters – Help out as needed. –   3:45 – 8 pm (1-hour shifts) (1 more volunteer needed.)
  • Cakewalk Assistants – Help run cakewalks by selling tickets and calling out numbers – 4 – 7 pm – (1-hour shifts) (3 more volunteers needed.)

Click to volunteer or contact Chris Garcia: 214-606-1860, email: [email protected]

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Traditionally it has been held on the evening of the first Tuesday in August. Since it is so hot in Texas that time of the year, a few years ago, CANA (along with a lot of other Texan communities) shifted the date to October when it is cooler. We hold our celebration on Saturday so that that our families can relax and enjoy the evening without worrying about school or work in the morning.

Best regards,

Your 2024 CANA Block Party Team:

  • Dixie Kachiros – Cakewalk Coordinator
  • Christina Garcia – Volunteer Coordinator
  • Alyson Black
  • Robert Brown
  • Denver Dekkers
  • Michelle Dekkers
  • Maranda Diener
  • Chanley Dollgener
  • Susannah Garza
  • Jaime Hochhausen
  • Cindy Lewis
  • Vikki J. Martin
  • Adam Ozier
  • Debbie Shaw
  • Christina Smith
  • Preston Willms

Yard of the Month for September 2024

Better late than never.

September Yard of the Month goes to 2311 Greenland. Michelle has made Claremont her home since 1981.

I wanted to showcase a yard that is thriving in the heat and full sun. Her zinnias, celosia, impatiens, Texas sage, and elephant ears are doing just that. When the zinnias are done for the season, she collects the seeds for next year.

Yard of the Month for August 2024

August Yard of the Month goes to the Bermudez family at 8065 Claremont Dr.
They have been here since 1997 and have made a beautiful home for themselves.

The pink pentas and mandevilla compliment the red accents on their home nicely. Their white rock mulch along the foundation goes great with the white trim and really brightens up the shade from their mature trees.

Rock mulch is a good option for high traffic areas in the shade where it is difficult to maintain turf but should be avoided in full sun because it retains heat and increases soil temperature.

Yard of the Month for July 2024

July’s Yard of the Month goes to Tony and Nick at 2371 Greenland.

Their stunning red oak provides deep shade that took a little trial and error to find the right plant for their foundation planting.

They suggest just try things and see what works.

Variegated aucuba shrubs provide a great pop of color in the shade and require almost no maintenance. Aucuba isn’t native here but is well adapted to our wild weather and isn’t considered invasive.

They also brighten up the shade with colorful containers, furniture, and front door.

Yard of the Month for May 2024

May’s Yard of the Month goes to 8105 Claremont Dr.

The formal plantings and high contrast color scheme make this home and garden really pop.

Maintaining such a tidy yard is no small feat and this dedicated gardener can often be seen pulling weeds after work still in her scrubs.

She recommends trimming shrubs and groundcover in the spring to encourage new growth.

Yard of the Month for April 2024

Connor and Mallory Hill moved to Claremont in 2017. Their yard includes a stunning mature red oak and a tidy perennial garden. Low maintenance is key when you have to squeeze in yard work while wrangling two young children.