Update on Better Block Planning and other News

BFOCer Doug Costin uploaded a video of our planning work for the Better Block project for the Oak Cliff Art Crawl. We have architects modeling the block now in SketchUp and will start showcasing some of the design changes here soon:

Our hope is to eventually work with our area high schools to model all of Pre-WWII North Oak Cliff in SketchUp, then see if the community can design renderings for better use of the public spaces. We’ll unveil more of that effort after the Art Crawl, but it will be an ongoing component of the Better Block event.

We’re also partnering with Denton Pedicab to have three pedicabs on site for the event. Also, the Seventh Street Murals are coming along nicely, and should be mostly complete by the opening of the event.

Camping by Bike, April 16th

(picture from RV-Roadtrips.com)

Fellow BFOC’er and leader of 75208 Colin Clarke, is heading up a campout touring ride on April 16th. Here’s the full description from Colin:

We are riding to the lake to camp for the weekend of April 16-18. This is touring practice. Our goal is to find what it takes for touring (& to have tons of fun). We will ride out & arrive Friday (4/16), camp Fri & Sat night (4/16-17), and ride back Sunday (4/18). No one will be packing up a car for us so bring what you need (It’s so close if anything important is forgotten call someone to bring it).

Check out the Facebook event here.

The map is located here. The ride leaves around 6pm starting in Oak Cliff and arriving at Cedar Hill State Park. Should be a ton of fun!

Pints for Paint a Success!

Go Oak Cliff was able to raise $3,500 at the Pints for Paint event at Eno’s new upstairs pub last Thursday night. The proceeds benefit the Seventh Street Mural Project which is being developed to help create a family friendly bike and pedestrian corridor along a street that is often tagged by graffiti and blight. The event organizers were on hand with council member Delia Jasso and Judge Juan Jasso for this awesome photo on a pedicab. Look for more pedicabs on the streets of North Oak Cliff during the Oak Cliff Art Crawl, which takes place April 10th and 11th and will include Make’s Urban Bazaar, Bolsa’s outdoor market, the Better Block art event, and more.

The Better Block Project

As part of the Oak Cliff Art Crawl several BFOCer’s along with Go Oak Cliff are creating a “living block” art installation, where we’ll be taking a car-centric four lane street with poor zoning and restrictive development ordinances, and convert it into a people-friendly neighborhood block. For two days only, we’ll install three pop-up businesses, including a coffee shop, flower store, and kids’ art studio and we’ll be bringing in historic lighting, outdoor cafe seating, and more. We’re working with the set design group, Shag Carpet, and have a team of artists, advocates, and residents all coming together to help pull the project together.

Currently, the city creates obstacles for businesses wishing to develop awnings, outdoor seating, live/work spaces, et al. This event is being developed to highlight the changes Dallas should focus on if it truly wants to compete with other major US cities.

Stay tuned for more details.

BFOC Presents: The Ninjas vs. Pirates Ride!

Pick a side, dress the part, and come join us on April 25th for the BFOC Ninjas vs Pirates themed ride! We’ll meet at Main Street Garden Park at 3:00pm and head out from there. (Details on the route coming soon.) Prizes will be awarded to the best dressed Pirate and Ninja!

Women’s Cycling Survey

(Image from Copenhagencyclechic.com)

The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Planners launched a survey earlier this month to gather womens’ thoughts on cycling. More from Renée Burke Jordan:

Survey results will offer a snapshot in time while furthering a lively discussion blossoming in the U.S., Canada and England. Why don’t – or do – women bicycle? The survey is open until May 15 to women and girls only, please. Preliminary results will be reported at the March 31 webinar. Click here to start the survey, which takes about 15 minutes to complete.

The free webinar on March 31st, “Writing Women Back into Bicycling,” continues the conversation with examples of cultures where women bicycle at rates similar to men, a review of survey results so far, and next steps that would encourage more women to cycle more places more often. Listen live from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. ET or access the archived webinar. Register here.

Exciting stuff, and definitely worth taking part in!

Eno’s New Upstairs Pub Soft Opening with Karaoke!

Come out this Thursday night (March 25th) from 6pm to 10pm and check out Eno’s brand new upstairs pub! This is a soft opening for one night only where you’ll get a chance to see the new space, enjoy incredible views of downtown, and sample free microbrewed beers. We’ll also be busting out the karaoke machine, so be sure to bring your friends and your singing voice. We’re asking for a suggested donation of $20 at the door, but even if you can only give $5, you’ll still be welcome. The funds are going to the incredible Seventh Street Mural Project which has been organized by members of BFOC in conjunction with the new non-profit Go Oak Cliff.

The Facebook Invite is here for anyone interested in more details. Hope to see you there!

Gold Sprints Competition

We’re getting this out a little late, but wanted to make sure everyone knew about the Gold Sprints Competition. Three locations and dates including:

3/22 at Lola’s in Fort Worth

3/30 at Rubber Gloves in Denton

and 4/22 at Doublewide in Dallas

Looks like Chrome is a sponsor, so there might be some cool accessories being given out to the winners.

Free Chrome Shoes. Hurry!

(per www.trackosaurusrex.com)

In an attempt to let the world know how committed they are to their footwear line, Chrome announces their Turds For Gold Shoe Exchange. For two days only, Chrome will be slinging a new pair of shoes to anyone that sends them a worn-out pair of kicks.

“There are a lot of great shoe brands out their but few, if any, are made to handle the harsh demands of riding in the city,” says Chrome Marketing Director, Matt Sharkey.

“Our shoes are built to hold up under the toughest conditions and are designed 100% to address the needs of the everyday city cyclist. Not only did we want to build a shoe that was durable and functional, but we also paid close attention to overall fit and timeless style.”

The exchange begins on Wednesday, March 17 and ends promptly the next day on Thursday, the 18th. Packages must be post marked by 3/18 to qualify and should include a return shipping address and shoe size info.

Please ship all packages to:

Chrome Industries

Attn: Turds for Gold/Sharkey

580 4th Street San Francisco, CA 94107

Tonight…Meet the Muralists at a Cocktail Gallery Walk along Tyler and Davis

(Brian Scott, OC Muralist, Working on the 7th Street Mural Project)

This evening, be sure to come out and for the cocktail crawl and lend your support to the 7th Street Murals Project! This is your chance to meet the muralists, see the project plans along with some of their past works. If you make a donation, you’ll get a cocktail glass that can filled up at the Cube Creative (409 N.Tyler), Mighty Fine Arts (419 N.Tyler), Daniel Padilla Gallery (828 W.Davis), From the Ends of the Earth (835 W.Davis), CoCoAndre (831 W.Davis), and Manuel Padilla Gallery (829 W.Davis)!

It’s from 6PM to 10PM; there’ll be a DJ spinning incredible Peruvian music, and more. There’s also still time to sign up for your name or portrait on the donor wall! Hope to see you all there.

View the Facebook invite here.