Party for the Friends at The Fish

We want to remind you about your chance to enjoy sushi and sake with the Friends of the Katy Trail at tonight's exclusive member event at The Fish.

Not a member? Join now and take advantage of our free upgrade promotion for new members by clicking here. Membership is also available at the door

Here are all the important details:

Thursday, March 27

5:30-7:30 p.m.

Complimentary hors d'oeuveres and cocktails. Mingle with other members

RSVP to 214-303-1180 or Office@KatyTrailDallas.org

The Fish

3636 McKinney Ave., Suite 150

East Side of West Village

Drilling Done . . . for Now

The drilling to install the lighting pedestals on the Katy Trail has stopped for now. The contractor has 78 of the pedestals in place, the last one just south of Armstrong. The lighting contractor has said they will not drill again until next Monday, March 31.

The contractor is now working on locating conduit to each pedestal and determining how much electrical wire will be needed to go from one to another. They have dug around each marked pedestal on the south end and left open some holes with exposed irrigation PVC. Please use caution when you’re near these locations.

And please be sure to steer clear of the drilling rig when it’s on the Katy Trail starting again next week. The Friends of the Katy Trail will post signs marking areas that would be hazardous for you to enter.

We appreciate your patience as we make the Trail safer for everyone.

Funds Being Raised to Finish the Lighting

So far, the Friends of the Katy Trail has received $7,770 to help finish the lighting from Knox Street to Airline Road. At $50 a foot, we’ve moved the lighting approximately 155 feet north of Knox Street (see photo of markers on the Trail showing exact location).

Thank you to all who have made a donation. To help the cause – and us reach our $100,000 challenge grant – click here and donate today

Right idea Dallas Morning News

The editorial cartoon in Monday’s Dallas Morning News caught the attention of the Friends of the Katy Trail staff. After all, it’s something we believe solves more than just the current gas crisis, but helps reduce pollution and congestion, as well as our country’s overweight crisis.

Drilling to Start Monday

Starting Monday, March 17, the lighting contractor installing the lights on the Katy Trail is scheduled to have construction crews on the Trail drilling holes for the concrete pedestals that support the light poles.

During this phase of the construction process, you will see heavy equipment along the Trail. Every effort will be made to keep the entire Trail open for your use and enjoyment.

However, there may be areas along the Trail that will be temporarily blocked or impassable by the equipment. The Friends of the Katy Trail will provide signage in areas that may become impassable. Please do not cross into the construction zone during that time.

Thank you.

Friends of the Katy Trail

Price and Medrano to speak at Corporate Breakfast

The Dallas business community is invited to “Breakfast on the Trail” with a complimentary continental breakfast and Katy Trail update on Friday, March 14 at 7:30 a.m. at The Warwick Melrose Hotel.

Commissioner John Wiley Price and Councilmember Pauline Medrano will speak on the importance of Public-Private Partnerships, while Friends of the Katy Trail Executive Director Eric Van Steenburg will provide a Trail update.

Call 214-303-1180 if you’re interested in attending.

Drinking Fountain at Victory Overlook

Quick update on the southernmost drinking fountain on the Katy Trail – the water is turned off because the knob on the dog bowl portion of the fountain was getting stuck and the fountain wouldn’t shut off. So the Friends of the Katy Trail has ordered replacement parts for it and will install them as soon as they arrive – hopefully in a week or two.

By the way, the next closest drinking fountain is at the Thomsen Overlook at Reverchon Park and it is working.

Thank you for your patience in the interim.

Big, round, gray concrete things

You may have noticed about 50 large, round concrete cylinders roughly every 100 feet on the Katy Trail in the last two weeks. They are the pedestals on which the soon-to-be-installed light poles will rest. These pedestals will be sunk into the ground until just a couple of feet are exposed above the ground.

In total, there will be 138 of these on the Katy Trail when the lighting is complete from the AAC to Airline Road. More will be delivered in the next week or two.

Then, a few weeks after that, big drilling rigs will be on the Trail to dig the holes for these pedestals. Please bear with us as it might require the trail to be closed within a 100 feet of the rigs while they do their work. It will be worth it, though, when the light poles are in place and everyone will be able to use the Katy Trail safely every night until 10 p.m.

Check back and we’ll provide more details on when the drilling work will begin.

Need some free mulch?

As we approach spring in Texas, it’s getting near the time to put fresh mulch on your landscape – and on the Katy Trail. Mulching is a great way to beautify your landscape, but it is also beneficial because it conserves moisture and reduces weed growth. The best time to apply mulch in established bed areas is mid-spring when the soil temperature has warmed up enough for sufficient root growth.

To mulch, cover the area with one to three inches of mulch. And if you need some free mulch, one of the Katy Trail’s biggest supporters, Arborilogical Services, uses 100 percent of the wood debris from all the trimming and tree removal they do to create mulch.

If you want some free mulch, give them a call at 972-442-1524 and make arrangements to go pick some up at the shop in Wylie. They also deliver to areas nearby for a reasonable price.

Party like a Rockstar or Like a New Restaurant is Opening

Party with your friends for the Friends at Modern Luxury's party at the newly opened Villa-O on Thursday evening. A portion of the proceeds from the sales will go to the Friends of the Katy Trail. So come out and enjoy great food and drinks for a great cause.

Disrespectful People on the Trail

Or maybe they're just rude. This weekend, Katy Trail staff, Katy Trail spouse and Katy Trail doggie were on the Trail for a nice walk Saturday afternoon. Because it was a pretty nice day, the Trail was reasonably congested. Some rude cyclist and skaters blasted past us and other Trail users without warning.

If you happen to be one of these people, please be courteous in the future. A simple, "On your left" or "Passing" would suffice.

Please be courteous and safe on the Trail.

Besides, this puppy is too cute to be Trailkill.