By BJ Austin, KERA Reporter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-757098.mp3
Dallas, TX – Design plans for the Dallas Trinity River development are now in 3-D . KERA's BJ Austin says the park planners hope this new, 20-foot-long model will give people a much better idea of what's to come.
It's a $600,000 scale model of Trinity as it passes downtown and into Oak Cliff. Local artists Charles and Susie Kendrick worked on it for a year and a half. The model buildings, lakes, park trails and homes are meticulously accurate, right down to the pitch of the roofs on the tiny houses. Hidden from view are hundreds of feet of fiber optics for lighting.
Charles and Susie Kendrick: The feature building downtown has over 675 feet to go into a 6-inch tall building. We try to bring spirit and life into the project. My background is in art, I have a degree in fine art, and Charles studied architecture. We try to blend the two of our talents to produce something that looks completely realistic.
But what looks so realistic in between the levees of the model may not become reality. The Corps of Engineers must still approve the Trinity Tollroad within the levees. Funding is another issue. City Councilman Dave Neumann says the Federal Highway Trust Fund is broke, and he worries about the impact on Dallas.
Neumann: So what we're trying to do with our elected representatives in Washington is to make sure that Texas projects and Dallas projects keep their fair share of funding because we do not want delays.
Trinity Trust President Gail Thomas says that's why this model is so important. She says it gives form to the Trinity River vision in a way that can create excitement and financial commitment to the huge project. The model is on display for the public at the Trinity Trust offices on Oak Lawn.