5 minute read
Disc golf community at B.B. Owens Park
SPRING FLING
Disc golf creates community at B.B. Owen
Story by SIMON PRUITT | Photography by JESSICA TURNER
B.B. OWEN PARK boasts an 18-hole disc-golf course that draws a community of avid players every day.
Disc golf takes the concept of golf and replaces the club and ball with a small plastic disc. Instead of shooting for a hole in the ground, disc golf’s targets are 5-foot-tall metal baskets that the discs glide into. Besides that, the sport’s rules are similar to golf. Players throw discs toward the basket “holes” and try to stay under par for higher scores.
“It’s good exercise that you can be social with too.” says Jordan Willows, who plays at this park a couple of times a week.
Willows is one of many who call the park “B.B.”
“My friends and I played the full 18 during the snowstorm last year.” Willows says. “It was super cool and different to play in those conditions, and it added another memory for us at the park.”
The park draws equally passionate players, young and old. Among them is Trace Cabaniss, an 18-year-old senior at Lake Highlands High School.
“At first it felt a little awkward being surrounded by mostly adults,” Cabaniss says. “However, everyone in the community is extremely welcoming and encouraging of new faces so it’s easy to fit right in.”
Even on the disc golf course, the Lake Highlands sense of fraternity is found.
“Disc golf became a game to share not only with my friends, but with an entire community in Dallas,” Cabaniss says.
Dallas disc golf culture is an inviting and mostly casual community, he says. Recently, the sport has expanded to hold a year-round pro tour featuring the game’s biggest stars. B.B. Owen now hosts professional tournaments on site occasionally.
“I enjoyed playing casual rounds with friends, but I longed for the competitive side of disc golf,” Kyle Moran says. “It was fun playing for something other than bragging rights.”
Moran frequently participates in organized mini-tournaments at B.B. Owen and has found a perfect competitive niche. Combining a smallscale presentation with large-scale stakes, tournaments at the park have become well-attended and are a great meeting point for the serious members of the community. At B.B. Owen, Lake Highlands’ most thriving subculture grows bigger by the day.
“To the people who have never played disc golf, I’d say to give it a try,” Willows says. “At the very least, I can guarantee that you’ll have a good time.”
The LH Chamber hosts a ribbon cutting at Fish City Grill in 2018. Photo courtesy of Lake Highlands Chamber.
Lake Highlands Chamber is back
Story by CAROL TOLER
The Lake Highlands Chamber is rebooting in 2022 after cutting back some of its activities during the pandemic. The business networking group, launched in 2014 by neighbors Ted Hill, William Davenport, Chris Fifer, David Tyson and Chris Bone, says its members are ready to resume gathering face-to-face.
The chamber hosts regular Learning Lunches at neighborhood restaurants, with speakers from business coaches to documentary filmmakers. It hosts monthly happy hours at community watering holes, with members swapping stories and business cards. Restaurant Week, held in May, promotes LH eateries and benefits charitable agencies. An annual “We Love LH” awards presentation honors individuals, businesses and nonprofits that elevate the neighborhood. Ribbon cuttings showcase new openings or highlight spots which have remodeled or added a new feature.
“Our leadership team is bright and energetic, and we’re ready to welcome new members,” says chamber President Cheryl Price. “The majority of those who join us have a small business in Lake Highlands and are raising a family in the community as well. That’s why we look for ways to partner with schools and nonprofits in the neighborhood.”
Price says the chamber’s goal is to connect businesses with the community so people can “stay local and buy local.”
“Eight times out of 10, what you’re looking for is right here,” Price says. “Builders, roofers, dentists, doctors, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, insurance agents – we’ve got everyone you need. People like to do business with folks they know, trust and respect.”
Price says her team is constantly brainstorming ideas to promote what LH has to offer. They’re planning a job fair since businesses need good help, and they plan to include opportunities for LHHS students. They have a farmers market in the works, and they’re seeking ways to facilitate small business’ dealings with agencies at the City of Dallas.
“It’s our mind hive. We’re always thinking creatively,” she says. “We want LH to be a destination for restaurants, retail and services.”
Price jokes that chamber membership is more like going for coffee on a first date than a candlelit dinner. There’s no pressure, and potential members are welcome to pop in at any event and check it out before committing to joining. Annual dues vary from $100 to $250 based on the number of employees.
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