Richardson’s Hiking and Biking Trails
Living a healthy lifestyle in Richardson is easy thanks to the City’s investment in its many parks and trails. There are 87 miles of trails and walkways across Richardson, including 6 miles of soft surface trails. Richardson continues to make improvements to existing trails and has plans for future growth. One such improvement is the installation of trail markers at both the Spring Creek Nature Area and Breckinridge Park. These markers indicate where emergency calls for assistance can be made if a trail user runs into trouble in those parks. The markers are located where the possibility of being in a remote area of the park is high. The City coordinated with local police and fire departments to make the project happen.
Evan and Sally Batt
RICHARDSON’S MOVERS AND SHAKERS Editor’s Note: Movers and shakers are people who make things happen, influencers whose energy creates positive change. They’re always busy and often pioneers in their respective fields. In each issue of Richardson Life Magazine , we will highlight an individual, couple or group of people who we feel fits this definition. If you would like to nominate a mover and shaker to be celebrated in the pages of the magazine, email pmotte@hylogroup.com. Back in 1874 when Arthur O’Shaughnessy introduced the idea of movers and shakers in his poem Ode , he was referring to poets and musicians…the “influencers” of his age. He labelled his creative peers movers and shakers because they “shook” the foundations of conventional thinking thanks to their vision and imagination. Ask any regular at Lockwood Distilling Co. whether Sally and Evan Batt fit the description and you’ll likely be regaled with tall tales about Evan’s shenanigans and hear unbridled enthusiasm for Sally. No matter which person you ask at Lockwood, customer or team member, the story is the same: “nicest people ever,” “loads of fun,” “never met a stranger.” So how did a couple of kids from Texas A&M who met on a Pi Kappa Phi Date Party bus ride to New Orleans become worthy of such admiration? It’s a great story. Sally and Evan’s journey literally began on that bus. Both had gone to the party with other dates—strictly friends, they both assured me—but quickly just clicked. Sally says she “fell in love with Evan Batt on that bus ride and never looked back.” The trip was so special that Evan ended up proposing to Sally in New Orleans. Henry Lee Tennessee was their New Orleans taxi driver for almost twelve years and is immortalized in a massive painting hanging on their living room wall. The “Big Easy” became a regular destination for the Batts and still inspires their business decisions twenty years later. Why? The answer lies in what Evan and Sally enjoy so much about New Orleans. They love the Louisiana hot spot for its funky vibe and friendly people. They love the live music and constant energy. And they love the way New Orleans welcomes folks of all generations. There’s something for everyone in NOLA. Lockwood feels like that. 90-year-olds and 20-year-olds both want to host their birthday parties there! Just ask regulars Ashley and Janeye. The two friends are Lockwood’s selfproclaimed Very. First. Customers. And talking to them about Lockwood is like talking to the Batts about New Orleans. The two friends consider Lockwood to be a “home away from home.” When the signs went up that Lockwood was having a soft opening, Ashley says they “peeled out of the driveway to go give it a try.” She remembers, “From that first night, walking into Lockwood felt like walking into the living room at your best friend’s house. Evan and Sally make everyone feel at home and important,” a sentiment echoed later by Big Tony. Big Tony, as he is known to everyone, works at Lockwood. He doesn’t have an official title—or at least he says he doesn’t. When asked what his role is at the distillery, he replies, “Great question! No one really knows but we all know I’m super important to the brand and instrumental in keeping the party going!” And that’s what it’s like to work with Evan and Sally. Imagine your best weekend in New Orleans happening right here in Richardson. That’s the vibe the couple has created. Says Big Tony, “Sally has a smile and attitude that won’t let you have a bad day. She is also extremely smart and an amazing mother. Evan is driven with a laser-like focus; he wants the best out of you and won’t accept anything less! I can honestly say I don’t know where I would be without the Batts and I’m not the only person who can make that statement.” It wasn’t always as easy as the Richardson business owners make it look. The pandemic tested the Batts. Bars and restaurants began failing once COVID turned the world upside down. But instead of throwing in the towel, Evan and Sally kept Lockwood open and started making hand sanitizer. Hundreds of gallons of it. And donating 400 gallons to the Richardson Police and Fire departments not because someone asked them to, but because that’s simply who they are. They also delivered meals to nurses on the COVID front lines. As scary as that time was for small business owners throughout Richardson, the Batts never even considered closing their doors… they had too many people depending on them. They wanted to keep their team earning a living during COVID and that reality, according to Evan, was stressful but motivating. The couple decided the best way forward would be to thrive, not just survive, and that creating a culture of positivity would be the key to their success. People were scared. They were stuck in their homes and missing the camaraderie of others. So the Batts brought live music to Lockwood’s front porch and hosted parking lot concerts in the middle of a pandemic. Customers brought chairs and blankets and their dogs and their kids and sat outside a safe distance from one other and began to feel alive again. According to Sally, Lockwood was the only venue with musicians playing live during COVID. Once the crowd grew from a handful to a parking lot full, the serving staff needed a way to quickly find their customers. So Sally sent out a request for trophy donations. The next thing customers knew, they were being handed a 1st place t-ball trophy or a cheerleading trophy from 1973 with a number on top as a means of identification. The ease in which the Batts ingeniously pivoted during the pandemic built confidence within the community and earned their customers’ and employees’ devotion. Says Sally, “We found our identity as a company during COVID. We got stronger and decided that joy was
Richardson Civic Art Society
Since its founding in 1966 as the first arts organization in Richardson, the Richardson Civic Art Society (RCAS) has had one stated purpose: to organize and support projects that further creative visual art and artists.
Methodist Richardson Medical Center
Growing Again to Better Serve You and Your Family It’s not somewhere you plan to go. But when emergencies happen, you want to go somewhere close to home that you trust to return you and your loved ones to good health. That is why Methodist Richardson Medical Center is expanding to better serve you. The $46 million project will add two new floors totaling about 80,000 square feet, which will accommodate the hospital’s pharmacy and laboratory. Another 25,000 square feet will be remodeled to expand the existing Emergency Department. That space will include additional trauma treatment areas and eighteen new ER beds. “More than 50% of our admissions come through our Emergency Department, so it’s essentially the front door of our hospital,” says Methodist Richardson President Ken Hutchenrider, FACHE. “We are expanding to allow our ED to more effectively serve our growing region.” Methodist Richardson is unique because it serves such a large population. More than 1.1 million people live within the hospital’s service area. That makes Methodist Richardson a medical hub for northeastern Dallas County, Collin County and parts of Rockwall County. Emergency Departments across the nation are experiencing an overall increase in patient volume and the ED at Methodist Richardson is certainly a part of that trend, averaging 55,000 visits per year. This year, the Emergency Room at the campus located at the intersection of George Bush Highway and Renner Road has seen more than 150 patients daily. That’s a 12% increase over the previous year. State Of The Er The Texas EMS Trauma & Acute Care Foundation (TETAF) recently designated Methodist Richardson as a Level III trauma center. What does that mean to you? It means the hospital has 24-hour immediate coverage by emergency medicine physicians and the prompt availability of general surgeons, specialists and anesthesiologists. If you fall off a ladder while cleaning the leaves out of your gutters, for example, you can rest assured paramedics will take you to a facility like Methodist Richardson where they know staff will be available and ready at any time – day or night365 days a year. “Trauma is a leading cause of death in people ages 1-44,” says Methodist Richardson Trauma Director Stuart Johnston, MD, FACS. “Access to highquality trauma care in our area can mean the difference between life and death.” Requirements of Level III trauma centers include: • 24-hour immediate coverage by emergency medicine physicians and the prompt availability of general surgeons and anesthesiologists • A comprehensive quality assessment program • Transfer agreements for patients requiring more comprehensive care at a Level I or Level II Trauma Center • Back-up care for rural and community hospitals • Continued education of the nursing and allied health staff and the trauma team • Involvement with prevention efforts and active outreach program for its referring communities The hospital also recently earned its certification as a comprehensive stroke center. Certified comprehensive stroke centers meet standards to treat the most complex stroke cases. It’s the highest level of stroke care which includes: • Comprehensive stroke performance measures • 24/7 neuro-intensive care unit • 24/7 operating room • Endovascular and imaging services • Advanced imaging capabilities • Available personnel trained in vascular, neurological, neurosurgical and endovascular procedures. Planning For Growth This most recent project is the third major expansion for the hospital since it opened nearly nine years ago. In 2018, Methodist Richardson underwent an $85 million expansion project, which included the 104,000 square foot addition of two new floors. The project also added the hospital’s ninth operating room and a seven-story parking garage. The new facilities opened in late December 2019, just months ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic. “That timing was fortunate, but growth is no accident,” Hutchenrider says. “It’s about preparing for the future with a strategic master plan that reacts to the evolving needs of our communities.” Methodist Richardson offers personalized healthcare services for every stage of life and every state of health, from a level III neonatal intensive care unit to highly specialized cancer treatment and everything in between. It’s about advanced care that’s close to home. Care that you trust. Guided by the founding principles of life, learning and compassion, Dallas-based Methodist Health System (Methodist) provides quality, integrated healthcare to improve and save the lives of individuals and families throughout North Texas. Twelve hospitals proudly carry the Methodist Health System brand, as owners or through affiliation. More than 50 Methodist Family Health Centers and Methodist Medical Group specialty physician office locations are among the facilities served by the nonprofit Methodist Health System, which is affiliated by covenant with the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Additional information is available at http://MethodistHealthSystem.org. Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System.