Plano, TX: Close to everything, far from ordinary

Transplants grow in Plano
12:02 PM CST on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
By DEBORAH FLECK/Staff Writerdfleck@dallasnews.com

Plano, once a sleepy farming community, is now the largest city in Collin County. It has been one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, especially during the past two decades.
The population has boomed from 17,800 in 1970 to more than 250,000 today.

NAN COULTER/Special Contributor Joanne and Bob Buck moved to Plano from Maryland two years ago. “We love it here,” Mrs. Buck said. “Everything is so convenient.”
Its flat landscape is now covered with bustling neighborhoods, top-notch schools, high-end retail centers and countless restaurants.
And it’s home to 6,000 businesses — including corporate giants Dr Pepper, Electronic Data Systems, Frito-Lay, J.C. Penney and Cinemark USA. Relocations and Plano’s location 15 miles north of Dallas, have been the big draw over recent years.
“We love it here,” said Joanne Buck, who moved to the city two years ago from Maryland. “Everything is so convenient.”

She and husband Bob Buck purchased a home near the Dallas North Tollway and Bush Turnpike, with an array of shopping, eateries and other amenities nearby.
“I’ve never been so spoiled,” Mrs. Buck said. She’s found another plus, too: Residents have been welcoming.
Although Plano is sometimes labeled bland and aloof, a closer look unveils an active community filled with transplants who bring other cultures to the mix.
Mrs. Buck joined a group that typifies the city’s variety, with members from many far-flung places. The Newcomer Friends of Plano has Marion Crawley, who moved from Montreal; Ellen Dutkowsky from Mexico; Anna Eberhard from Poland; Sue O’Driscoll from England; and Jane Teng from Singapore among its 250-plus members.
According to the Plano Chamber, the city’s ethnic mix has evolved with its recent growth. Between 1990 and 2000, the Asian population quadrupled, from nearly 5,000 to 22,500. The Hispanic population tripled, and the African-American population doubled. The city is about 27 percent nonwhite.
A few years ago, the city created a Multicultural Outreach Roundtable to fulfill Mayor Pat Evans’ promise to make Plano a multicultural-friendly city. One of the roundtable’s outreach efforts is the annual International Festival, set this year for Oct. 20.
In addition, the city’s arts groups have become diverse. Along with the Plano Symphony Orchestra and the Plano Community Band, the city is home to the Texas Performing Chinese Arts Association and a well-rounded fine arts division at the Collin County Community College District.
Education also is important to the community. The city is ranked 19th in the nation in percentage of college graduates. Many of its schools are exemplary, and its community college will soon become a four-year institution.
The fast-growing city doesn’t seem to be slowing down. With its continual growth and diverse population, its reputation for sameness is fading. It may now live up to its tourism motto, “Plano — Close to everything, far from ordinary.”