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September 2007 Town Lake Trail Foundation | PO Box 5195 | /Austin, TX 78763 | 512.733.3989
Summertime on the Trail We had several Trail workdays to keep up with the plant growth from those wonderful summer rains. Jason Kelley, volunteer gardener, led workdays at Zilker Bluffs and Lou Neff Point in July and August. Volunteers weeded to keep those areas looking beautiful. Right: Jason Kelley & Eloy Ojeda at Lou Neff Point. See more pictures.
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Texas Rowing Center Partners with TLTF We are happy to have a new partner, Texas Rowing Center, to help with the maintenance of the North Shore Overlook. In late July volunteers from Texas Rowing and Town Lake Trail Foundation replaced the decomposed granite that was washed away during the summer high releases of the Colorado River. Texas Rowing purchased the six yards of granite and provided much volunteer labor. TLTF and Texas Rowing plan to continue to work together on projects of common interest in that area of the Trail. Right: Matt Knifton, Texas Rowing Center, replacing granite at the North Shore Overlook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3rd Annual Moonlight Margarita Run is a Success! Last February, the 2nd Annual Moonlight Margarita Run was voted the best "10K and Under "by the Austin Runners Club. Of course, this year's event was destined to be even better and it was! On Thursday evening, August 2 at 8:24 pm, Freescale Semiconductor presented a very successful 3rd Annual Moonlight Margarita Run. Afterwards on the grounds of the American Legion Hall, Maudie's presented a post-race moonlight fiesta with fabulous Tex Mex and margaritas that included a silent auction. 1100 runners and over 600 partygoers helped raise $60,000 for the Town Lake Trail Foundation. See pictures. For all the pictures of the 2007 Moonlight Margarita Run, visit http://endurophoto.com. Read the recap by Bob Wishnia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Austin Community Foundation Announces Endowment Match The Austin Community Foundation recently announced that the Town Lake Trail Foundation was selected as one of the Austin non-profits to be part of the Austin Community Foundation's Non-Profit Endowment Initiative from 2008 through 2011. This matching grant of up to $20,000 will help secure the future of the Foundation's mission by establishing an endowment fund to support long-term stewardship of our Trail projects. If you have any questions about this endowment, contact Susan Rankin at susan@townlaketrail.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lou Neff Point Bricks
After many unexpected hiccups, we are nearing the first installation of the commemorative bricks. The more than 800 bricks purchased before May 13 are at the engravers and due to ship in late September. They will be installed shortly after arrival.
Subsequent rounds will be installed in lots of approximately 250-300 bricks. We've sold more than 100 of the Round 2 bricks, and we expect sales to spike once everyone sees the first batch in place. If you have purchased a brick, we sincerely apologize for the long delays. We, too, are eager to see them in the ground!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ City Budgets for Riverside Boardwalk
The Town Lake Foundation has been working with the Mayor's Office and the Parks and Recreation Department on costs for the Riverside Boardwalk's next phases and the funding for those phases. The Riverside Boardwalk Project is the effort to finally complete the Trail by continuing its path along the lakefront, rather than detouring over Riverside Drive and over the dangerous 1-35 crossings.
On Monday, September 10 at the City budget deliberations, the City Council approved that $1.7 million from the General Fund Critical One-time Fund be appropriated to the Parks and Recreation Department budget for certain expenditures related to the Riverside Boardwalk-the plan to finally complete the Town Lake Trail. The $1.7million will cover preliminary engineering and design, including a public involvement process, all steps discussed in our forthcoming Riverside Boardwalk Investment Study-the project's foundational study, which will be released later this month. This expenditure represents a real commitment from the City towards completing the Trail and making its route run entirely along the waterfront of Lady Bird Lake, as it was originally envisioned. Mayor Wynn recognizes the unique value the community gets from the Trail and worked to turn that recognition into something concrete that will help the Trail. We want to applaud the critical leadership he showed in making this important step a reality.
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Under Construction
New Town Lake Trail Foundation public restroom, located about a half mile west of I-35 on the north side of Lady Bird Lake next to the Milago Condominiums. |
Board of Directors | Town Lake Trail Foundation Griffin Davis, President, MarketHardware.com ~~~ John Graham, VP, Waterloo Partners Bill Kerr, Secretary, Kelly Hart and Hallman ~~~ John Loudamy, Treasurer, Dell Financial Services Jeff Burrus, Morgan Keegan, Inc. ~~~ Bill Curra, Halliburton/KBR Dan Garrison, Lone Star ~~~ Liz McGuire, Writer Sara Moore, Botanist ~~~ Rochelle Storin, Louis Shanks Maura Nevel Thomas, Burget Ave Mgmt Services ~~~ Colin Wallis, Lance Armstrong Foundation
Susan Rankin, Executive Director
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Membership Meeting ` Wed, Sept 19 6:30 pm Join us at the new Town Lake Park, 1006 Barton Springs Road, adjacent to the Long Center. Stuart Strong, Assistant Director of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, will discuss the history and amenities of Austin's stunning new central park. Meet next to the fountain area. We'lll have project updates and volunteer sign-ups. If you'd like to attend, email Asher Flynn, asher@townlaketrail.org. |
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
Sept 22 gardening workday
Oct 20 Trash&Treasure Cleanup
Nov 17 gardening workday
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Social Event
The Great Outdoors Gruesome GardensFri, Oct 12th 7 pm...Get ready for Halloween at The Great Outdoors Gruesome Gardens. Read more... |
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