As a 5th generation Texan who family fought in the battle for Texas Independence, I so appreciated your book, which opened my eyes to so much I had never known, yet, given the era, makes so much sense. Thank you, Dorsey Cartwright PS: And I greatly resent an Lt. Governor and a carpet bagger to boot, self-righteously defending a self-serving myth.
As the person who did start Save Zilker Park, I’m embarrassed for you. I’m a woman to start, I live several miles from Zilker, and don’t even know Bill or have affiliations with SOS.
I also never said the plan is a Trojan horse for year round acl. The privatization is the concessions, train/shuttle, parking garages, amphitheater…and a direct quote from the park board review of the plan.
Talk about misinformation.
We have sources to all of our information on the website. You should consider verifying your information in the future.
That’s where Bunch and his crew swung into action by creating an opposition group called — see if you can note the historical parallel here, it’s super subtle — Save Zilker Park.
This is factually incorrect. Bill Bunch and SOS had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of this group.
It’s “worn to the nubs” bc it’s been neglected, nothing has been fixed for years bc the parks dept was waiting on a master plan. The real story here is nonprofits operating in public parks in Austin. There’s an old style and a new style. The old style was parks nonprofits staying in their lane and serving. The new style is nonprofits setting up an arrangement w the city where a nonprofit expands their role in a public space to elaborate a professional staff, influence the infrastructure and programming, fundraise, and hold the door open for corporate partners to use the space. I mean, you missed the mark so bad on this you didn’t even hit the target. You went after the hippie environmentalists you don’t like for some reason—did I read you stay up in Dallas?—but that’s who we are. We don’t want the park redeveloped, we want it fixed and better transit options. We want the train (currently under the auspices of a nonprofit) to run. We want the bathrooms to work. On Monday June 5th there’s an ethics committee hearing for two city commissioners involved w the nonprofit takeover of Zilker park, did you know that? The nonprofits had outsized influence in creating the plan, and then city commissioners w those nonprofits voted to recommend it. In fact, the lead consultant and chief architect is about to lead one of the nonprofits involved. The public doesn’t want Zilker used this way. We have enough venues. Do you really think charging parking garage money parking fees is equitable and is going to increase access? Did Rich tell you that? How many beers in was it when that made sense? Did you try to work it out again when you were sober? Why did you write this piece?
You're take on the Zilker Vision plan is ridiculous and full of propaganda and classic public relations ala Edward Louis Bernays. We are against preserving paradise is such a lie. There is no money to be made by leaving things alone. This fight is going on in every city in the country: Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, Boulder. All the grifters speak like they are at the WEF. An example would be expanding the convention center, an economic disaster all over the country convention centers are losing money including Austin. The idea of spending 1 billion on a project that is a failure before one shovel and you and your ilk continue to promote a giant boondoggle kind of like a train that goes to Leander every day completely empty. You attack environmentalist ignoring we are the reason people want to move here for open areas that are quiet and peaceful, not for parking garages and 5000 seat venues. You are on the wrong side of history and you are absolutely clueless about the heart and soul of Austin. Its people like you who have no heart and use your brain to reason on material benefit and the beauty of Austin is invisible to you. You measure and commercialize .
As a 5th generation Texan who family fought in the battle for Texas Independence, I so appreciated your book, which opened my eyes to so much I had never known, yet, given the era, makes so much sense. Thank you, Dorsey Cartwright PS: And I greatly resent an Lt. Governor and a carpet bagger to boot, self-righteously defending a self-serving myth.
This comment thread is quality content
As the person who did start Save Zilker Park, I’m embarrassed for you. I’m a woman to start, I live several miles from Zilker, and don’t even know Bill or have affiliations with SOS.
I also never said the plan is a Trojan horse for year round acl. The privatization is the concessions, train/shuttle, parking garages, amphitheater…and a direct quote from the park board review of the plan.
Talk about misinformation.
We have sources to all of our information on the website. You should consider verifying your information in the future.
That’s where Bunch and his crew swung into action by creating an opposition group called — see if you can note the historical parallel here, it’s super subtle — Save Zilker Park.
This is factually incorrect. Bill Bunch and SOS had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of this group.
It’s “worn to the nubs” bc it’s been neglected, nothing has been fixed for years bc the parks dept was waiting on a master plan. The real story here is nonprofits operating in public parks in Austin. There’s an old style and a new style. The old style was parks nonprofits staying in their lane and serving. The new style is nonprofits setting up an arrangement w the city where a nonprofit expands their role in a public space to elaborate a professional staff, influence the infrastructure and programming, fundraise, and hold the door open for corporate partners to use the space. I mean, you missed the mark so bad on this you didn’t even hit the target. You went after the hippie environmentalists you don’t like for some reason—did I read you stay up in Dallas?—but that’s who we are. We don’t want the park redeveloped, we want it fixed and better transit options. We want the train (currently under the auspices of a nonprofit) to run. We want the bathrooms to work. On Monday June 5th there’s an ethics committee hearing for two city commissioners involved w the nonprofit takeover of Zilker park, did you know that? The nonprofits had outsized influence in creating the plan, and then city commissioners w those nonprofits voted to recommend it. In fact, the lead consultant and chief architect is about to lead one of the nonprofits involved. The public doesn’t want Zilker used this way. We have enough venues. Do you really think charging parking garage money parking fees is equitable and is going to increase access? Did Rich tell you that? How many beers in was it when that made sense? Did you try to work it out again when you were sober? Why did you write this piece?
Have you seen the latest on the Zilker Vision Plan? I would love to read your thoughts.
You're take on the Zilker Vision plan is ridiculous and full of propaganda and classic public relations ala Edward Louis Bernays. We are against preserving paradise is such a lie. There is no money to be made by leaving things alone. This fight is going on in every city in the country: Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, Boulder. All the grifters speak like they are at the WEF. An example would be expanding the convention center, an economic disaster all over the country convention centers are losing money including Austin. The idea of spending 1 billion on a project that is a failure before one shovel and you and your ilk continue to promote a giant boondoggle kind of like a train that goes to Leander every day completely empty. You attack environmentalist ignoring we are the reason people want to move here for open areas that are quiet and peaceful, not for parking garages and 5000 seat venues. You are on the wrong side of history and you are absolutely clueless about the heart and soul of Austin. Its people like you who have no heart and use your brain to reason on material benefit and the beauty of Austin is invisible to you. You measure and commercialize .
Great stuff, per usual. I'm going to have to send a team to grab you in Dallas and bring you back to Austin.