At the Springs

I went to Barton Springs for the first time this year today – and got most first glimpse of what the place will look like if the parks department and the inspiringly named Davey Tree Co have their say and remove 30 or so trees. Every tree you can see in the photo above is one of the condemned.

In a typical Austin fashion the city has attached multiple sheets of paper to each doomed tree with an inspiring quote on one side and the dates of the ‘additional public hearings’ on the other, intended as tear away so you can voice you opinion. As I was grabbing my own copy, I happened to overhear some conversation behind me. “I can’t believe they’re going to cut down the trees that’s the whole reason everyone likes Barton springs….” her friend replied, “I know! They’re crazy.”

This informed discourse was not between two deadlocked hippy-chicks, but two seven-year-old-girls walking down to the pool with their mom. I get it that we have  a shitty economy, a $30 million deficit, and a lot of issues that are a lot more important than this.  I also understand we regularly hand out millions in tax breaks to organizations like The Domain and Intel (remember that building the city had to pay to demolish?). This is a special place – the kids understand that – it might benefit us to put a little more effort into saving and maintaining at least a little bit of what makes it special. More importantly this is your government, so go raise some hell.

• Staff Briefing of Austin City Council
  April 23, 2 p.m. (This is a presentation only with no public comment)
• The Parks and Recreation Board
  April 28, 6 p.m. at City Hall
• The Environmental Board
  May 20, 6 p.m. City Hall (This meeting is supposedly open for public comment).