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[Way of Water: Waller Creek Press Conference]
HI EVERYONE.ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL AT THE END THERE.
WANNA MOVE IN OVER HERE? GARY, GRETCHEN, JUAN, EDGAR, JESUS.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY WELCOME EVERYONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I AM CHRISTY MARTY, A CHOREOGRAPHER WITH FORKLIFT DANCE WORKS, AND I JUST WANNA WELCOME YOU TODAY.
THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE AT THE WALLER CREEK TUNNEL INLET FACILITY HERE IN WATERLOO.
GREENWAY, WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE KICKING OFF OUR PROJECT, THE WAY OF WATER WALL CREEK.
THIS IS A DANCE FEATURING AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION EMPLOYEES.
SO THE WAY OF WATER IS A MULTI-YEAR GLOBAL PERFORMANCE PROJECT, A SERIES OF DANCES THAT EXPLORE WATER AND THE WORK OF PEOPLE WHO STORED IT.
WE AT FORKLIFT DANCE WORKS ARE BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY BASED PRACTICE TO PARTNER WITH ESSENTIAL WORKERS, ARTISTS, AND LOCAL RESIDENTS TO INSPIRE 10,000 PEOPLE OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT TO CHANGE THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO WATER.
SO TO INITIATE THIS WAY OF WATER SERIES, WE'RE STARTING HERE AT HOME IN AUSTIN, RIGHT HERE IN THE WALL CREEK WATERSHED
SO FOR THE PERFORMANCE, THE MOVEMENT OF WORK AND COMMUNITY STORIES WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LIVE ORIGINAL MUSIC.
AND THIS WORK SITE WILL BE ILLUMINATED BY DRAMATIC LIGHTING.
THE DANCE WILL TRACE HOW WATER MOVES THROUGH OUR CITY AND OUR CHOREOGRAPHERS.
WE'VE ALL GOTTEN TO WORK ALONGSIDE THE WATERSHED CREW AND PRIMARILY DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS CREW.
SOME OF THEM ARE HERE, SOME OF THEM ARE OVER THERE,
BUT WE'VE GOTTEN TO SEE WATER RUSH DOWN THROUGH THIS CREEK INTO THE FACILITY IN A RAIN EVENT AND HELP CLEAR DEBRIS HERE AT THE TUNNEL.
WE'VE PICKED TRASH ALONG THE CREEK'S BANKS AND WAITED IN THE WATER TO CLEAN THE CREEK.
WE'VE GOTTEN TO GO OUT ON A BOAT WITH THE LAKE CREW AND HELP CLEAN LADY BIRD LAKE AND WE ARE HONORED TO BE COLLABORATING WITH THE STAFF OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
THEIR DEDICATION AND CARE, UM, TO OUR, THEIR WORK, TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND TO OUR COMMUNITY IS INSPIRING AND LITERALLY THE ARTISTIC INSPIRATION FOR THIS PERFORMANCE.
SO OUR FIRST PERFORMANCE IS THE WAY OF WATER WALLER CREEK, AND IT WILL PREMIERE AS PART OF WATERLOO GREEN WASTE CREEK SHOW ON NOVEMBER 17TH, 18TH, AND 19TH, WITH PERFORMANCES AT 7:00 PM AND 9:00 PM IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR PARTNERS, FUNDERS, AND SPONSORS.
SO I WANNA THANK OUR SPONSORS, HEB SIX SQUARE AND THE WATERSHED ASSOCIATION.
AND TODAY, THANK YOU TO MOM AND POP'S POPPY, PREBIOTIC SODA, SOUR DUCK MARKET, AND RAMBLER SPARKLING WATER.
UM, MAKE SURE TO GET ONE OF THEIR TREATS BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT.
AND OF COURSE, OUR COLLABORATORS WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, THE DOWNTOWN OPS CREW, HAS A GREAT VIRTUAL REALITY TOUR.
YOU CAN SEE THE TUNNEL VIRTUALLY.
THANK YOU FOR HOSTING US TODAY AND FOR HOSTING THESE PERFORMANCES AND INVITING US TO BE PART OF CREEK SHOW, THE COLORADO RIVER ALLIANCE.
WHERE ARE YOU GUYS? THERE YOU ARE, EMILY.
IF YOU WANNA SEE A WATERSHED IN ACTION, GO CHECK OUT EMILY'S TABLETOP MODEL.
YOU CAN MAKE IT RAIN
UM, KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL, Y'ALL.
THEY ORGANIZE A GREAT QUARTERLY COMMUNITY CLEANUP OF THE LAKE AND ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR CREEK ADOPTERS.
SO IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT WATERSHED YOU'RE IN AND WHAT CREEK IS NEARBY, THEY CAN HELP YOU KEEP IT CLEAN.
AND ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT TO FREE TOPIA WHO PROVIDES WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR SOME OF OUR CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
UM, BUT EVERYONE GOES CHECK OUT, CHECK OUT EVERYONE'S WORK AND SAY HELLO.
WE HAVE A GREAT GROUP OF PARTNERS.
SO ALSO THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS, THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, THE ALICE CLAVER REYNOLDS FOUNDATION, THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS, AND THE MIDAMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE.
AND WE ARE ALSO HONORED TO SHARE THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS THROUGH A CREATIVE PLACEMAKING GRANT CALLED OUR TOWN.
SO AS PART OF THAT FEDERAL FUNDING, I WANNA WELCOME TODAY WE'RE JOINED BY US REPRESENTATIVE LLOYD.NOW ABOUT TO BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FOR MANY MORE OF US HERE IN AUSTIN, AGAIN AND A NATIVE AUSTINITE THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER, YOU'VE BEEN A CHAMPION FOR THE ARTS AND FOR THE ECONOMY THAT WORKS BETTER FOR ALL.
AND AS A BELIEVER IN HOW CRITICAL IT IS TO PROTECT OUR GREEN SPACES AND PROTECT OUR WATER, YOU'VE ACTIVELY, ACTIVELY SUPPORTED WATERLOO GREENWAY AND
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RECENTLY WITH THE MEADOW CENTER STUDY TO THE EFFECTIVE CLIMATE CHANGE ON TEXAS GROUNDWATER.AND TO HELP EMPOWER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PRESERVE OUR IMPORTANT WATER RESOURCES.
JOIN ME AND WELCOME WELCOMING LLOYD DOGG.
WELL, GOD, WHAT WHAT AMAZING CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION.
UH, I LIVE JUST A FEW BLOCKS EAST OF HERE AND WALK WORK AT EIGHTH AND TRINITY WHEN I'M IN AUSTIN AND LOVE THIS PROJECT AND ALL THAT IT REPRESENTS IN THE MANY COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUPS THAT ARE HERE TO KEEP OUR LAKE AND WATER, UH, SYSTEM OUR CREEKS CLEAN, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN WHICH TO CREATE.
UH, TODAY WE'RE MARKING BOTH THE START OF SOMETHING NEW, THE WAY OF WATER, AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE STRONG CURRENT THAT RUNS THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT FORKLIFT DANCE WARS DOES.
DEDICATION TO THE CRAFT OF REVEALING THE GRACE AND THE BEAUTY AND THE GRIP FOUND IN BOTH WORK AND NATURE.
BEAUTY IN THE FLOW OF EARLY MORNING WORK ROUTINES AND IN THE FLOW OF OUR WATERWAYS, BEAUTY IN THE RISING ARM OF A FORKLIFT BELOW OUR EVER RISING SKYLINE.
ON A DAY LIKE THIS THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING ABOUT OUR AUSTIN WATER, SOMETHING THAT, UH, BOTH THE, UH, ADDS TO CREATIVITY AND WHERE FOR ALL THE REST OF US TO ENJOY IT.
CREATIVITY DRIVES A UNIQUE CULTURE AND WHAT MAKES AUSTIN A. LITTLE WEIRD AND A LITTLE SPECIAL THROUGH THE EVER SHIFTING NATURE THAT WE ALSO SEE THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES FROM OUR TRAILS, UH, EVERY DAY.
AND THROUGH THE STORIES THAT WE CREATE, THROUGH THE WAY THAT AUSTINITES DO THEIR JOBS TO KEEP OUR CITY RUNNING AND THE WAY OUR DAILY WORK FLOWS FIT WITH OUR NEIGHBORS DAILY WORK.
I'M PLEASED THAT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, UH, NOT ONLY RECOGNIZED AND INVESTED IN THIS PROJECT, UH, TO TELL THE STORY OF OUR WATERWAYS, BUT THIS IS REALLY THE SECOND TIME THAT, UH, THEY HAVE INVESTED IN, UH, FORKLIFT DANCE WORKS.
UH, WHAT'S EXCITING HERE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE NOT ONLY THE BRILLIANT VISION THAT COMES TO LIFE THROUGH FORKLIFTS DANCE, AND THROUGH THESE MANY WATERSHED EMPLOYEES WHO NEVER KNEW THEY WERE DANCERS BEFORE THEY GOT A CALL FROM ALLISON.
BUT WE'LL ALSO SEE HOW THE STAGE ITSELF, THE WATER CREEK TUNNEL INLET FACILITY, HAS ONLY BEEN POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE DEDICATED WORK AND INVESTMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
IT ADDS EVEN MORE MEANING, UH, TO MARK THIS NEW CREATIVE DANCE PROJECT ON THE SITE OF A PROJECT THAT INVOLVES ABOUT $9 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDING THAT I WORKED ON TO SUPPLEMENT THE CITY INVESTMENT AND THE INVESTMENT OF MANY INDIVIDUAL AUSTINITES, UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PERFORMANCE.
THE SAME ENGINEERS OF WATER WORKERS WHO MADE THE STAGE, UH, HAVE CRAFTED MUCH MORE.
UH, I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS SPECIAL MEANING TO ME BECAUSE MY WIFE ALWAYS MAINTAINED IF I HAD TO DANCE MY WAY TO WASHINGTON, I WOULDN'T GET TO FLUGER.
SO I'M EAGER TO SEE, UH, UH, HOW THIS DANCE PROJECT WORKS.
UH, ALLISON, UH, YOU'VE DONE SOME INCREDIBLE WORK TO HELP PARK LIFT DRIVERS, SANITATION WORKERS, UH, LIFEGUARDS CHILDREN AND SO MANY MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY THEMSELVES WERE DANCERS, UH, IN DOING INCREDIBLE DANCE WORK.
IT'S REALLY CREATIVE AND IT'S REALLY SPECIAL.
UH, I THINK WE'LL NOW BE ABLE TO ENJOY A GREAT PERFORMANCE IN NOVEMBER.
UH, IT WAS A GREAT NATURALIST, UH, JOHN MUIR WHO SAID, EVERYBODY NEEDS BEAUTY AS WELL AS BREAD PLACES TO PLAY IN AND PRAY IN WHERE NATURE MAY HEAL AND GIVE STRENGTH TO THE BODY AND SOUL, AUSTIN CERTAINLY OFFERS THE BEAUTY AS WELL AS THE BREAD.
AND NOW WITH WATERLOO WATERLOO, WITH THE DEDICATION OF THE VERY WORKERS WHO ARE GOING TO PERFORM THE WORK, WE HAVE YET ANOTHER PLACE WHERE NATURE MAY GIVE STRENGTH TO THE BODY AND SOLD FOR YEARS TO COME.
UH, CERTAINLY, UH, THE PROJECT THAT WE CELEBRATE TODAY, UH, AND BENEFIT FROM WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT A DEDICATE DEDICATED WATERSHED PROTECTION PRO, UH, DIRECTOR FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, LIFELONG AUSTINITE, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
SO PLEASE WELCOME JORGE MORALES, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT.
COUNCIL CONGRESSMAN, THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE FORKLIFTS DANCE WORK FOR THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT.
ONE OF THE CORE TENETS OF FORKLIFTS IS COMMUNITY, A VALUE THAT IS ALSO STRONGLY HELD BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
FORKLIFTS WORK TO BRIDGE COMMUNITIES WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SHOWCASE THE ART AND BEAUTY OF EACH OF THEM.
WORKING TOGETHER IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WATERSHED PROTECTION JUMPED ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO
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COLLABORATE ON THE WAY OF THE WATER.THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT EMBARKED ON A JOURNEY THIS YEAR TO CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN CALLED RAIN TO RIVER.
IT'S A PLAN THAT WILL GUIDE OUR DEPARTMENT'S WORK FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF RAIN TO RIVER IS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND USING COMMUNITY INPUT TO FOCUS OUR WORK ON WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU.
RAIN TO RIVER ALSO IS BEING DRIVEN BY EQUITY AND ENSURING VOICES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY GONE UNHEARD ARE BEING HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR TODAY.
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FORKLIFT DANCE WORK IS A CON CONDUIT TO THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
BY SHOWCASING THE WORK WE DO THROUGH ARTISTIC MOVEMENT, WE HOPE TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON AUSTINITES ABOUT ITS IMPORTANCE AND REINFORCE THE MESSAGE THAT THEY CAN GUIDE THE WORK THAT WATERSHED PROTECTION DOES BY PARTICIPATING IN RAIN TO RIVER.
LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO OUR PARTNERS FORKLIFT DANCE WORKS, THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY AND OUR STAFF WHO SHOW UP TO WORK EVERY DAY TO RE TO TO SERVE THE GREAT CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE CHERYL COLE.
IT FEELS SO GOOD TO BE HERE AND TO SEE THIS PROJECT COMING FRUITION.
I WANT TO THANK FORKLIFT DANCE TO WALL CREEK CONSERVANCY AND THE MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WORKED ON THIS.
ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, I USED TO TAKE MY KIDS AND DROP 'EM OFF AT KEELEY AND ACROSS THE I 35 AND DOWN TO THIS CREEK.
AND I WOULD WALK AND I WOULD THINK, THINK ABOUT HOW AUSTIN IS BETTER THAN SAN ANTONIO AND CHICAGO, AND HOW WE NEEDED TO HAVE OUR OWN AUSTIN STYLE WA WATERWAY.
SO WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL, THIS WAS MY SIGNATURE PROJECT, THE WALL CREEK REDEVELOPMENT.
THE PROBLEM WITH WALL CREEK WAS THAT WE HAD, IT WAS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN, APPROXIMATELY 28 ACRES, AND WE NEEDED TO RAISE THE PONDS TO GET THE PROPERTY OUT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN.
AND BETTY DUNER LEE MAYOR PRO, TIM BETTY DUNKERLEY AT THE TIME WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING ME NAVIGATE THE PROJECT THROUGH THIS COMMUNITY.
AND IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT PASSED BY COUNCIL AND GET THE PARTNERSHIP WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND FUND THET AND MAKE ALL OF THIS HAPPEN.
SO IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO BE HERE AT THIS CELEBRATION, AND I APPRECIATE FORKLIFT DANCE FOR HAVING A PERFORMANCE IN NOVEMBER TO KICK IT OFF AND THE WATER BLEW INLET.
I'M SO GLAD TO SEE THAT IT WORKS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT.
UH, NEXT WE'RE HERE FROM JESUS COMING UP.
JESUS, I THINK WE'RE ALL GLAD THAT IT WORKS.
UM, SO REPRESENTATIVE COLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS TUNNEL, THIS INFRASTRUCTURE, AND FOR WATERLOO GREENWAY.
YOUR SUPPORT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING HAS BEEN CRITICAL TO US BEING ABLE TO BRING THIS VISION TO REALITY, THIS VISION THAT WE'RE STANDING IN.
ONE BIG ONE MORE SHOUT OF APPLAUSE.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE OUT TO ALL OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND CENTRAL EMPLOYEES WHO, AS, AS DIRECTOR MOR ISLAND, SAID, EACH AND EVERY DAY WORK ON BEHALF OF ALL AUSTINITES.
AND, UH, I'M EXCITED TO SEE YOU ALL DANCE, SO NO PRESSURE THERE.
UM, SO WE AT WATERLOO GREENWAY ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO EVERY YEAR, UH, OW GREENWAY PUTS TOGETHER A CREEK SHOW, WHICH MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE.
AND WE BRING TOGETHER, CREATED THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY IN 10 NIGHTS, LOCAL ART, MUSIC, AND FAMILY, FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.
AND THIS YEAR IS GONNA BE EVEN MORE SPECIAL.
SO WATERLOO GREENWAY IS EXCITED TO COLLABORATE THIS YEAR WITH FORKLIFT DANCE WORKS TO ADD A PERFORMANCE, TO ADD PERFORMANCE ART DURING A SPECIAL TWO NIGHT DEBUT.
BUT EVEN MORE EXCITING IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE WORKERS BEHIND THE WALL CREEK TUNNEL.
BECAUSE OF THIS INCREDIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE A RESTORED PARK SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE WATERLOO PARK, ALL ALONG WALL, WALL CREEK THAT COMES TO LIFE WITH THREE YEAR ROUND PROGRAMMING.
WATERLOO PARK THAT YOU'RE ALL IN WITH OUR FIRST PHASE.
AND ALREADY WE'VE WELCOMED OVER 400,000 PEOPLE SINCE WE OPENED JUST OVER A YEAR AGO.
WE'VE HOSTED OVER 150 COMMUNITY EVENTS, 35 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, 85 WORKOUT CLASSES, 12 COMMUNITY FESTIVALS, AND WE'VE ALL DANCED AND SUNG TO ALONG WITH 26 CONCERTS AND 91,000 ATTENDEES.
WE'VE ALSO NURTURED 90,000 PLANTS THAT YOU'RE ALL AMONG RIGHT NOW AND 500 TREES ALONG AROUND THESE 11 ACRES.
AND WE'RE GROWING, OF COURSE, WE DO THIS ALL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR, OUR, UH, FRIENDS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WATERSHED PROTECTION AND PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL TO CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT, WHO HAS BEEN A STEADFAST ADVOCATE FOR THIS PROJECT AND WITH HIS SUPPORT,
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UH, AND THAT OF OUR CITY PARTNERS.WE'RE READY TO EMBARK ON THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS PROJECT EARLY NEXT YEAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING FEDERAL DOLLARS TO THIS PROJECT, CONGRESSMAN.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT EASY TO DO.
SO WE UNDERSTAND HOW CHALLENGING IT IS.
UM, BUT TRULY THE BEST WAY TO LEARN ABOUT WATERLOO GREENWAY IS TO COME OUT AND EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF.
SO WE ASK EVERYONE TO COME OUT AND JOIN US.
BRING YOUR FAMILY, BRING YOUR FRIENDS, BRING YOUR NEIGHBORS.
BRING EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE NOT SO CRAZY ABOUT.
SHOW THE WAY OF THE WATER, WALL CREEK AND A CREEK SHOW, UH, NEXT MONTH IN 2022.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME ON OVER AND WE'RE GONNA SEE A SNEAK PREVIEW OF THIS PERFORMANCE.