[00:00:02]
[Barton Springs Conservancy Check News Conference ]
EVERYONE.I AM AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS, AND I AM PROUD TO REPRESENT SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DISTRICT EIGHT, WHICH INCLUDES THE JOAN MEANS CAB BATHHOUSE.
I'M JOINED HERE TODAY WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY AND WE ARE ABOUT TO INCLUDE SOME EXTRA FUNDING, ADDITIONAL FUNDING INTO THE BATHHOUSE REMODEL PROJECT.
SO AS A LOT OF YOU KNOW, WE LOVE OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WE KNOW THAT OUR STAFF IN THAT DEPARTMENT WORKS VERY HARD EVERY DAY TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS THAT LIKE TO FUNDRAISE ON THE SIDE TO ADD TO OUR ABILITIES.
UM, WE ARE SO THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR FOLKS LIKE THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY THAT CAN COME IN AND MAKE SURE THAT THESE SPACES ARE OPEN AND WELCOMING TO EVERYONE.
SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
UM, WE LOVE MAKING SURE THAT THESE SPACES ARE ACTUALLY ENHANCED AND STILL AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO USE.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY AND I'M GONNA LET MAYOR PRO TEM LESLIE POOLE SAY A FEW REMARKS.
BOY, I SURE AM GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY WITH ALL OF YOU FOLKS AND, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THE REALLY GOOD WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR CIVIC ASSETS.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF MY JOB TO, TO RECOGNIZE AND AMPLIFY THESE KINDS OF WINS FOR THE CITY.
THE WIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THE CITY'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY PARK PARTNERS ARE VITAL TO A VIBRANT AND WELL-MAINTAINED PARK SYSTEM.
THESE PARTNERS REACH OUT TO AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN WAYS THE CITY CANNOT.
THEY HELP BUILD EXCITEMENT AROUND A PARK, A TRAIL, OR IN THIS CASE A SPECIFIC PROJECT, A HISTORIC AND BELOVED BATHHOUSE.
SO I WANNA THANK THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY FOR HELPING US BRIDGE THE FUNDING GAP FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE PROJECT WHERE BUDGETS ARE TIGHT AND PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE WOULD GO UNREALIZED IF NOT FOR THE EFFORTS OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
SO THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR ALL YOUR ABLE LEADERSHIP OVER THESE MANY YEARS AND ALSO TO THE TEAM THAT IS AROUND YOU.
MY THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING THIS DREAM COME TRUE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALICE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERS HERE AS WELL.
UM, ON BEHALF OF THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY TO ANNOUNCE OUR LATEST CONTRIBUTION OF $450,000 IN FUNDS FOR, FOR THE JOAN MEANS TO BE A BATHHOUSE REHABILITATION PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE AUSTIN VOTERS.
THEY SUPPORTED BOND FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT AT THE BEGINNING.
UH, WE'VE ALSO HAD EXCELLENT, UH, AND HARDWORKING SUPPORT FROM THE STAFF AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
INTERIM DIRECTOR ANGELA MEANS IS HERE AS WELL.
AND ALSO THE, UH, CAPITAL CITY DELIVERY SERVICES WHO STEWARDED THIS PROJECT THROUGH THE CITY'S PLANNING, PERMITTING REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.
AND OF COURSE, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE TODAY, THEY SUPPORTED AND IMPROVED AND FUNDED THIS PROJECT OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS.
AND THE CONSTRUCTION IS NOW UNDERWAY AND WE REALLY WANT TO THANK, UH, MAYOR PORT TAM POOL.
SHE ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE VERY FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR PARTNERSHIP MEETING, WHICH I HAVE A PICTURE OF HER.
ANYWAY, WE, WE, WE LOVE HAVING THIS LONG TERM COMMITMENT TO BARTON SPRINGS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, FROM THE COMMUNITY AS A, AS A WHOLE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THE PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE PASSION AND TITLE SUPPORT OF THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY BOARD MEMBERS WHO'VE CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME, EXPERTISE, CONNECTIONS, GUIDANCE, AND UNTOLD NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS AN AMAZING BOARD OF AUSTINITES, SOME OF WHOM WHO ARE BEHIND ME NOW, WHO TRULY LOVE BARTON SPRINGS.
AND OUR CITY IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEIR TALENTED, DEVOTED, AND GENEROUS VOLUNTEER HELP IN HONORING, PRESERVING, AND ENHANCING THE BARTON SPRINGS EXPERIENCE.
THE REASON FOR TODAY'S EVENT IS THAT THERE WAS A SMALL FUNDING SHORTFALL AT THE BATHHOUSE PROJECT JUST PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
AND THE CONSERVANCY HAD ALREADY COMPLETED A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION OF RAISING A LITTLE OVER $3.384 MILLION.
BUT WE WENT BACK TO SOME OF OUR KEY DONORS TO HELP CLOSE THE FUNDING GAP.
AND AS A RESULT, IN A VERY SHORT TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF $450,000 FROM GENEROUS DONORS, UH, BARTON SPRINGS, INCLUDING ONE SKY FOUNDATION, THE POWELL FOUNDATION, STILLWATER FOUNDATION, AND THE SUSAN VAUGHN FOUNDATION.
AS A RESULT OF THESE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND WITH DEEP GRATITUDE TO OUR DONORS, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE PROJECT IS NOW $3.834 MILLION, WHICH WE'VE TRIED TO FIT ONTO THIS, THIS CHECK HERE JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TOTAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE CONSERVANCY.
SO THROUGHOUT THIS CAMPAIGN, WE LEARNED THAT GRATITUDE CHANGES EVERYTHING.
[00:05:01]
BOARD MEMBERS TAUGHT US AT THE BEGINNING, AND THIS PERFECTLY EXPLAINS WHY BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY, INCLUDING OUR CITY AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OUR COMMUNITY OF SUPPORTERS, ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO BARTON SPRINGS AND HAVE RESPONDED BY HELPING FUND THIS PROJECT.SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO OFFICIALLY PRESENT THE CHECK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENS.
AND TO THANK, UH, EVERYBODY HERE AND ESPECIALLY, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, POOL, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALTER AND ELLIS FOR ALL THEIR SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
CAN WE DO ANYTHING ELSE? I DUNNO HOW THE REST OF THIS WORKS.
THINK WE TAKE PICTURES, BE GET SOME PICTURES.
WHY DON'T YOU STAND ON THIS SIDE LIKE YOU TO HOW ABOUT WE'LL GO DEPOSIT IT WITH ED STRIKE TO THE BANK.
DO YOU WANT US, SEE, IT'S GONNA, HOW DO WE GET, WE GO? WHY DON'T YOU, OKAY.
WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT ON THE SIDE.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY SMILE RIGHT HERE.