Monday is Give 5% for Mother Earth Day!

Get ready, friends! Earth Day is next week, and once again FBSP is proud to participate in Give 5% for Mother Earth day here in Austin. On Monday, April 22nd, more than 200 local businesses will generously donate 5% of their profits to seven local environmental nonprofits, including FBSP. So click the link above to find out where to eat, drink and shop to support the environment on April 22!  You will be supporting some great local businesses, as well as helping keep our environment clean, our parks tidy, our springs pristine, our trees aplenty, our open spaces preserved, and so much more!

But you don’t have to wait until Monday – you can start today with the following cool events:

Thursday, April 18th – Head over to Shady Grove as they support “Give 5% to Mother Earth!” Austin’s own, Suzanna Choffel will be rockin’ out for Mother Earth at KGSR’s Unplugged at the Grove! So grab a Hippie Chick and a brewskie and enjoy some live music while doing a great thing! A portion of sales on Thursday, April 18th will benefit the campaign.

Sunday, April 21st – Join Windmill Bicycles on Sunday, April 21st to wave on the MS150 riders down Manor Road! They’ll have their usual awesome shenanigans, live music, and a portion of sales will benefit “Give 5% to Mother Earth!”

Monday, April 22nd – Eat, shop, sip, play, clean, ALL OVER TOWN to support seven non-profits who work tirelessly to keep your Austin, Austin. Over 200 locations are committed to give 5% of sales to the campaign, so pick one, (or ten!) and go show them you appreciate their good work!

Tuesday, April 23rd – Take your sweetie or treat yourself to lunch, drinks, or dinner at the lovely Chez Nous or go get some to-die-for cheese at Antonelli’s Cheese Shop and a portion of your sales benefit the campaign!

We Did It! Council Unanimously Approves Grounds Improvements

Thank you!  Thank you! Thank you to everyone who called, emailed, and attended meetings over the years, and especially in the last few months during the final push for approval.

Last night, after a long day of waiting, the City Council opened the public hearing on the SOS Ordinance amendments that would allow the Grounds Improvements projects to go forward.  Around 11:30 pm, after hearing from a variety of stakeholders, including FBSP board and members, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the amendment!

Through many rounds of revisions to the plans, all stakeholders were able to come to an agreement to approve the plans going forward.  This included a meeting just earlier this week, called by Councilmember Laura Morrison, at which representatives from a variety of groups met at the pool, and were able to agree on a new, better location for the ADA access overlook so that disabled patrons can enjoy the views of the South Lawn.

We could not be more excited to see these worthy projects finally on the path to completion. If all goes well, construction will begin in October 2013.

If you would like to email the City Council members to thank them for their vote, their emails are below.

Click here to email all Council members.

Lee Leffingwell (Mayor): lee.leffingwell@austintexas.gov

Sheryl Cole (Mayor Pro Tem): sheryl.cole@austintexas.gov

CM Mike Martinez: mike.martinez@austintexas.gov

CM Chris Riley: chris.riley@austintexas.gov

CM Bill Spelman: william.spelman@austintexas.gov

CM Laura Morrison: laura.morrison@austintexas.gov

CM Kathie Tovo: kathie.tovo@austintexas.gov

Today! Please Attend Council Hearing on Grounds Improvements

Today is the day! Finally, the General Grounds Improvements have come to the end of their long trip through all the public process of the boards and commissions system, and will go before the City Council for a public hearing today.

Please email the Council in support (emails below), if you support projects such as:

  • installing irrigation for the trees and lawn
  • burying the unsightly and dangerous overhead power lines
  • upgrading the electrics to provide for more efficient pool cleaning (and removing the need for using gas-powered equipment next to the pool)
  • renovating the tree court to beautify it and protect the root zones of the heritage trees
  • provide an ADA access path to the pool through the South woods

Click here and here for more details.

We hope to see you at the Council Chambers this evening – we need to show support for these needed improvements!

The Council meeting will take place today, April 11 at City Council Chambers at 201 W. 2nd Street.  Parking in the City garage off of Lavaca Street will be validated.  The amendments to allow the Grounds Improvements to go forward will be Item #82 on the agenda.

We hope to see you there!

Click here to email all Council members.

Lee Leffingwell (Mayor): lee.leffingwell@austintexas.gov

Sheryl Cole (Mayor Pro Tem): sheryl.cole@austintexas.gov

CM Mike Martinez: mike.martinez@austintexas.gov

CM Chris Riley: chris.riley@austintexas.gov

CM Bill Spelman: william.spelman@austintexas.gov

CM Laura Morrison: laura.morrison@austintexas.gov

CM Kathie Tovo: kathie.tovo@austintexas.gov

Council to Consider Grounds Improvements This Thursday; Please Attend!

This is the moment the Pool needs you! This Thursday, April 11, the General Grounds Improvements will come to the City Council for a public hearing and vote.  Please join us in attending the meeting and signing up in support!

The projects will be long-overdue improvements to control erosion, improve water quality, improve accessibility, and care for the trees and lawn (memo here and FAQ here).  We are so excited that they are so close to being implemented, and we need you to help us take them the last mile!

The Council meeting will take place Thursday, April 11 at City Council Chambers at 201 W. 2nd Street.  Parking in the City garage off of Lavaca Street will be validated.  The amendments to allow the Grounds Improvements to go forward will be Item #82 on the agenda.  We will let you know when we know what time it seems likely to come up.

So please come join us this Thursday! If you can’t make it, you can also help by emailing the City Council members in support (emails below), or by stopping by City Hall at any time on Thursday to register your support for the Grounds Improvements (Item #82) on the kiosk.

Lee Leffingwell (Mayor): lee.leffingwell@austintexas.gov

Sheryl Cole (Mayor Pro Tem): sheryl.cole@austintexas.gov

CM Mike Martinez: mike.martinez@austintexas.gov

CM Chris Riley: chris.riley@austintexas.gov

CM Bill Spelman: william.spelman@austintexas.gov

CM Laura Morrison: laura.morrison@austintexas.gov

CM Kathie Tovo: kathie.tovo@austintexas.gov