It’s My Park Day! Clean Up at Mount Bonnell on Saturday, March 3rd

The West Point Society of Central Texas is sponsoring a Mount Bonnell Spring Clean-up Day on Saturday, March 3rd from 9:00 to 11:00am in conjunction with the Austin Parks Foundation’s ninth annual It’s My Park Day signature event. They will be removing litter from the parking lot and trails, repainting sign posts, widening a trail, weeding and mulching a garden and enjoying the newly restored views of the Colorado River Valley and the City of Austin skyline. To sign up go to http://connect.austinparks.org/goto/mount.bonnell.

Show your support for improvements to Mt. Bonnell

With the active support of both HPWBANA and WANG, the West Point Society submitted a $50,000 grant request to the Austin Parks Foundation to make a number of significant improvements to Covert Park at Mt. Bonnell, including a more durable granite replica of the current marker (paid for by the Covert family) as well as additional enhancements to the pavilion.

Initially, WPS proposed that the current worn and broken limestone marker be removed and stored until the city can restore it and display it in a protected environment. In response, the Committee Chair, Laurie Limbacher, took the position that the original, decaying limestone marker should be reconstructed on the current site, even if it would continue to deteriorate in the future.

Other Committee members, Terri Myers and Meghan Kleon, were less insistent on this approach. Ms Kleon, in particular, seemed reluctant to adopt such an extreme view and seemed to see the wisdom of replacing the original marker with a more durable and permanent replica of the marker commemorating the 1938 Covert family gift of the park to the people of Austin and Travis County.

With respect to the creation of a dais around the marker: steps, hand rails, benches and paving,  Ms. Limbacher again opposed the initiative citing “historical creep” of the various changes since 1938, to include the pavilion and surrounding stonework detracting from the historical origins of the site.

The Covert family’s contribution along with other in-kind contributions provide the basis for the request for a $50,000 grant of Austin City Limits funds, and if a new replica marker were not allowed, then matching funds would not be available to support any restoration or improvement of the park, except at taxpayer expense.

If you believe as we do, that the Covert family should be allowed to commemorate their gift to the City with a permanent marker at their expense, please let that be known to Ms. Limbacher at  llimbacher@gmail.com and copy Steve Sadowsky, the City Historic Preservation Officer at  Steve.Sadowsky@austintexas.gov .  If you favor the idea that additional enhancements should be allowed, funded by contributions and in-kind support from private sources rather than at taxpayer expense, please make your feelings on that subject known as well.  Appended below is a sample text for you to use or modify as you see fit.

SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Commissioner Limbacher,

Recently, the West Point Society submitted a $50,000 grant request to the Austin Parks Foundation involving the removal and storage of the current Covert marker on Covert Park’s pavilion until it can be restored and displayed in a protected environment, replacement of the marker with a more durable granite replica paid for by the Covert family, and making certain enhancements to the pavilion—steps, hand rails, benches and partial limestone paving to create a dais to support various activities—all to improve the park’s utility to the benefit of Mount Bonnell’s many visitors.  This plan has the wholehearted written support from the two major neighborhoods adjoining Mount Bonnell—HPWBANA and WANG.

I understand that there may be some Commission members who oppose the plan and would prefer that the original marker be restored and remain in place and that no further improvements should be made to the pavilion that would further detract from the original 1938 historical setting when the Covert family gifted the land as a park to the community for recreational purposes.   As a stakeholder, I disagree with this position and are confident that the Coverts gave the land with the full intent that it would be improved upon to enhance its recreational capabilities.  And I see no value in having a restored marker left in place only to deteriorate again in another 50 years.  Nor would the Covert family consider or support such an option.

I ask that the Commissioners opposing the grant request plan reconsider their position in favor of improving the park’s utility for all to enjoy and provide an enduring monument as a tribute to Frank Covert, Sr. for his family’s generous gift to the community.

Sincerely,

 

Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated by all wishing to see the park’s condition enhanced for all to enjoy.  For more information about the West Point Society and the proposed improvements, click here.

New Board Meeting Location

Thanks to the generosity of Crenshaw’s Athletic Club, the HPWBANA has a new Board meeting location.  The HPWBANA board will now meet at Crenshaw’s Cottage, located at 3301 Hancock between Crenshaw’s Athletic Club and Balcones Drive.  Meetings are held every third Monday of the month, except for December.  The next Board meeting will be on February 20th at 7pm.  *Please note that Board meeting specifics may change due to scheduling conflicts.  Remember to check HPWBANA.org for any changes to the date, time, or location of monthly meetings.   

Welcome to the new and improved HPWBANA.org!

Thanks to our uber talented neighbor, Lauren Cunningham of The Creative Parasol, HPWBANA has a completely redesigned and much improved website!  The new user friendly HPWBANA.org  will better connect neighbors with activities of interest and events happening in and around the neighborhood.

Please feel free to contact Lauren at webmaster@hpwbana.org to offer feedback about anything on the new site. We welcome your input!

AFD and Wildfire Prevention

HPWBANA is supporting discussions between the Austin Fire Department and communities to make our homes and the area safer from the impact of wildfires.

On Nov 16, the Beverly Hood neighborhood held a Wildfire Defense Meeting with AFD Personnel.  The Beverly Hood neighborhood is the no outlet area starting at Westview Dr, off Ridge Oak Dr.  This neighborhood is organizing a Firewise Committee to really understand the local fire threats and take action to fire harden their homes.  Firewise.org is a great resource and Lt Josh Portie is our local AFD point of contact.

Photo: Ben Norwood and Ethan Friedman, both 9, with two AFD fire fighters.