Free Zilker Blog
Austin Residents Demand to be Heard!
At last Austin residents are rising up. We are finished with allowing private and special interests to run this city. We are done with: Urging our city council to consider our best interests only to see private gain as the main driver of planning and change....
Austin City Manager Search—Make Your Voice Heard!
As y’all may know, Austin has been without a permanent City Manager since 2023. We now have two contenders to choose from. As part of the City Manager recruitment process, the city is inviting community members to submit questions that may be included during a...
The Trails Conservancy Succeeds in Removing Protections for Lady Bird Lake—An In-Depth Account
On March 7th, environmental protection rollbacks demanded by The Trail Conservancy (TTC) were approved by Austin City Council. Three members (R. Alter, A. Alter and M. Kelly) left the dais without explanation during the public testimony and did not return to vote....
The Fight to Save Brackenridge Park in San Antonio—Free Zilker Allies with First Nations Leaders
Brackenridge Park Conservancy, a nonprofit that was "hired" by the City of San Antonio to be stewards of Brackenridge Park, seems to be more interested in pleasing its donors—who appear to be tied to private interests. The planned development of this National...
East Austin Parks Activists and Free Zilker Defend Festival Beach Master Plan
Members of Deep Holly Advocates and East Austin stakeholders reached out to Free Zilker a few months ago asking for support. We felt we had to assist them because their cause mirrors our own: to stop moneyed interests that undermine the public trust to carve up Austin...
Austin City Council and Mayor Races 2024—A Hail Mary for Austin
The Free Zilker Coalition (FZ) may endorse and fundraise for some candidates, but we just wanted to get people thinking about the stakes and our future. Environmentalists, parks activists and anti-gentrification activists are generally getting our asses kicked at...
East Town Lake Citizens Neighborhood Association Spring Town Hall Meeting
East Town Lake Citizens Neighborhood Association Spring Town Hall Meeting When:Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 6PM Where:Rudy Mendez Rec Center (Formerly Metz Rec Center) 2407 Canterbury St, Austin, TX 78702 What: Come with your questions and concerns about all these...
Women Swimmers are Unhappy with Plans for Bathhouse Renovation
Despite protests and letters sent to City Council, these renovations have begun.
The Hijacked Park at Festival Beach
Introduction by the Free Zilker Coalition Members of the Deep Holly Advocates and the East Town Lake Citizens Neighborhood Association recently reached out to us to ask for help. We felt we had to assist them because their cause mirrors our own: to stop moneyed...
Save Flo, the Leaning Tree
PARD Director Kimberly McNeely announces a temporary reprieve for the leaning tree, "Flo." We are happy to repost here the Action Alert sent out this week by the SOS Alliance resulted in a call coming tonight, Monday, from PARD Director Kimberly McNeely to SOS's Bill...