Photos : Bob Kenney
Source:http://www.veloway.com/
Developed in the area of Circle C just south of Slaughter Lane and East of MOPAC (1). Development at them time was controversial but many will agree that the additions of these 2 unique venues adds to the Austin appeal of outdoor activity and the beauty of Central Texas native plants and landscapes.
History of the Veloway
The Veloway has controversial roots.
One of Austin's prized natural features is a spring fed pool known as Barton Springs. Barton Springs is filled year round with almost unbearably cold water and has provided a much needed respite from our brutal summers for thousands of years. The watershed that feeds the aquifer that fills the Springs is a relatively attractive rolling land with small trees and brush.
Only sparsely developed in the early 80's, the land in southwest Austin above the aquifer became the target of development, some chaotic and some well-planned. One of the best planned developments created during the boom years of the 80's was Circle C. The mastermind behind Circle C is Gary Bradley, who is either the devil incarnate or the most forward thinking community creator to ever live in Texas.
Jeff Latimer of Gus' Bike shop in New Hampshire recently emailed this interesting background on the Veloway's founding:
"Back in the 80's I was a real estate broker working for First Austin Properties. I was am also cyclist and today I own a bike shop in New Hampshire. A friend of mine worked for Gary Bradley. She told me that Gary was interested in doing a bicycle project and wondered about building a velodrome on his new development, Circle C Ranch. I think the velodrome came up because another Austin developer (whose name escapes me at the moment) had formed a committee to make a bid for the Pan Am games to be in Austin. Anyway I pulled in Richard DeGarmo, who at that time was the director of the Tour of Texas. He was also president of the United States Cycling Federation, which later became USA Cycling. The Tour of Texas was a week long stage race held every March in Central Texas. Richard was years ahead of his time with the race, this was way before Lance. It brought in all the great teams of the time including 7-11 with Bob Roll, the big Raleigh team and several European junior teams. At that time the Tour was still going on and Circle C became one of the sponsors of the event. The Velodrome actually got some serious consideration, I remember going down to the Houston Velodrome to take a look at the one that had been built there. Richard and Gary thought a Veloway made more sense then the Velodrome as it could be used to hold the criteriums that were part of the Tour. They traditionally had been held on 6th street or on the big loop in Zilker Park. Sadly the Tour came to an end due to lack of sponsorship before a race could be held there, but the Veloway is indeed a jewel."
Circle C incorporated many unique features for its time, including a wonderful swimming facility, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and the Veloway. Much to the consternation of the road cyclists of Austin, public money that had been earmarked for creation of urban bike lanes was diverted to help fund Gary Bradley's bike path way out in the middle of nowhere serving his subdivision's residents, who weren't even in the city limits at the time.Fast-forward 15 years and you'll find the Veloway becoming surrounded by development. The rapid loss of bike friendly roads makes its existence seem most fortunate, even to those who pooh/pooh the idea of riding a short 3 mile loop over and over again. A decision was made a while back to allow the rollerblades to legally use the facility ... they now comprise about half the users. The City of Austin repaved the Veloway in 2004. We are alarmed at the deterioration of the pavement surface, and hope the city will add a protective topping before the pavement becomes dangerous again.
source: http://www.wildflower.org/about/
Wildflower Center Mission
The mission of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes.
Lady Bird Johnson, our former first lady, and actress Helen Hayes founded an organization in 1982 to protect and preserve North America's native plants and natural landscapes. First as the National Wildflower Research Center and later as the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, this special place exists to introduce people to the beauty and diversity of wildflowers and other native plants. Every day, the Wildflower Center brings life to Mrs. Johnson's vision in its public gardens, its woodlands and sweeping meadows as well as in internationally influential research. In 2006, the Center became an Organized Research Unit of the University of Texas at Austin.
Decades ago, Mrs. Johnson recognized that our country was losing its natural landscapes and its natural beauty. As much as 30 percent of the world’s native flora is at risk of extinction. The Wildflower Center was intended to help preserve and restore that beauty and the biological richness of North America. Since then, the Center has become one of the country’s most credible research institutions and effective advocates for native plants.
The Center’s gardens display the native plants of the Central Texas Hill Country, South and West Texas, while the Plant Conservation Program protects the ecological heritage of Texas by conserving its rare and endangered flora. The Native Plant Information Network is a database of more than 7,200 native species available online.
The Land Restoration Program applies knowledge of ecological processes to restoring damaged landscapes. The Center’s education programs for children and adults teach people about their natural surroundings and how to grow native plants in their own backyards.
Wildflower Center Chronology
Susan Rieff, Executive Director
2011-2012 Annual Report
