ATTENTION: RESIDENTS of AUSTIN, TEXAS ONLY

To be presented to Austin City Council. Please login from Austin computers.

Auditorium Shores is Austin's largest and best off-leash dog park. Its central location makes it easy access for downtown residents with dogs, as well as dog owners that live further away. Wide expanses of lawn and long stretches of waterfront access (that accomodate dogs of all ages and size) make this a joyous place for both dogs and owners to socialize and relax.

The Austin Park's plan drastically reduces the size of the off-leash area, fences it in, relocates it to the spot that is furthest from the parking lot and adjacent to an outlet pipe full of slime. The design also adds fencing along the water that will trap dogs that do not exit the water at the launch pads and it drastically reduces shoreline access. What's worse is the design proposes a complete ban on dogs at the large lawn area adjacent to the parking lot to favor the needs of private interests.

Austin Parks says the dogs cause conflicts with joggers and bicyclists. However, the design not only does not resolve the bottlenecks that have created the conflict, but they have created the potential for new bottlenecks. We favor a design that retains the current leash free area, but loops am alternate jogging trail around the area where most of the dogs congregate, which is from the South First St. parking lot to the Stevie Ray Vaughan Statue. In other words, move the path, not the dogs. Trail users have access to miles of unhampered trails. Surely they can be re-routed to accomodate a less than a quarter mile stretch of happy dogs.

http://www.kvue.com/video?id=227000591&sec=551077

(photo is from http://walkyourdogaustin.com/city/auditorium-shores/)

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD), C3 Presents (the organizer of the Austin City Limits Music Festival), and the Austin Parks Foundation (APF) seek to redevelop Auditorium Shores into an event venue. With assistance from TUR Partners (an outside consulting/planning firm from Chicago), the team of C3, APF, and PARD plan to transform this great urban green space into a special events venue. The total project cost—$3.5 million—is being funded by C3, organizer of ACL Fest. This private donation made for improvements to Auditorium Shores is set to transform this green space from a community friendly park into an event venue with use restrictions, including a reduction of the current off-leash area from 18 acres to 3 acres. Do you enjoy the current experience on Auditorium Shores? Get involved! Make your voice heard. Perserve the Auditorium Shores experience. Help save this Austin park icon. SIGN this petition - SAVE AUDITORIUM SHORES! Thanks for supporting Austin Dog Parks, Bill Fraser Friends of Austin Dog Parks



