[AEN] Press Release: The Town Lake Trail Foundation Adopts New Name

[Brandi Clark]

From: Griffin Davis <griffin at markethardware.com> 


AUSTIN, Texas, July 18, 2008—The Town Lake
Trail Foundation (www.thetrailfoundation.org) today announced a new official
name for its organization: The Trail Foundation. The new name adoption is
effective immediately.
 
With the new name, the private, 501(c)(3) non-profit will
continue its stated mission of protecting and enhancing the Trail at Lady Bird  Lake .
 
To learn more about The Trail Foundation, visit
www.thetrailfoundation.org.
 
GriffinDavis
Board President
The Trail Foundation
www.thetrailfoundation.org
512.619.8778

  
 
Introducing “The Trail Foundation” 
The Former Town Lake Trail Foundation Honors Past, 
Looks To Strong Future 
 
AUSTIN, Texas, July 18, 2008—The Town Lake Trail Foundation (www.thetrailfoundation.org) 
today announced a new official name for its organization: The Trail Foundation. The new name 
adoption is effective immediately.  
 
With the new name, the private, 501(c)(3) non-profit will continue its stated mission of protecting 
and enhancing the Trail at Lady Bird Lake.  
 
“In Austin, ‘The Trail’ is as iconic as ‘The Drag,’ and our adoption of The Trail Foundation name 
comes about in part to complement Lady Bird Lake’s recently adopted identity,” said Susan 
Rankin, Executive Director. “By embracing ‘The Trail,’ which is the name most Austinites already 
use, The Trail Foundation honors Lady Bird Johnson’s vision of a public space that both connects 
citizens and preserves Austin’s natural beauty.” 
 
Located in the heart of downtown Austin, The Trail is a lush, 10-mile urban hike-and-bike path that 
is Austin’s most recognized and popular recreational area. For many citizens and visitors, The Trail 
represents the best Austin has to offer: outdoor recreation; a scenic, natural environment; and a 
diverse, vibrant mix of people.  
 
Serving thousands of outdoor and fitness enthusiasts as a meeting point for recreation, concerts, 
fairs, the arts and more, The Trail attracts some 1.5 million annual visits. As Austin grows, so too 
does trail usage by residents and visitors alike.  
 
The Trail Foundation exists because the City of Austin’s budget cannot cover all the costs of The 
Trail’s expanding needs. In a distinctively collaborative effort, The Trail Foundation works in 
cooperation with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department to close the gap between what the 
government provides and what the Trail requires.  
 
Recently, members of The Trail Foundation have helped bring: 
•The first new restroom facility in more than 30 years 
•More than 100 planted trees at the new Zilker Bluffs Tree Grove 
•A complete renovation at Lou Neff Point 
•Improved Trail biodiversity and beauty 
•“Trip-and-fall” trailside lighting 
•More than 30 beautifully maintained gardens 
•Leadership for the Riverside Boardwalk and the future of The Trail 
  
Although the organization now sports a new name and a refreshed look, its heritage remains intact 
and true to what makes Austin one of a kind. “We’re On It Together” serves as the foundation’s 
new tagline, illustrating the organization’s aim to bring our community together to protect and 
enhance the great legacy and future of the longtime Austin attraction. Along with its newly adopted 
name, The Trail Foundation also has launched a bold, vibrant new logo signifying its focus on 
providing the visionary leadership that will ensure the success of the trail’s future. 
 
Trail and Lake: A Brief History 
Completed in 1960, Longhorn Dam tamed the Colorado River, giving birth to Town Lake. Another 
decade would pass before the Town Lake Beautification Committee was formed (in 1971), 
including notable Austin figures like honorary chair Lady Bird Johnson, Les Gage, Ann Butler, 
Carolyn Curtis, Emma Long and Jim Pfluger.  
 
In cooperation with then-Mayor Roy Butler, they and others would set out to create a scenic 
corridor of hiking trails and landscaping that would allow residents and visitors the opportunity for a 
rural escape in an urban setting.  
 
At around this time, the Committee dedicated gazebos located at Auditorium Shores (South 1st 
Street at Riverside) and at Lou Neff Point (where Barton Springs flows into Lady Bird Lake). In 
2007, following the death of Lady Bird Johnson, the lake was renamed Lady Bird Lake. 
 
Decades after its birth, the Trail stands as a testament to the vision and hard work of these 
individuals and the support of the citizens of Austin.  It is The Trail Foundation’s resolve to see that 
their work is carried forward for generations. 
 
About The Trail Foundation 
Established in 2003 to protect and enhance the Trail at Lady Bird Lake, The Trail Foundation is a 
private, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  
 
The Trail Foundation engages individuals, businesses and organizations through careful 
improvements to the Trail’s infrastructure and environment, while honoring the original vision of its 
founders. In a distinctively collaborative effort, we work in cooperation with the Austin Parks and 
Recreation Department to close the gap between what the government provides and what the Trail 
requires. To learn more about The Trail Foundation, visit www.thetrailfoundation.org. 
 
### 
 
 Griffin Davis, President 
 MarketHardware.com 
 
 Bill Kerr, Vice President  
 Kelly Hart and Hallman 
 
 John Loudamy, Treasurer  
 Pluck Corporation 
 
 Colin Wallis, Secretary  
 Lance Armstrong     
 Foundation 
 
 Dave Andreas 
 Silicon Laboratories 
 
 Corey Blahuta 
 vcfo 
 
 Jack Collins 
 Frost Bank 
 
 Bill Curra, P.E.  
 Halliburton/KBR 
 
 Lisa E. Huddleson 
 The Dell Foundation 
 
 Peter Huff 
 Blue Sage Capital 
 
 Christopher Kennedy  
 LCRA 
 
 Elizabeth McGuire  
 Writer 
 
 Sara Moore  
 Botanist 
 
 Brian Ott 
 TBG Partners 
 
 Jim Sud 
 Whole Foods Market 
 
 Margot K. Thomas 
 Community Activist 
 
 Maura Thomas 
 RegainYourTime.com 
 
 Susan Rankin  
 Executive Director 
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