We are thankful for the great showing of support for the Red Line Parkway at our Launch Party on November 21st, 2019!

Thanks again to our special guests Austin City Council Member Leslie Pool and Capital Metro CEO Randy Clarke for their inspiring words. From Council Member Pool, "Remember: This is just the Launch. There is a lot more work ahead," and from Mr. Clarke, who relayed how trails complement urban rail on Boston's Red Line, e.g., at the Alewife Station.

Pictured (l to r): Capital Metro CEO Randy Clarke, Austin City Council Member Leslie Pool, RLPI Executive Director Tom Wald

Thanks also to additional speakers Nina Rinaldi of Shoal Creek Conservancy for describing the future of a metro-wide trail network, and Jacob Villanueva, RLPI Board President, for illustrating how the Red Line Parkway can connect Austin Community College students between several of their campuses.

Pictured speaking: RLPI Board President Jacob Villanueva

I described some of our recent progress, including formal decisions by both Austin City Council and Capital Metro Board to pursue formal partnerships with RLPI and other jurisdictions for a Red Line Parkway Plan. As stated at the Launch Party, there are three ways that you can be our ambassadors for the parkway today, this season, and in the coming years:

• Spread the word: Invite your friends to join our e-newsletter, to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If they don’t hear us, they won’t be able to support the parkway. This is foundational. Each of you know 10-100 people who have not yet heard of us.
• Financial support: Make your 2020 donation now. We will continue to raise institutional funding for parkway planning and initiative operations, but our initiative will always be strengthened by its breadth of supporters. We will broaden our individual financial supporter base further early next year by telling the story of trails and what the parkway can offer.
• Parkway Planning engagement: Next year, you and the people you know can get involved. Stay tuned for opportunities early in 2020.

Pictured: Launch Party attendees providing input for the Red Line Parkway.

RLPI Board Members Pictured (l to r): Chris Riley, Brianna Frey, Tom Wald (ex officio), Jacob Villanueva, and Eric Goff. (Not pictured: Mary Pustejovsky.)

Again, we thank our sponsors & donors Capital Metro, Lyft, Downtown Austin Alliance, Texas Gas Service, Perry Lorenz, Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA), Vessel Offsite (in-kind), Mary Pustejovsky, Kesten Broughton, Pete Wall, and others in supporting our Launch Party.

Enjoy the holidays, and visit a trail near you!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO GOLD AND SILVER LEVEL SPONSORS