A number of stakeholders have shared their thoughts on the Waller Creek area, the launch of a conservancy, and the special opportunity being presented.

“The Conservancy’s work will be an important impetus for us to turn our attention towards Waller Creek. The opportunity to exchange ideas and work together will be in everyone’s best interest.” –Pat Clubb, Vice President for University Operations, The University of Texas at Austin

“A group of citizens that do not blink or break at a challenge, have committed their time, talent and treasure to create a crown-jewel amenity for our entire city and the world. They bless generations to come in this endeavor.” – Sheryl Cole, Austin City Council Member

“I don’t think we could, as a city, accomplish what the conservancy can do. We could probably build a great park on Waller Creek, but it might take us 20 to 30 years. What the conservancy is able to do is raise the money, engage the greatest of consultants in a way and fashion the City of Austin would not be able to do.” – Sue Edwards, Assistant City Manager, City of Austin

“This is the perfect opportunity to take a strategic approach to planning an area we can be proud of for the future. We haven’t been able to do anything to date, quite frankly, because of lack of money and lack of it being seen as a priority. Now with the tunnel coming in, it provides the opportunity to create an all-inclusive partnership and recreate an area of our city.” – Sara L. Hensley, CPRP, Director,  Austin Parks and Recreation Department

“Waller Creek strikes me as a game-changing development. I think it will do much to change the character of downtown. There are a number of other things in that area being talked about by the state, hospital and university – and then you have Waller Creek. When you look at that alignment of stars, the potential for creating something new, different and fundamentally impactful for the city of Austin is just tremendous.” – Marc Ott, City Manager, City of Austin

“The challenge is to create urban design in an effective, sustainable way that puts enduring infrastructure in place along with lasting beauty. It’s not easy. It requires coordinating with a lot of different entities, working creatively with the private sector as well as the public, and working collaboratively. When you get it right, it’s a wonderful thing. We’ve achieved that in some places in Austin, but our efforts have fallen short with Waller Creek. The need for the effort is getting greater all the time. That’s what’s great about the Waller Creek Conservancy – it’s the community saying, yes, we can do this.” – Chris Riley, Austin City Council Member

“It’s become very clear that the public works part is at a critical juncture. There’s no way to accomplish everything we hope to accomplish without the private sector stepping up. I am thrilled that we’re finally getting the philanthropic community and the City to work together to develop a part of downtown that has been overlooked and that hasn’t been close to reaching its potential for far too long. I can not think of a single place in Austin, Texas, where you have the confluence of UT, State government, the city’s entertainment district, and convention center, in one place as they are along the banks of Waller Creek. It is in all of our mutual interests to work together.” – Randi Shade, Austin City Council Member

“This allows us the chance to re-imagine our relationship with nature in an urban environment. It's important to make the distinction this will be urban design, not site design. Over the last decade, landscape architects have been asked increasingly to re-design relatively small degraded parcels. Austin has the opportunity to transform over a mile of its downtown to create a cultural expression.” – Allan Shearer, Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at Austin, School of Architecture

“It’s been more than a 30-year process that hasn’t achieved its vision. It’s a dream deferred.  But its vision from the beginning in the 1970s is consistent with today’s dreams. It’s taken most of this time to figure out the financing to get it out of the flood plain. Until you do that you don’t have a canvas to draw. Now we have that canvas.” – Ted Siff, Chief Operating Officer, Park Place Publications, LP

“We’re sensitive to the fact that many citizens have provided a lot of input into the Waller Creek area over the years. We’re really seeking designers with a true passion for coming in and appreciating the history – then encompass the essence of Austin in a cohesive vision for this special area.” – Don Stastny, Architect, Urbanist and Competition Manager, Design Waller Creek: A Competition