In the News

Tired of sitting around? Head outside to work out the holiday kinks

Austin American-Statesman – December 24, 2015

You’ve baked sugar cookies, binge-watched “Frosty the Snowman” and molded a semi-permanent nest into the sofa cushions. Now it’s time to head outside and work out the kinks.

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Best of Austin: City Life

Austin Monthly – November 30, 2015

Outdoor Excursion: Violet Crown Trail
After 15 years of planning by the Hill Country Conservancy, the first 6 miles of the Violet Crown Trail—which starts along Highway 290 near Brodie Lane and heads north to Zilker Park—opened in August.

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Violet Crown design underway

Community Impact – November 24, 2015

There is no Violet Crown Trail parking lot near the trail’s first phase, which opened in August. Hanna Cofer, director of events and communication with the Hill Country Conservancy, which helped develop the trail, said HCC did not buy land for parking.

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Trail Blazing

Austin Monthly – November 2, 2015

One of Austin’s most treasured natural gems has a brand new addition. After 15 years of planning by the Hill Country Conservancy, the first six miles of the Violet Crown Trail opened in August, thus extending the already-existing footpath that starts at Zilker Park and goes all the way down south to Brodie Lane.

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Step by Step Guide to Austin’s Long Anticipated Violet Crown Trail

Austinot – August 19, 2015

“How’d you like to hike, run and bike your way across 30 miles of pathway connecting central Austin to Hays County? Thanks to Violet Crown Trail, local nature lovers will soon be able to do just that…”

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First section of Violet Crown Trail opens to the public

Austin American-Statesman – August 17, 2015

“Just a few hundred yards from U.S. 290, along a new trail that dips into rocky ravines and winds along Gaines Creek, chirping birds and rustling leaves swallow the sounds of traffic…”

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First segment of Violet Crown Trail opens: Cities of Austin, Sunset Valley join Hill Country Conservancy at ribbon cutting

Community Impact Newspaper – August 14, 2015

“The first six miles of the Violet Crown Trail opened to the public Aug. 14 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Austin City Council Member Ellen Troxclair, Sunset Valley Mayor Rose Cardona and George Cofer, executive director of local nonprofit Hill Country Conservancy.”

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Part of Violet Crown Trail opens Friday

KVUE – ‎August 14, 2015‎

“The land we’re standing on was not open to the public until we built the Violet Crown Trail. The land south of the historic Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is beautiful, historic ranch land that will be open for the first time because of the…”

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Six miles of Violet Crown Trail opens for use

KXAN – ‎August 14, 2015‎

“After nearly 20 years of strategic land acquisition and planning, the first six miles of the Violet Crown Trail opened to the public on Friday. A ribbon cutting was held for the first six miles of the trail, which is off Highway 290 and…”

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First section of Violet Crown Trail opens to the public

Austin American-Statesman – ‎August 14, 2015‎

“Just a few hundred yards from U.S. 290, along a new trail that dips into rocky ravines and winds along Gaines Creek, chirping birds and rustling leaves swallow the sounds of traffic. Last Friday, the city unveiled the first 6 miles of the long-awaited …”

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Vote early, often for Violet Crown Trail in REI Campaign

Austin360 – August 14, 2015

“That means the project will receive $5 from REI for each vote it receives in the online campaign, until it hits a $75,000 maximum or all 10 trails receive a combined total of $500,000 in votes, whichever comes first. To vote for the Violet Crown Trail…”

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Austin’s new Violet Crown Trail opens to the public

CultureMap – August 13, 2015

“Austin’s newest trail system will make its debut Friday, Aug. 14, with the official opening of the first six miles of the Violet Crown Trail…”

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Violet Crown Trail Opens: First six miles of a planned 30 miles of trail open to the public

Austin Chronicle – August 13, 2015

“Austin’s newest trail system will make its debut Friday, Aug. 14, with the official opening of the first six miles of the Violet Crown Trail…”

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Violet Crown Trail – A trail to connect them all

REI Blog – July 15, 2015

“Austin, Texas, isn’t without trails. In fact, this notoriously outdoorsy, hip town in the center of the state has quite a few of them. But currently, many of them are overcrowded and deteriorating…”

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New trail signs on Barton Creek Greenbelt

KXAN – March 31, 2015

Beginning Tuesday, the Texas Conservation Corp will be installing new mile marker and way-finding sign posts on the main trail of the Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail system. The sign design, manufacturing and installation coordination is a donation from the Hill Country Conservancy. It’s part of Phase I roll-out of the Violet Crown Trail Master Plan.

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Southwest Austin trail project moves forward

KXAN – January 13, 2015

You will soon have more options to walk, hike and bike through Central Texas as crews continue to make progress on the Violet Crown Trail.

The trail system will connect Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the Veloway. Construction started last year and it’s now time to nail down plans for the second phase of the trail system.

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Barnes: George Cofer works to save open spaces

myStatesman – March 23, 2013

In 1961, when George Cofer and his friends from West Lake Hills entered the halls of what was then O. Henry Junior High on West 10th Street, they ran smack into an Austin version of culture shock.

“West Lake primarily was known for bootleggers, stonemasons and cedar-choppers,” Cofer, 64, drawls with amusement about the rap on his hometown, then considered on the “wrong” side of the river. “Those were not derogatory terms at the time to us. The Tarrytown girls labeled us hicks. They’d been to cotillions and coming-out parties. We’d been out hunting and fishing.”

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Austin City Council focuses on November bond package of $385 million to $400 million

Austin American-Statesman – August 7, 2012

Austin City Council members said Tuesday that they would prefer a November bond package in the range of $385 million to $400 million, which would require little or no property tax increase.

Also Tuesday, council members revealed some of their preferences for projects to include in the package, suggesting cuts or additions they would make to a staff-recommended list that totals $385 million.

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Trail builders gearing up for work on second phase of Violet Crown Trail

Austin American-Statesman – June 4, 2012

Climb into a car and drive someplace to go for a hike, a bike ride or a swim?
We’d rather walk or pedal right from the front door, thank you very much.

A lot of folks will be able to do just that when the Violet Crown Trail, a 30-mile pathway that ultimately will stretch from Zilker Park to Hays County, opens. The long, seamless expanse of trail will connect neighborhoods with parks, pools, libraries, schools and shopping centers and create lots of new terrain for hiking, running and pedaling.

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