Street Talk March 2014

REPORTING ON WHAT MATTERS TO PUBLIC WORKS MARCH 2014VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1

STREET TALK

Inspiring Creative Pursuits and Artistic Vitality – A look into Austin’s thriving creative economy and the City programs that foster its growth.From community gardens to murals to sidewalk im-

provements, the Neighborhood Partnering Program helps unleash the creativity of our citizenry.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM: WHERE CITY PROPERTY IS YOUR CANVAS

Cover Story: CREATIVITY AS A WAY OF LIFE: FOLLOWING A FEARLESS PATH TO INNOVATIONTaking a deeper look into what it means to be cre-ative shows that creativity resides within all of us.

GUEST COLUMN: CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION

INSIDE:

02 STREET TALK MARCH 2014

director’s messageBY HOWARD LAZARUS DIRECTOR

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To Be Creative is to Be Courageous

few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) training with oth-

er City leaders in Emmitsburg, MD. Emmitsburg is in the rural farm-land north and west of Baltimore, just south of the historic town of Gettysburg, PA. Over my career I’ve passed through the area several times, and this most recent trip spurred me to share my thoughts and relate the lessons of the Battle of Gettysburg to this month’s theme of creativity in the work place.

To set the stage, as the summer of 1863 approached, the nation was engaged in a bloody Civil War. General Robert E. Lee, fresh off a major victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville, led his Army of Northern Virginia in an invasion of Pennsylvania. Lee knew that the success of this campaign was critical to the Confederacy’s ability to negotiate a peace with the Union. Although Lee had been largely successful on the battlefield (using superior courage and creativity to defeat a series of plodding and hapless Union generals), the Union’s industrial and resource superiority were beginning to turn the tide. A quick success would threaten Harrisburg and Philadelphia and could force an evacu-ation of Washington, DC. Victory could also force President Lincoln to see a resolution to the conflict, as the war was becoming unpopular and Lincoln was facing a potentially tough reelection campaign. Fur-ther, Lee had lost his most dynamic leader, General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson at Chancellorsville (shot by friendly fire) and had replaced him with General James Longstreet, with whom he had a somewhat trou-bled and stormy relationship.

The two sides skirmished throughout the countryside during the month of June as Lee moved north. The decisive battle took place on July 1-3, 1863, with the fate of the nation in the balance. The Union forces, under General George Meade, were ultimately victorious, but the battle was costly for both sides with total casualties of about 50,000. After Gettysburg, the Confederacy never again threatened the north and conducted a delaying action until the Civil War ended at Ap-pomattox Court House in April 1865.

In the summer of 1990, I was assigned to the Corps of Engineers’ Rocky Mountain Area Office. One of my duties was to lead Rapid Re-sponse/Emergency Management teams for the Omaha District. On August 2nd, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the Defense De-partment sought to activate Site R (a secret, deep underground com-munications facility now declassified and open to tours) located near Gettysburg. When facilities staff started the electrical generators, the equipment blew up spewing toxins throughout the ventilation shafts. My response team was activated and we were sent in to evaluate the mess and get Site R up and running. While deployed, I would get up and run through the battlefield at Gettysburg in the early morning mist. During these runs, I came to appreciate two of the lessons from

Gettysburg that I would like to share with you as they relate to creativ-ity.

Gettysburg is located in the valley and ridge regions of the Appa-lachian Mountains. The topography is of long running, parallel ridge-lines that separate the adjacent valleys. In the days leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee authorized General Jeb Stuart (a somewhat romanticized historical character due to his bodacious tactics, includ-ing at the Battle of Williamsburg where he defeated his father-in-law, a Union Colonel, and returned to Richmond to have flower petals thrown at his feet by an adoring public – not dissimilar from how Public Work-ers are received in the neighborhoods where we work) to take a portion of the cavalry (the “eyes and ears” of his army) to ride through an adja-cent valley to outflank the Union forces. Separated from Lee and with-out communications, Stuart and three of his best brigade were absent during the critical second day of the battle. To this day, there is some debate over whether Stuart is to blame for his undisciplined activities and “creative” leadership, or if Lee shares the fault for not providing ad-equate direction. The lesson to be learned is that creativity has its place in a complex operation, but expectations and limitations need to be established. As in any project, timely communications are also vital so the entire organization keeps moving in the same direction.

The second lesson involves the famous Battle of Little Round Top where the 20th Maine Regiment, under the command of Colonel Josh-ua Chamberlain (a “real life” professor at Bowdoin College in Brunswick), repelled the decisive Confederate assault on the second day of the bat-tle following several Union setbacks. Chamberlain and his men knew they had to hold the little hill, which was not much of an elevation but did offer a commanding view of the battlefield, at all costs. Time and time again the Confederates struck, until the 20th Maine was almost doubled back upon itself. With many casualties and ammunition run-ning low, Colonel Chamberlain recognized the dire circumstances and ordered his left wing (which was now looking southeast compared to the rest of the regiment, which was facing west) to initiate a bayonet charge. The result was confusion among the Confederate ranks, as they found themselves between both a frontal assault and a flanking move-ment. Chamberlain’s ability to recognize and seize the opportunity saved not only the day, but perhaps the nation. As I paused my run atop Little Round Top, I grasped the lesson that it does not always take a large advantage to be victorious, but having the abilities to sort out a problem, to make order out of chaos, and to take courageous and creative actions at the appropriate time are the keys to success.

As you go through this issue of Street Talk, pause in your reading to see how these creative solutions have relied upon developing and communicating a plan, and courageously taking action when the time and circumstances required it. Remember that creativity is the residue of a disciplined and prepared mind, not the random fallout of a reckless approach. Recognize and seize the advantage when it occurs, and be fearless in making good things happen for our community.

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VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1 contentsMARCH 2014

Plaza Saltillo

COVER STORY

CREATIVITY AS A WAY OF LIFE: FOLLOWING A FEARLESS PATH TO INNOVATIONTaking a deeper look into what it means to be creative reveals that creativity resides within all of us.

2014 MARCH STREET TALK 03


contentsmarch 2014

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1

EDITOrIaL

EDITOr In chIEf

chIEf rEpOrTEr

cOnTrIbuTIng WrITErS

DESIgnChief Graphic Designer:

Director of Photography:

Shannon [email protected]

Justin [email protected]

Alexa [email protected]

Shannon [email protected]

Denise [email protected]

Howard [email protected]

Chelsea [email protected]

Courtney [email protected]

contributors

Susan [email protected]

Carmen [email protected]

Megan CriggerCultural Arts Division,Economic [email protected]

Robin [email protected]

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columns

ALL AROUND AUSTIN TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE

Public Workers spent time in December and January doing all kinds of things around town to highlight the work we do in PWD. See what’s been happening and what’s coming up next.

The Construction Inspection Division is helping to build tomorrow’s leaders one inspector at a time.

TAkE 5 FOR SAFETYHow a small amount of time spent each day can help prevent an accident.

HOW WELL DO YOU kNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR?

Michelle Frith profiles two employees that work hard for PWD everyday, who you may have never met!

MILESTONES

What Public Workers are doing out there to achieve, foster community, im-press co-workers and citizens alike, and show we really are the ‘Department with a Heart’!

GUEST COLUMN: CULTURAL ARTS DIVISONInspiring Creative Pursuits and Artistic Vi-tality – A look into Austin’s thriving cre-ative economy and the City programs that foster its growth.

NPP: WHERE CITY PROPERTY IS YOUR CANVASFrom community gardens to murals to sidewalk improvements, the Neighbor-hood Partnering Program helps un-leash the creativity of our citizenry.

TRANSFORMING AUSTIN’S ALLEYS INTO GREEN GATEWAYSHow the Green Alley Initiative strives to inspire attractive, sustainable alleyways within our city.

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COVER STORY: CREATIVITY AS A WAY OF LIFE: FOLLOWING A FEARLESS PATH TO INNOVATION

20Taking a deeper look into what it means to be creative reveals that creativity re-sides within all of us.

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07 THE QUEENS OF CREATIVITYThis inspiring team of Child Safety trainers takes decorating to the next level!

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safety zone


BY DENISE RIAD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It takes a minute to write a safety rule.It takes an hour to hold a safety meeting.It takes a week to plan a good safety program.It takes a month to put that program into operation.It takes a year to win a safety award.It takes a lifetime to make a safe worker.But it takes only a second to destroy it all – with one accident.

How a small amount of time spent each day can help prevent an accident

Take the time now to work safe and help your fellow employees to be safe. One creative way is for managers and supervisors to “Take 5” for safety.

The idea of taking five minutes every day to address safety concerns is a great idea if your division has some reoccurring safety concerns. Some of the more obvious concerns in the office environment are slips, trips, falls and ergonomic issues. In the field, we deal with more hazardous workplaces activities such as working in active construction zones, driving vehicles and heavy equipment. Let’s look at a few examples to better illustrate the idea of a five-minute daily safety meeting.

There is an old safety saying that goes something like this:

At The Office

Slips, trips, and falls make up the majority of general industry accidents and can result in back injuries, sprains and strains, contusions, and fractures. Here are some good slip, trip, and fall prevention tips:

Always use a ladder or stepstool to re-trieve anything above shoulder level. Never use a substitute for a ladder, such as a chair or boxes. Remove obstacles from hallways and other high-traffic areas. Clean up all spills immediately. Be sure to secure all mats and rugs. Close file cabinets and drawers when not in use. Do not lean back in chairs.

Ergonomics Tips

Have sufficient desk area that allows you to position your keyboard, mouse, dis-play, document holder and other items in the way that works best for you. Organize your desk to reflect the way you use work materials and equipment. Vary your tasks and take periodic breaks.

In the Work Zone

If you’re working in the right-of-way, wear your high visibility safety garments that meet City standards. Expect the unexpected and don’t as-sume drivers see you. Pay attention to traffic. Beware of be-coming too comfortable with your sur-roundings, and avoid allowing yourself and your coworkers to lose track of safety.Don’t have your back to traffic. If you must have your back to traffic, use a spotter. Have a communication plan between the spotter and the workers. All Flaggers must be trained/certified and use authorized signaling methods.

The safe and efficient flow of traffic through work zones is a major concern to all of us – especially if you happen to be working in an active work zone. Pay attention to these tips to stay safe:

Driving/Operating Equipment

Stay safe and always use seatbelts while driving (passengers too). Follow Public Works’ no cell phone usage policy while operating a city vehicle or operating equipment. Avoid distractions such as adjusting the radio or other controls, eating or drink-ing and of course talking or texting. Keep your cool in traffic and be patient and courteous to other drivers. Before you climb aboard a piece of heavy equipment, walk completely around it. Then you’ll be able to see any persons or obstacles in the vicinity. And you’ll be able to warn anyone who is in the way that you are getting ready to move the equipment. Before starting or backing up the ve-hicle, take the few seconds it requires to be sure that no one is in danger. ALWAYS use a spotter.

You are your employer’s most valuable asset! The way that you drive says everything about you and how you feel about safety. Make a positive statement by following these work-related safe driving and equipment operating practices.

BY WRITERS NAME CONTRIBUTING WRITER

fill in-blank

00 STREET TALK NOVEMBER 2013

Tired of sitting in traffic? Parking in Austin got you down? Looking for a healthy and wallet-friendly way to get around?

SImpLE pROCESS:

SCAN Your membership card to check out a bike

RIDE To a station near your destination

RETURN The bike to that station

As an added bonus, City employees get a 50% discount on annual memberships! Here’s how:

Go to http://Austin.Bcycle.com and click “Join Today”Complete your profile using your City email addressSelect “Annual Membership” @austintexas.gov email address? Use promo code CoA701. For @austinenergy.com email addresses, use AE701.

R honda Bolick and her team of Safety Trainers are a truly creative bunch. The “Wild & Crazy Safety Gals,” as they sometimes call themselves, are known for having fun and keeping things interesting… even playing the occasional practical joke on each

other. Leticia Richardson, Claudia Padgett, Imelda Stoebner, and Alex Richardson spend their days training elementary students on safe pedestrian and bicycling behaviors. But they are probably best known to our crossing guards for the intricate and delightful decorations they create for our annual Reward and Recognition Luncheon.

Each year, the ladies choose a theme and make table decorations, small favors, baked goods, and even entire scenes to celebrate our guards’ hard work. Without their creative décor, the luncheon wouldn’t be nearly as special and memorable as it always is.

When choosing a theme, Rhonda researches internet party-planning sites and makes a list of possibilities to choose from with her team. Once they’ve picked a theme, they brainstorm possible decoration ideas to be created from the materials they already have on-hand. They’ve made some truly creative and interesting crafts with recycled materials, like the Hollywood clapboard pictured right, be used at this year’s gathering. The ladies are always on the lookout for ideas at the schools where they train, often borrowing concepts from display boards such as this year’s “Lights, Camera, Action!” theme.

Rhonda stresses the importance of teamwork and collaboration in the creation of their masterpieces. “We all work together, coming up with ideas for the crafts and build off each other’s ideas… everyone helps put them

divisions


BY CHELSEA DONAHUE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

together,” she says. Even though the Guard Party is still months away, Rhonda are her team are already getting the creative juices flowing. We’re excited to see what they come up with next!

The Queens of CreativityThis inspiring team of Child Safety trainers takes decorating to the next level!

divisions


very artist needs a canvas – a blank slate, full of potential for the artist to ex-press their creativity. Picasso was able to transform his canvases into world-fa-

mous paintings, Mozart’s “canvas” was the piano, while Michaelangelo transformed marble and the Sistine Chapel (an amazing feat considering his nightly adventures as a Ninja Turtle).

EFrom community gardens to murals to sidewalk improvements, the Neighborhood Partnering Program helps unleash the creativity of our citizenry.

For the Neighborhood Partnering Program, City owned property or right-of-way is the blank canvas, Public Works is the paintbrush, and our citizens are the artists. To understand how this works, let’s take the latest round of applications as an example. By October 1st, neighbor-hood and community groups were asked to submit applications proposing projects on City property that 1) they saw potential in and 2) they were willing to share in the cost with the City. Projects came in from all parts of the City, illustrating the creativity and interest of our citizenry to improve their neighborhoods.

Neighbors offered to contribute funds to help build critical gaps in the sidewalk infrastruc-ture, develop protected bicycle lanes, build a trail connection, improve intersections, create pathways in parks, and build a community garden on a vacant piece of right-of-way. Submittals came in all shapes and forms, from hand-drawn sketches to professional landscape architect drawings. In partnership with our counterparts in Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Water-shed Protection, and Planning & Development Review, we were able to vet these concepts – awarding approval and funding for seven projects.

NPP: Where City Property is Your Canvas

Applicant: Adelphi Acre Community Gardenproject: Build the first community garden on Public Works Right-Of-Way. The plan calls for the creation of a community garden that will con-tain 46 4’x12’ plots, 14 10’x10’ plots will be for lease and community use.

Adelphi Acre Community Garden

Applicant: Brentwood Neighborhood Associa-tionproject: Create a shared bicycle and pedestrian path along both sides of the median of Arroyo Seco from 2222 to Woodrow Avenue, and to have 8 stations that have benches and a mutt mitt station with a trash receptacle. The Pro-posed project provides connectivity to Brent-wood Elementary School and Brentwood Park.

Arroyo Seco Project

Applicant: Battle Bend Springs Homeowners Associationproject: Fill a gap of sidewalk on the west side of Suburban Drive from just south of Westmo-reland Drive to the existing sidewalks by Battle Bend Park.

Battle Bend Park Sidewalk

Applicant: Hill Country Conservancyproject: Create a commuter-style trail that will help connect Davis Lane to Slaughter Lane through City of Austin Parkland, as part of the proposed larger Violet Crown Trail proposal, a planned regional trail system that will stretch over 30 miles from Zilker Park into Hays County.

Davis Lane Trail Segment

Applicants: Sendera Home Owners Association, with financial support from Hill Country Conser-vancy project: ADA compliant pedestrian-crossing improvements for Davis Lane-Latta Lane and in-tersections to better service the proposed Davis Lane Trail Segment and proposed Violet Crown Trail across a busy arterial.

David Lane Intersection Improvements

Applicant: Rosedale Neighborhood Associationproject: To construct connecting pathways and pavilion renovations for the park. This NPP ap-plication has an Austin Parks Foundation coun-terpart which requests shade for the basketball court, renovation of the tennis courts, adding of public amenities such as seating and picnic tables, and renovation of park’s playscape.

Ramsey Park Renovation Project

Applicant: JJ Seabrook Neighborhood Associa-tionproject: Installation of sidewalks along the west side of Tillery Street between Manor Rd. and MLK Blvd. By filling a sidewalk gap, the project facilitates a continuous ADA compliant route along Tillery Street.

Tillery Street Sidewalk Installation

Now that the projects have been awarded, it’ll be up to Public Works to deliver! The projects will be moving forward towards final cost esti-mates, project agreements, and contracting be-fore the crews start implementing the projects in early 2014. This is yet another example of how Public Works leads the nation in empowering our citizenry and being a shining example of a department with a heart!

divisions

Ramsey Park Renovation Project

BY JUSTIN GOLBABAI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY CARMEN MORGAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

divisons

ecently, the Construction Inspection Division hired a new trainer that will perform a wide array of important functions.

Namely, the position was created to help inspectors with techno-logical advances in field collection and to promote consistency across the division. Enter Terry O’Connor.

The Construction Inspection Division is helping to build tomorrow’s leaders one inspector at a time.

RTerry is an Engineering Asso-

ciate and was hired to fill the new role. He began his career with the City in the Construction Inspection Division in 2006, then transferred to the Planning and Development Review Department in 2010. There, he worked in the Environmental Division. Now, the Construction In-spection Division is proud to wel-come him back to the team.

One of the main functions of Terry’s job will be assisting the supervisors and lead inspectors with inspector training courses. Examples include Advanced Soils, Duties and Responsibilities, and Basic Concrete. He will also be re-sponsible for designing and put-ting in place new, exciting, and

creative ways to promote educa-tion by overhauling the division’s training classes.

Terry is also responsible for helping new inspectors under-stand the division’s policies and procedures. In addition, he over-sees the inspector trainee program and tracks skill-based pay. He also ensures that inspectors receive all the required training and continu-ing education hours, professional licenses, and certifications.

As the Capital Delivery Pro-gram goes electronic, Terry will be on hand to form and carry out new processes. Terry certainly has a big job to do, and some very exciting projects ahead!

Training for the Future

A look into Austin’s thriving creative economy and the City programs that foster its growth.

Inspiring Creative Pursuits and Artistic Vitality

f f downtown is Austin’s heart, then creativity is its soul. Austin was built on the shoulders of creative gi-

ants, who laid the foundation for creative expression and brought the city to life with arts and culture. From en-trepreneur Edwin Waller, who designed the downtown grid – to architect A.D.Stenger, whose modern buildings brought character to neighborhoods – to counterculture

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musicians Eddie Wilson and Jim Franklin who established the Armadillo World Head-quarters and the birth of a music city, their contributions infused Austin with creativity and set the stage for future generations.

Today, Austin is still a powerhouse when it comes to attracting independent, creative thinkers, and more than ever, cre-ativity gives Austin a competitive advan-tage over other cities. The 2012 Creative Sector Economic Impact Study rated Aus-tin as one of the top leaders in arts-related occupations. In 2010, the creative sector accounted for just over $4.35 billion in eco-nomic output and made up almost 49,000 permanent jobs. So who are the creatives? With the rise of the information age, the public defines creative jobs more broadly. “Creative” jobs include artists who work in music, theater, food, fashion, visual and per-forming arts; workers in the fields of tech-nology, graphic and digital media, research and design; and business owners.

Attracting creative workers to Aus-tin benefits all citizens by helping build a strong economy, fostering an exceptional quality of life, and helping improve city planning and building processes through innovation. The Imagine Austin Plan ac-knowledges that arts, culture, and creativ-ity are essential to the city’s unique and distinctive identity, and are valued as vital contributors to our community’s character, quality of life and economy.

The “Creative Economy Priority Program” of Imagine Austin identifies action steps to ensure that Austin stays creative. The Cultural Arts Division (CAD) of the Economic Develop-ment Department is charged with carrying out this program, which provides the blueprint for the City’s role in engaging the creative community in the development of city life. The mission of the Cultural Arts Division is to nurture, preserve and promote the arts, cultural and creative industries in order to strengthen and sustain Austin’s dynamic cultural vitality.

As measured by The Urban Institute, cultural vitality is predicated by the presence of opportunities (spaces, places) to participate in the arts, participation and access to arts-making such as festivals and schools, and financial support systems for cultural participa-tion. Recognizing the value of integrating art throughout the city, the Cultural Arts Divi-sion is committed to arts-based strategies and artist inclusion to support the work of city departments in planning and development, community engagement, infrastructure and redevelopment projects. Artists participating in these efforts produce a lasting and mean-ingful impact when given the ability to play out their original ideas in public spaces. Various Cultural Arts Division programs help ensure that arts, culture and creativity remain vital in Austin:

Through creative space development efforts, staff works with developers, busi-ness owners, nonprofits, foundations, and City of Austin departments to promote af-fordable new spaces where creative profes-sionals may live and work, and where arts, culture, and businesses can thrive. To sup-port this effort, CAD commissioned a report titled “Austin ArtSpace Market Survey for Individual Creatives, Arts and Cultural Orga-nizations, and Creative Business” to supply City leadership, local developers and com-munity members with valid statistics on Austin’s space needs and market demand.

CREATIVE SPACE DEVELOPMENT ART IN PUBLIC PLACES (AIPP)Through the AIPP Program, artists

are selected by professional citizen panels to participate on CIP project design teams. Working alongside architects and engi-neers in the conceptual design phase, art-ists are able to participate in the commu-nity engagement process and contribute to project goals, themes and designs for inte-grated public art opportunities.

In the case of two recent streetscape improvement projects, artists played a key role in the planning and design of the proj-ects. Design team artists Barbara Grygutis and Jennifer Chenoweth provided artistic vision for the Second Street District


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Streetscape Improvement Project and Seventh Street Corridor Improvement Project, respectively. Their participation lent identity and cohesion to the corridors, orchestrating opportunities for site-specific artwork in concert with the streetscape im-provement plans.

To further explore the “water” theme developed by the Second Street Design Team, nine artists travelled along the Texas rivers and met with scientists, environmen-talists and residents to inform their work. Their research resulted in a two-sided coin both figuratively and literally as in the case of “Currency” by artist Jill Bedgood. Soon to be installed at the northeast corner of Sec-ond Street and San Jacinto will be hundreds of coins embedded into the sidewalk as if scattered on the ground, with images evok-ing the natural beauty of the rivers while also reminding us of the river’s fragile con-dition as a result of the shipping industry and urbanization.

Chenoweth’s involvement in the Sev-enth Street design team resulted in an art master plan with artworks inspired by the cultures and color themes of East Austin. The “obeliscos” incorporate hand-made panels by eight local artists whose works reflect the history and unique character of the neighboring East Austin community. In both cases, the artworks act as landmarks and informal wayfinding aides while pro-viding the streetscapes with a tangible, memorable, pedestrian-scale experience.

TEMPO

Last year the Cultural Arts Division launched the temporary public art program TEM-PO, named for the rhythmic timing of installations anticipated across the city. TEMPO com-missions artists to create temporary public art in neighborhood parks with goals of attract-ing new and emerging artists to the field of public art, enriching the civic dialogue, and engaging public parks in a unique way.

Coordinated with the East Austin Studio Tour, “Below” by artists Jacob Villanueva and Jeff Clarke was installed in the Boggy Creek Greenbelt. Using simple materials and L.E.D. light technology, the artwork relays data on the Boggy Creek Watershed and neighborhood survey responses. The work invited the community to participate in the installation and communicated the important natural aspects of the neighborhood.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS & CULTURAL FUNDING

Through public programs such as Austin’s New Year and The People’s Gallery, which directly employ artists and arts orga-nizations in the production of events, the City served over 14,000 residents in 2013 with unique Austin experiences. This year we will invest over $7 million in cultural funding in partnerships with creative non-profit arts organizations and individual art-ists with a goal of serving over 7.25 million people with public performances. These activities range from Ballet Austin’s produc-tion of The Nutcracker to HONK, a festival of community bands that occur in streets and parks across the city.

With continued vision for a thriv-ing creative economy, the City has an ever growing opportunity to more deeply en-gage creative individuals in conversations of how the arts can play a role in the future development of the city. Imagine a city infused with arts and culture – where art plays a role in civic dialogue to inspire so-cial change, where artists contribute unify-ing visuals to strengthen urban connectiv-ity, and where the community gathers to express their own creativity and celebrate diversity. As one of the most creative cities, where values are placed on technology, tal-ent and tolerance, Austin is in a great posi-tion to fully use its creative sector to inspire continued greatness and pay tribute to those who came before us.


BY MEGAN CRIGGER CONTRIBUTING WRITERCULTURAL ARTS MANAGER,

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

best of all – City employees get a 50 percent discount! (See page 6 for details).

While 11 stations might not seem like a lot, the first month’s numbers clearly reflect that Austinites are stoked about the most fun, healthy and earth-friendly way to get around. But don’t take it from us, read for yourself! Check out the graphic of Austin B-cycles first month stats here.

BIkE SHARE HITS THE GROUND ROLLING, CELEBRATES FIRST MONTH

T here’s a new form of transportation in town – and so far it’s a big hit. The Bike Share Program officially rolled

out in December with 11 stations and 100 bikes. By the time of print, 25 stations will be in operation. Shortly thereafter, the entire system will be ready to pedal Austinites all around town, just in time for the SXSW music festival. The full system will include 40 stations and 400 shiny red bicycles, and

Public Works builds our city’s future and celebrates our successes with PWD staff and events all around town.

events

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COMMUNITY FESTIVAL AND RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY MARkS COMPLETION OF THE E 5TH STREET IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT

On February 1st Public Works hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by a community festival in celebration of the E. 5th Street Improvements project. The festivities were held at the Plaza Saltillo Station with numerous community members in attendance, including Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole, Council Member Mike Martinez and Public Works Director Howard Lazarus. Music and dance performances, along with a balloon twister and face painter followed the ribbon cutting to mark this momentous occasion.

The E. 5th Street Improvements Project, running from IH-35 to Onion Street, included the installation of underground water, wastewater and storm sewer lines, landscaping and irrigation, street reconstruction, as well as improved street lighting and 18-foot sidewalks. This project is just one piece of the puzzle in the broader vision of E. 5th Street.

Almost 10 years ago, Plaza Saltillo was chosen as a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) to create a mixed-use community surrounding the Metro Rail Station. The improvement this project has made allows for pedestrians to be the priority and encourages more transit ridership with wider sidewalks, bicycle racks and improved street lighting, increasing the overall safety of the area. More transit ridership means further closing the gap from East Austin to the rest of Austin, paving the way for a more connected community.

A big thank you goes out to Clay Harris, Project Manager and peter morales, Project Inspector for all of their hard work and commitment, and for working closely with the community of E. 5th Street.


events continued from pg. 15

STREET AND BRIDGE REACHES OUT AT CAREERS ON WHEELS EVENT

In November 2013, our very own Street and Bridge Operations Division was invited to participate in the Careers on Wheels event at the Williams Elementary Career Fair. Thanks to crewmembers from Utility Cuts and Excavation and the South District Special Projects, students between the grades of Kindergarten and 5th got to check out our oh-so-cool PWD sidewalk sweepers, along with a bobcat and various flagger signals. SBO employees were there to help answer questions about their jobs with the City and provide some insight on a different type of operation.

A big thanks goes out to all of the crew members who showed up to help make this a successful event: Clayton Craig, Clay Rivers, Eli Mendoza, Tony Mendoza, Danny Renteria, Leon Jackson, Ildefonso Carbajal, Charles Felipa, Alfredo Stovall, and Alexa Muraida.

In December, progress on the eagerly anticipated Southern Walnut Creek Trail reached an important milestone with comple-tion of a segment from Jain Lane to the Northeast YMCA. This portion of the trail is now open to the public.

The Southern Walnut Creek Trail will run from Govalle Park to the vicinity of Johnny Morris and Daffen Lane in northeast Aus-tin. Designed to accommodate bicyclists, walkers, and joggers, the 7.3 mile path will provide Austinites with a safe way to enjoy outdoor activities. Richard Duane serves as the Project Manager.

BLAZING A TRAIL


How well do you know your neighbor:

columnsBY MICHELLE FRITH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

dewale Odufuye’s smile and laugh are infectious.

A man with a strong faith and a strong family, he is amazingly committed.

Adewale, “Wale,” was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, the eldest of five children. His mother Margaret is now re-tired and was a schoolteacher. His father, Kola, is now deceased and was a real es-tate manager. His parents had very high educational standards – if he didn’t meet

those expec-tations “there was no sum-mer vacation”. Nearly 12 years old, young Wale went to second-ary school at Christ School, 220 miles from home. Wale ex-plains the rea-

son for venturing out was that he had observed others who had attended the school and who had become successful. The school runs a boarding house for all of the students and the teachers live on campus, which Wale found different and fun.

Originally hoping to be a doctor, Wale focused on the sciences. He vol-unteered at a hospital and quickly dis-covered that seeing people cut up and bleeding was not something he could stomach! Having always loved architec-tural structures, Wale chose instead to

A study Architecture. In 1982 he moved to Chicago, attending Loop College and the University of Illinois where he studied Architecture. His intent was to return to Nigeria, but since most of his immedi-ate family was now living all around the world and the economic situation in Ni-geria wasn’t encouraging, Wale decided instead to build his life in the U.S.

After four years of studying Ar-chitecture, Wale decided to change his major to Civil Engineering. He attended the University of Oklahoma where he ob-tained a B.S. with a specialty in Structures. He then returned to Chicago. The day be-fore he was to depart back to the U.S. on a 1993 visit to Nigeria, he was introduced to a lovely woman named Comfort by her aunt. They began a truly long-distance relationship and in 1995 were married by Comfort’s grandfather in a traditional Ni-gerian wedding. They had a church wed-ding when they returned to Chicago.

Wale worked for the Illinois Depart-ment of Transportation for several years, but due to the cold weather and long commutes, Wale decided it was time to move to a warmer location. Wale, Comfort and their two young daughters moved to Austin in 2002. Daughter Seyi is now 14 and in 8th grade. She is an athletic, outgo-ing, fashionable girl who loves music and hopes to be a lawyer someday. Daughter Seun will be 13 in June and is more laid back, observes people and loves to read. She is extremely intelligent and hopes to be a pediatrician. Comfort is a registered pharmacist with Walgreen’s and is devot-


ed to her family. Coming to work for Public Works in

2002, Wale says Engineering is interesting because of the day-to-day challenges. He particularly enjoys work that improves low-income areas of Austin. He feels that the City does a good job in the quality of services offered to the public. Wale’s area of specialty has become working with the Austin Water Utility on TXDOT/Travis County relocation projects.

Wale’s 84-year-old mother lives with the family and the family has also wel-comed three other young family mem-bers into their home. With five teens in the house, you’d think they would have more than their share of work, yet Wale and Comfort are also involved in their church. Two years after arriving in Austin, they were asked to start a church parish in South Austin. As an ordained minister, Wale provides pastoral leadership, teach-ing, counselling, and mentorship for the congregation and community, and serves as chair of the executive board, all as a volunteer. He is also active in out-reach to the youth at Gardner-Betts Ju-venile Detention Center. Somehow, Wale and Comfort still have time for date night and another evening dedicated to Family Night. Wale loves to mentor others and is inspired by helping transform lives. No wonder his smile is so bright!

Michelle Frith profiles two employees that work hard for PWD everyday who you may have never met!

TITLE

DIVISIOn

nEIghbOrAdewale Odufuye

EngineeringServices

Supervising Engineer

columns

ou don’t have to wonder what Wilma Reyes is thinking. A direct approach and fierce honesty are

paired with a strong sense of empathy and compassion for others. Her forth-right approach immediately puts one at ease during conversation.

Her mother Anita is a hard-working homemaker and her father Salvador was

a pastor of a n o n - d e n o m i -national church and now owns a trucking com-pany. Extended family encircled the Reyes home located on 30 acres in Ce-dar Creek, and Wilma and her

five siblings grew up playing with cous-ins and extended family. Participation in school activities was strictly limited be-cause the Reyes parents were very pro-tective of their children and had strong religious beliefs. As a child, of course, Wilma disliked the limitations, but now understands and appreciates the love and concern of her parents.

After high school, Wilma took a few odd jobs, but then decided to go to work, along with her brother Frank (also now a Public Works employee) for her Dad at his trucking company. Frank and Wilma both drove trucks, hauling gravel and dirt to construction sites. Wilma shared that even though her two sisters are very successful working in offices, the idea never appealed to her. She worked for the family business for fourteen years, until her father approached her about the need for Wilma to have health insur-ance and discussed the costs associated with obtaining the insurance. He encour-aged Wilma to find a job that offered health benefits.

In 2007 Wilma accepted a position at Public Works as a Truck Driver for Cen-tral District. She transferred to Overlay a year and a half later and learned to drive an 18-wheeler live bottom truck. She

really enjoyed hauling sand, gravel and other materials for the use of overlay and worked there nearly two years. While she loved both jobs, she is now really excited about her current job in North District working for Asphalt on the Forestry Team.

Wilma explains there are approxi-mately 340 alleys in the City, and each needs to have the trees in the Right of Way trimmed for trucks to come through without causing damage. The four-per-son crew identifies the type of tree, and if the tree is larger than a specific size, they must obtain a permit to cut it down. Con-tractors are required to cut down larger trees. They place door hangers to notify the public and clean up the dead trees after. Wilma par-ticularly appreciates the team camaraderie with Shane, J.R. and Tomas. They are patient in showing her the ropes and Wilma hopes to soon be cer-tified as an arborist and to continue being educated in Forestry.

Being a woman in a tra-ditionally male-dominated industry, Wilma says is not as hard as she had expected. At first she felt that she had to protect herself but now she knows her reputation as a hard-working and capable employee precedes her. “It is hard, but my age also gives me confidence. I don’t have to compete because everyone in my group is fine. I appreciate Public Works giving me the opportunity as a woman to do this kind of work and hope the department and the City continue hiring more females in these kinds of roles.”

Wilma has been in a rela-tionship with girlfriend Araceli Aguirre for two years. Araceli, a Pharmacy Tech for HEB for 13 years, lives in San Antonio and the two enjoy weekends going to the Riverwalk, listen-

Y ing to Tejano and just enjoying life. They are planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas in September and a trip to Las Vegas this year as well. Araceli’s best characteristics are that she is honest, humble and likes to drink beer, according to Wilma. Wilma is inspired by Araceli’s perseverance – in particular, Araceli has Adult Attention Deficit Disorder and yet has obtained two degrees and is completing a third.

Wilma’s own perseverance, honesty and enthusiasm are definitely taking her places!


TITLE

DIVISIOn

nEIghbOrWilma Reyes

Street & Bridge

Technician II


Taking a deeper look into what it means to be creative shows that creativity resides within all of us.

BY COURTNEY BLACk CHIEF REPORTER

feature


hen I think about creativity, I think of it more as an idea, somewhat elu-sive and difficult to define. Creativity can describe many different things – a

perspective, a solution, an artistic expression – and as broad as the things it de-scribes, so varies the definition. Creativity is not limited to fine arts professions such as painting or dance. Instead, it is a mindset that everyday people can use to come up with solutions to life’s challenges. For example, Post-it notes, Nike’s “Just do it” ad campaign, and the Swiffer mop all came about because of someone’s creativity. Much like a flower that blooms with sun, water, and food; a creative outlook can be cultivated by taking part in activities that nourish our imaginations.

W

I recently interviewed PWD Director Howard Lazarus, about his thoughts on creativity and what it means to him. He described creativity as “using whatever means are available to you to address and solve problems.” He continued that, “creativity means escaping the shackles of self-restraint and self-limitation. When one does this without fear, ingenuity and a perspective without boundaries result. This is not only important as one who wishes to innovate and create, but it is also one of our core values as an organization.”

While writing this article, I found that many PWD employees not only subscribe to this idea, but practice it in their everyday lives. Among the handful of people I was fortunate enough to interview, I was introduced to several photographers; an actor, ballroom dancer and art director; a cake decorator; and a musician. Talk about diversity! The Public Works Department is brimming with creativity.

Photography Trio

When Robert Pirtle started his job as a Project Manager with the City four years ago, he tacked up a few photos he had taken to his office wall. Across the hall from him sat fellow Project Manager Supervi-sor Wade Mullin. Wade commented that he also enjoyed photography and men-tioned that another Project Manager, Jes-sica Salinas, shared that love. “Wade later introduced me to Jessica and we quickly

became good friends and a three-party support group and photography team. We started having lunch together every other week to discuss photography, and how we could improve our work,” Pirtle said. “Over the past four years the three of us have shared our knowledge base and enthusi-asm for photography, and motivated each other to improve our technical and creative skills with our cameras.” Navajo Jewelry Artisan by Robert Pirtle

left to right: Wade Mullin, Jessica Salinas and Robert Pirtle

Halemaumau by Wade Mullin

Agassi awesome serve by Jessica Salinas

feature continued from pg. 21

While all of their beginnings of photography were different, it all led to a great appre-ciation of the craft and a desire to expand their skills further and further. When asked what inspired his interest in photography, Wade replied that it was a “curiosity in natural science, subjects and processes, and a desire to capture personal experiences.” Wade attributes his experience with photography to providing him with “a sense of accomplishment and sat-isfaction.”

For Jessica, the inspiration to learn photography came from her father. He was a pho-tographer in the army and spent lots of time in the lab processing images. “As a child, I remember going through my Dad’s suitcase of photographs. I remember looking at slides, negatives and prints. It was fascinating to me and I wanted to learn how cameras worked,” Jessica recalls. She’s since used her skill to document places she’s travelled, family events, wildlife, ski trips and other adventures.

Robert picked up photography after high school during a road trip to upstate New York after graduation. Using a borrowed, all-manual “Ciro-35” film camera, he later upgrad-ed to a Canon 35mm and spent a lot of time photographing landscapes in west Texas and urbanscapes while attending grad school in St. Louis. “After college, my photographic in-terests expanded to include black and white portraiture, and travel photography,” Robert comments. “When I married and started a family, my available time for photography was more limited, so I fueled my photographic creativity by photo-documenting family events.”

Despite their different paths to photography, the three have found the benefits of it to be quite similar. All believe that photography helps capture a moment and tell a story. They also commented on the ability of photography to allow an endless progression on both technical and creative levels. However, I found the most moving accounts of how photog-raphy affects them to be present in how they discuss the more intrinsic benefits.

Jessica commented that photography “represents an emotion or expression, a signifi-cant event … It challenges you to look beyond the surface, beyond the lens, at details one may not have noticed before, or capture timeless memories.” Wade furthered this attitude saying that “photography allows expression and communication though a visual medium and provides limitless opportunities for such expression.” Robert, in addition to these ben-efits, shared another. He found that the aspect of collaboration with others has greatly fur-thered his practice. “I think our varied professional backgrounds benefit the group – from our way of seeing photographic subjects, pre-visualizing the desired image results, use (or non-use) of post-processing image editing software, to providing critical reviews and suggestions for improvement to one another. Most importantly, we respect each other’s thoughts and suggestions about our own work, whether we implement them or not… to-gether we have inspired each other to do more.”

Construction Inspector Simor Orta didn’t plan to be an actor, but that’s just what he is. In addition to his many acting and production roles, he also has an eclectic background as a Director of Operations for Ballroom Marfa; former Director for the City of Austin’s Mexican American Cultural Cen-ter for several years; and currently serves on the Board of the Austin Creative Alliance.

He got started acting by chance, when a University of Texas production used his ranch in Blanco to shoot a film. Simon lent a hand, and was later called by the di-

rector to help on a production the follow-ing summer. His first acting job was a role as a coyote, transporting illegal immigrants across the Mexican border. “I kept telling the director I could help with production, but that I was not an actor,” Orta said. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer and we got a Newcomer award at the 2004 Santa Fe Film Festival.

This luck has continued, as to this point, Simon has not had to read for one role. Often, directors would choose him for his role, confident in his natural ability. At

first reluctant, Simon has found a niche that fuels his creativity and gives him great sat-isfaction. “The process and the work is the hardest work I have ever done. The hours are insane,” Simon said. “However, the final product is humbling to see after all of the work that goes into it. It makes it worth the effort.”

Simon has been in many films throughout his nine-year career. During this time, hanging out with Tommy Lee Jones and the crew from Three Burials has been his most memorable experience. However,

Quiet on the Set

Icing on the Cake

Creativity comes in many forms, and in Connie Smith’s case, the form is in the shape of a cake. Connie is a Project Man-ager and has been decorating cakes for about two years after taking an introducto-ry course at Michael’s and then three addi-tional courses to follow. Every Monday the assigned “homework” was for each student to bake a cake. The following Tuesday Con-nie would bring the cake to work to share. Her first commissioned cake was the result of a coworker’s request to provide one for an event, to which she agreed (if only some-what reluctantly).

However, Connie’s interest in baking started long before her first course. As a child, she would help her grandma make treats for church pot lucks. “I have a fond memory of my grams baking all sorts of candies and cakes especially during Christ-mas,” Connie said. “One of my favorite times


Simon Orta Photo Shoot for W Magazine Titled “Marfa Mafia”

the part he’s most proud of is his first role as a coyote in North of Ojinaga.

This modest acclaim has led Simon to the conclusion that a healthy degree of ambition is important, if not required, to find a balance within his industry. As most would agree, he believes you should not wait for your chance; that a certain degree of creativity must be sold with confidence and pressed upon your audience. As he comments, “you have to want it more than anyone else.”

was making small cream cheese mints for weddings and baby showers. Grams would make dozens. The process was very te-dious, but I remember enjoying it greatly.”

Having this influence at a young age inspired Connie to become a skilled baker as well. They were both great cooks and bakers. “I wanted to follow in their foot-steps and be able to create a dessert that not only tasted good, but was also nice to look at.” Desserts make people happy, and Connie likes to make people smile.

Baking does more than make other people happy; it also allows Connie to exer-cise her creativity and channel her energy. “The day to day grind of living life can be so stressful that I find having a hobby helps allow me to express my feelings and bake away all my worries and stresses.” She also appreciates the diversity that cake decorat-ing allows for and enjoys trying new tech-

niques. There is also no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to cake decorating. It is an artistic expression that allows for many unique variations. Plus, regardless of the look, chances are, the cake is always going to taste fantastic!

Passion of Music

In his youth, Contract Compliance Specialist David Prado lived in a Hispanic commu-nity with an open dance hall a block away. Often, the venue would play live Tejano music. David would sit on a set of nearby stairs while he ate a snow cone and just listen. This expe-rience shaped him and prompted him to try making his own music. At 10 years old, David started playing music and now has an impressive 25-year career under his belt.

At present, he plays in a band called “Trio-Faze” in addition to a solo project called “Passion of Music.” In both, he plays the guitars and is a singer/songwriter. His passion is such that he even has names for his guitars. “I have my ‘White Angel.’ It’s a 1962 Fender reis-sue. My ‘Blue Sky’ is a Fender Plus, and, lastly I have my ‘White Beauty,’ which is a 2005 Les Paul.”

David’s first gig was at a house party for a friend. His gigs have since grown to larger events like the City-sponsored Juneteenth celebration where he saw his idol, Stevie Ray Vaughn. When asked why he chose to pursue music, he replies: “I’m in love how it makes me feel. I have so much passion for music. I love writing and playing music… the guitar talks to me and I just let go.” For him, guitar and singing offer a way to express feelings, both good and bad. It’s about conveying real-life feelings and situations and making them heard. It’s also about pleasing the audience. “It makes me feel very good to see the audience smile. Even if there is only one person in the audience, that’s all I need. It’s about music and letting your feelings travel through other people’s hearts.”

In December 2014, David plans to complete his first full-length album. Stay tuned for more music and more passion.

Be Bold. Be Fearless. Create.

In a city with so much creativity, it’s inspiring to see so many people in our depart-ment pursuing their passions. As I contemplated my own creativity, it got me to thinking about something I’ve often heard from my peers about lacking the ability to be creative and what that actually meant. Howard said something that I found especially interesting, He said, “everybody considers or has thoughts about how things could be better.” Regard-less of whether or not one considers his or herself to be creative, everyone has the ability to look at a process and consider ways that it could be improved. These thought may not be deliberate or especially pronounced, but one can be trained to listen to these thoughts and recognize them as sparks of creativity.


Simon Orta filming on location in West Texas

Connie Smith’s Seashell Cake

David Prado performing in Trio Faze


he City of Austin’s Green Alley Initiative is exploring ways to transform alleys from unused spaces into sources of neigh-

borhood pride. Neighborhood alleys are a community asset that we all can transform and celebrate. Revitalizing alleys into a public as-set is part of a larger City initiative to create a greener, more sustain-able Austin.

How the Green Alley Initiative strives to inspire attractive, sustainable alleyways within our city.

T

Features in a Green Alley can include improvements designed and constructed by the City such as pervious pavement, energy-efficient lighting, rain gardens to handle stormwater runoff, and informational signage. Residents can also collaborate to add ad-ditional features on their alley-facing properties. Ideas include vegetable and drought-tolerant gardens with rain barrels, decora-tive fencing and furniture, local art,

address markers, and other unique features with neighborhood char-acter. New plantings can beautify the area, offer fresh produce, and provide food and habitat for birds and other wildlife.

The success of the Green Al-ley Initiative is the result of a part-nership between the Public Works, the City’s Office of Sustainability, the Watershed Protection Depart-ment, and the University of Texas Center for Sustainable Develop-

Transforming Austin's Alleys into Green Gateways

Another important note that Howard men-tioned is that “most change is evolutionary, not revolutionary.” Even the slightest change in a daily process may lead to a major improvement. “Don’t ever underestimate the importance of the small, incremental changes you make,” Howard said. The idea of incremental change is an important one, I think. People are often looking to make the next big thing, but creativity isn’t limited to such rigid constraints. We are all creative in our own ways ev-ery day, and as long as we continually challenge the status quo, learn from others, and look for in-novative ways to do daily tasks, we will keep grow-ing and learning what it means to think outside of the box.

Howard encourages all of us to “Be bold. Be fearless. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Keep the public’s interest at heart and there can be no ‘bad’ idea.” With that, I encourage you to challenge yourself: Think of one change you’d like to see in 2014. Think small in scope, but big in meaning and gradually increase that until, before long, you may see that a small change has turned into something truly ingenious!

feature continued from pg. 23

ment. Kalpana Sutaria of the Project Man-agement Division has taken the lead for Public Works. She works extensively with partners to turn this vision into a reality. “The Green Alley project team has brought many partners together, each with their sustainability initiatives, and has engaged the community groups and residents of Guadalupe Neighborhood. This will help us create a beautiful and walkable street where there is currently an alley people try to avoid,” says Kalpana.

The objective of the current pro-gram is to transform one residential alley into a green gateway that creates a sense of community and engagement within a neighborhood. As a pilot project, the Gua-dalupe Neighborhood was chosen by the University of Texas to receive the first alley makeover.

The alley is on one block off of East Eighth Street, between Lydia and Waller. Ex-tensive resident and stakeholder meetings resulted in great ideas and input along the alley and in the surrounding neighborhood. The Guadalupe Association for an Improved Neighborhood (GAIN) has also provided much support and input to ensure that the project is successful.

Public Works is the lead on the project and many divisions are contributing. The Engineering Services Division has prepared drawings in order to obtain the permit, and Street and Bridge will perform all construc-tion. Public Works is funding the project, which totals approximately $200,000, and the Watershed Protection Department has provided assistance in rain garden design. Lucia Athens with the Office of Sustainabil-ity is involved in the entire project. In ad-

dition to the improvements already slated for the alleys, she is working with the alley property owners to have solar panels and other energy efficiency improvements in-stalled in existing homes.

Kalpana takes particular pride in this project, and the project team. She explains, “Alley construction has not yet begun but there are already alley flats popping up

What is an Alley Flat?

Alley Flats are small, detached residential units that demonstrate how sus-tainable housing can support growing communities by being affordable and adaptable. In the past, we might have called this type of dwelling a “back house” or “mother-in-law apartment.” In current zoning ordinances, they are called secondary or accessory dwelling units (DSUs or ADUs).

and an affordable home using a unique fi-nancing system. Rain gardens will form a gateway once it is completed. I have truly enjoyed working on this project.”

A Green Alley is a place where chil-dren can play, butterflies thrive and neigh-bors can gather. Construction is anticipated to begin in April and be completed by the end of May.

Action Timeline:

march 7, 2012 - Surveyed the neighborhood by reaching out to every property owner in the area, which includes residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and educational uses. Residents showed interest in alley improvements and provided ideas.

October 6, 2012 – Project team organized a community engagement meeting with neighborhood.

November 2012 - UT Advanced Studio Class of fall 2012 worked on the project and pre-sented three alleys as good candidates. The alley between East Eighth and Ninth Streets, and between Waller and Lydia was selected. This alley presented a lot of opportunities; pavement condition, engaged residents, alley as a major entrance for Eighth Street resi-dents because of steep grade and upcoming flats or affordable housing on the alley.

November 30, 2012 - City Department representatives and UT students walked the alley to review existing conditions.

Summer 2013 – Numerous meetings with the community, proposed design ideas and finalized design. The design incudes many sustainability elements including pervious pavement, organized trash can areas, herbal gardens, rain gardens, preservation of exist-ing concrete pavement and walls, and potential native plantings, in collaboration with property owners.

February 22, 2014 - Project Team will present a final design and construction phasing information.

march 2014 - Construction begins. UT summer class will propose artwork and implement artwork in partnership with the City and the residents.

References: http://austintexas.gov/department/green-alley-initiative http://soa.utexas.edu/


divisionsBY ROBIN FIELD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Ruben Lopez Jr. joined Engineering Services Division (ESD) Design Team 1 on January 13, 2014 as an Engineer C. Ruben graduated from Texas A&M University in 1994 with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He has more than 18 years of design expe-rience in roadway, drainage, water/wastewater and floodplain studies and analysis. Welcome aboard, Ru-ben.

WHO’STHAT?WARM WELCOME


milestones

Mike Lindsey retired from the City on January 31, 2014 after 20 years and 11 months. Congratulations and enjoy your retirement Mike!

GOODBYE

HAppYRETIREmENT

Setting the North Acres BridgeThe North Acres Bridge Project is nearing completion. In an amazing feat of engi-neering, three sections of the bridge were connected together in the creek bed, lifted, and set while one section was set on the bank. Here are some photos of the action. Stay tuned for news about the inaugural walk across the bridge to Hart Elementary School!

The Construction Inspection Division’s Pat Webre has retired after 30 years of service. A celebration was held on December 6th to mark the occasion. Congratulations to Pat and best of luck in the fu-ture!

PATWEBRE

CIPID:

Farewell

BirthdayFunNadia Barrera donning the 7th floor birthday hat!

Congratulations to Justin Golbabai on the birth of his first son, Francisco Jafar Golbabai. He was born Friday, January 31st at 1:58 pm, weighing in at a mighty 4 pounds 9 ounces!

DapperDuo

The Street Talk Team caught up with these two gentlemen – in matching outfits! Down to the satchel, this un-planned matching moment has us cracking up. It’s the little things!

Getting the GEDPlease join us in congratulating the following individual on this wonderful accomplishment:

Mario Ruiz Jr., a Street and Bridge Tech I employee, re-cently obtained his GED. Mario is 40 years old and has been employed with the City of Austin for almost 20 years. He says that one of the best parts of his job is helping people. “When there’s an ice storm or flood or any other kind of unforeseen emergency, I’m always the one to call my supervisor and ask to be called in as a first responder.”

Mario got his GED because he wants to further his career with the City. He recently applied to a Tech II position, and his goal is to become a Lead Operator and possibly go into man-agement from there. Mario believes the City as a lot to offer in terms of training and other programs to help employees to ad-vance, and he plans to take full advantage of as many training opportunities as possible. Let’s all join in congratulating Mario on his accomplishment!

street talk extraUPDATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

MARIO RUIZ JR.STREET AND BRIDGETECH 1

BabyNews


milestones continued from pg. 27


Tales from the 6th

Austin plays host to people from all around the world when Formula One comes to town. One of the biggest, not to mention most costly, spots in the city was the Amber Lounge, an international club that travels with Formula One. I had the opportunity to speak with the owner of the venue who mentioned that he rented tables there for $20,000 each and that he made about $250,000 for the entire weekend! Soon after speaking to him it was closing time and all kinds of people began filtering out of the place. The cast from the Twilight movies were in attendance, as well as a celebrity from “Friends” whom I hear was loved by many on television for years. As this celebrity was leaving the club, two fellows from across the pond approached him and asked if they could have their picture taken with him. To my surprise, this is what happened next… Fan: Oh wow - look who it is! Mate, do you mind taking a picture with us?“Friend”: Sure!Fan: (gives the thumbs up) Come on mate, give a thumbs up.“Friend”: Hey what do you want from me?!?Fan: I want you to give me a bloody thumbs up!“Friend”: Dude, shut up and take the stupid picture! They say that actors take on parts that are the exact op-posite of who they are in real life to feel more rounded as an individual. From what I hear about the character this celebrity played on “Friends,” I would have to agree!

by Charles Felipa sr.

The Not So Friendly Friend from “Friends”

Street and BridgeDalton Lane FacilityCrews pouring concrete at the Dalton Lane yard.

In EVEry ISSuE WHERE IS SHUV-L-REDDY?

ANSWERS FROM LAST ISSUE:Location 1: Void near Davis-Deer lane.Location 2: One Texas Center at the Debris Jam show.

LOCATION 2

Can you correctly identify both project site locations that Shuv-L-Reddy has visited? Write in to: [email protected] for a chance to WIN A PRIZE!

LOCATION 1

Where In The World Is Shuv:L:Reddy:Remember Carmen San Diego? Waldo? Well, Shuv wanted in on some of the action…play our guessing game as he wanders around the city at various PWD-related sites...and beyond!


events calendar 2014


MARCH

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$ pAY DAY

$ pAY DAY

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EARLY VOTING BEGINS

ELECTION DAY

It’s My Park Day!

Rodeo AustinStarts

Rodeo AustinEnds

SXSW Begins

SXSW Ends

FIRST THURSDAYMARDI GRAS (FAT TUESDAY)

Zilker KiteFestival

Daylight SavingTime Starts

UT Spring Break

Q2 PE RegistrationBegins

Health & Lifestyle Expo

Q2 PE RegistrationEnds Q1 PE Ends

Texas Rockfest

St. Patrick’s Days Spring Begins

Texas Relays

Austin UrbanMusicFestival

Zilker GardenFestival

Zilker GardenFestival


APRILmonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday friday

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April Fools Day Firth Thursday

West End First Thursday

Austin International Poetry Festival

Capitol 10K

Keep AustinBeautiful Clean Sweep

PE Q2Starts Nerd Nite

Old Settlers Music Festival

Texas Burlesque Festival

$ pAY DAYArt City Austin

Passover Begins[at sunset]

FuseboxFestival

Austin ReggaeFestival

Earth Day

Earth DayPassover Ends[at sunset]

Cine Las Americas$ pAY DAY

MoontowerComedy

Austin Food& Wine Festival

Eeyore’s Birthday Party

Trailer FoodTuesdays

Art City Austin

Austin Fashion Week

01 02

03Shakespeare in the Park

WRItE In tO uS WIth YOuR SuggEStIOnS REgARdIng:

Milestones NOMINATIONS

PHOTO CONTRIBUTION

SPECIAL EVENTS GOING ON IN YOUR DIVISION

EMPLOYEE PROFILE NOMINATIONS

WRITING A GUEST COLUMN

...AND ANYTHING ELSE WE MAY HAVE MISSED OR YOU WANT PEOPLE TO kNOW ABOUT

CONTACT [email protected]

Street Talk March 2014

Documents

Transcript of Street Talk March 2014