An Ill Wind Blowing No Good

Dear Editor,
    Listening to KGSR up here in Vancouver, British Columbia, I heard about the Save Town Lake benefit on July 20. After going to www.savetownlake.org, I'm reading, with much sadness, about what they're facing as big business and builders are trying to encroach ever closer to the edge of Town Lake. I guess the 200-foot-perimeter building ordinance is crimping those moneygrubbing developers' plans. As someone who only briefly enjoyed the beauty of your city-center lake, I hope it won't be destroyed by overzealous builders eager to plunder that incredible place for big bucks.
    One of the first crucial things which will be affected by encroaching development is the urban bat population under Congress Bridge. Unchecked building would alter the insect population, which is critical for the colony's survival. That alone would be a travesty. But every Austinite and visitor would be robbed of this beautiful green space, which can never be reclaimed after development has its way! I wish I could join the voices of people against the variances the builders are seeking. It will serve no one well and in the end will become green space for those who live in the buildings – not a place for everyone, as it is now.
    Zilker Park, the many evenings of walks, music, and lake cruises will become a thing of the past as new residents of the condos and apartments decide they don't want the “traffic” and “noise” in close proximity to “their” place. It happened in Vancouver, and I can see it, like an ill wind, blowing no good for Austin. I hope everyone will step up and be counted in favor of the 200-foot limit as it now stands and leave the "people's park" to those who hold it dear – bats, residents, and visitors alike. I would be very sad to see the ambience of Austin's beautiful lake irreparably altered.