Cathedral of Junk Helps Keep Austin Weird

Dear Editor,
    Re: “One Man's Junk …” by Richard Whittaker [News, March 26]: The Cathedral of Junk is an Austin landmark. It is one of the attractions that gives Austin one of its most famous mottoes, “keep Austin weird.” To take away the cathedral would be like taking away a child's favorite toy. If this piece of unique art has been featured in multiple magazines and on postcards, why would Public Assembly Code Enforcement even consider shutting it down? PACE needs to rethink its ordinances and think of what it is doing to the Austin community. Since PACE's existence, three of Bob Woody's legally operating venues have been shut down and Enchanted Forest has been proposed to be shut down. PACE was formed to regulate the volume and safety of fraternity parties in the West Campus area, not to shut down local landmarks and businesses. The Cathedral of Junk has been up and running for 20 years now with no cases of serious injury. The PACE group has good intentions, but maybe it should take it down a notch and consider the negative effects its actions could have to the city.