THE WAY I REMEMBER IT
Well, the way I remember it, the Walsh Boat Landing came into existence like this. When my Highland Lakes group at the Austin Chamber began looking for more places to launch boats on all of the lakes, we soon observed that Lake Austin also had a shortage. As I recall, there was a one lane landing at the end of Bull Creek, near what is now The County Line Restaurant. It was actually on Boy Scout property.
Then there was another launching spot at City Park, now Emma Long Park. There might have been another one way up at Quinlan Park, near Mansfield Dam.
In our search for LCRA land, I guess we found some completely hidden near the LCRA office building. We checked it out, and sure enough, there it was, doing nothing. But this was right in the City of Austin, so this involved another political jurisdiction. In order not to "confuse" City Council members, who would be the ones to build the facility, we gathered all the information that we could: maps, elevations, trees, street locations - everything we could think of that they might ask about. We then went to a good friend, Warren Beaman, who had a small advertising and public relations firm, and asked if he would ask his artist to draw a complete layout of the park and ramps if the land were properly developed. We gathered ideas from as many "experts" as we could find.
Warren said, "Sure, be glad to". We then properly asked for a place on the Council agenda, lined up enough boaters and fishermen and water skiers, and went to the Council with our pitch. With the support of LCRA, I would have to say that we were well prepared. I can still see our delegation walking into the Council chambers led by Warren carrying the 4 x 5 foot layout that his company had prepared for us (pro bono, of course). A number of volunteers and my Tourism Department Manager, Tom Perkins, made the pitch to the Council.
Now, this is the time to make a long story short. Drive out Lake Austin Boulevard past the LCRA Headquarters and keep looking to your left. Yes, the Walsh Boat Landing is there, the busiest place to launch a boat on Lake Austin.
Vic Mathias - July 5, 2009
