Urban Oasis. Empty Green Spaces Amidst Austin's Urban Growth: A Look at Wooldridge Square Park

Hey everyone, this is Gary from City Vibe over at Wooldridge Square Park. Uh, it is Monday morning. August 11th, it's 11:39. I am this uh little postcard size patch of green space, uh, just to the north of downtown. Um, it's kind of a mystery. Whoops, quite a mystery, uh, in the 20 years that I've been familiar with it, only once or twice have I ever seen any activity taking place out here. Um, clearly it's a, an, an historic space. Uh, it sits just a few blocks, uh, north of the Bremond block and Chateau Bellevue, excuse me, um. In terms of the the new development, you can see right here, uh, that monolith in front of me is, is 6G at Guadeloupe and 6, so it's probably in the most highly desirable uh zip code that there is, uh, in terms of uh. Development potential, but part of me is glad to see that it has remained a green space as underused as it is. Um, Also, part of me wishes that it was. Enjoyed more, um, it's just this sun bleached oddity that really sits just uh. A stone's throw from downtown and a stone's throw from the state capital. Hey Gary from City vibe out at Wooldridge Square Park, uh, sits just off of Guadalupe Street, uh, sort of between the old library and the courthouse, uh, right in the shadow here actually of 6G. That's the most visible landmark. Uh, a criminally underused space in my opinion. Um, this, uh, white bandstand structure behind me, I think, uh, is open to be reserved. I think that's how it works. Uh, you call the number on the sign which would put you through the Parks and Rec, and you could possibly reserve it for something. I seem to recall somebody having a, a chess tournament out here once about 20 years ago, uh, but that's the only time I think I've ever seen this park put to good use. Um, part of me likes the fact that it's just this little quiet green space just right on the north edge of downtown and as you can see, uh, visible from the state capital, uh, and then there's part of me just wishes, uh, more folks were out here enjoying it, although it is an incredibly hot and humid day, folks, but that's your view from the bandstand at Woldridge Square Park.