Trail receives $1M donation to help fund city-approved boardwalk
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The Trail Foundation received a big boost in its fundraising campaign to fix up Austin's iconic hike and bike trail Tuesday.
Ann Butler is donating $1 million to the trail, which will go toward improvements that will coincide with the construction of a boardwalk between Congress Avenue and Lakeshore Park.
Butler and her late husband, former Austin Mayor Roy Butler, helped create the trail around Lady Bird Lake that now bears their names.
The Trail Foundation hopes to raise $5 million in a drive it began last November.
So far, donations exceed four million.
"I was distressed to hear that they had never finished it and some refurbishing was needed,” Butler said. “I decided, since I started it, I am going to finish it."
Voters approved the boardwalk in 2010. Construction is expected to begin on it in the coming months.