A new luxury apartment complex has popped up in Austin, Texas. That’s great, except the tony new apartment residents don’t like the weekend car shows that have been happening there for years. Like, way before the apartment was a gleam in the property owner’s eyes. 

Since the early 1990s car shows have happened at Cesar Chavez Park

Since the early 1990s car enthusiasts have gathered at Cesar Chavez Park according to Texas Monthly. Slab, lowrider, and truck clubs gather with their families and enjoy the show while barbecuing in the park. Nice cars, family, breaking bread, what could be better on a Sunday afternoon? 

According to Texas Monthly the residents of the Weaver apartment building “have decided it’s time for the weekly event to come to an unceremonious end.” The reasons? Noise and traffic congestion. To see all of the noise and congestion check out this Hands Full of Cash Car Club YouTube video. As you can see there is a lot of noise and congestion. Not!

One tenant flagged down police pleading to break up the “scary” car show

One tenant of the Weaver recently flagged down a police car pleading for them to break up the “scary” car gathering. Again, we refer to the video to see how scary it can be. Without there being an illegal activity or breaking local ordinances there was nothing the police could do. They drove off without any encounters. 

The same person later said that all of the congestion would prevent first responders from getting near the apartment in case of an emergency. Also, they suggested the trees were dying from the smoke from burnouts. There have been noise and traffic ordinances that have had to be enforced every now and then. But for the most part, those are rare instances. 

What happened to “Keep Austin Weird?”

What happened to “Keep Austin Weird?” Not that clubs cruising the park in slabs and lowriders is weird. And when you go to the Weaver’s website it notes the apartments are situated in a “community that is rich in history and tradition.” Obviously, one of those traditions for over 25 years has been the assemblage of car clubs every so often at Cesar Chavez Park. 

This has been going on in different areas of the country for decades. In many communities that have eradicated cruising on the boulevard have seen local businesses suffer. In some cases, the city councils put on car shows and other car-related events to try and nurture a return to the days of cruisin’ the boulevard. But too much time has passed and the tradition of cruising Van Nuys or Whittier Boulevard has not been passed down because residents complained about this or that in the day. 

When people gather there can be flair-ups

When people gather there can be flair-ups. Football games, beaches, even Little League games occasionally need the police to cool down situations. That is also true for car club gatherings and cruising spots. 

We suggest to the fine folks at the Weaver to either find another place to dwell or better, put together your own car project and join in the festivities. What would you suggest?