Today is Ned Fritz’s birthday! He would be 107 today. The Ned Fritz Legacy team is working hard to get ready to observe one of the greatest achievements by Ned and his coalition, CItizens Organization for a Sound Trinity: the defeat of the ’70s Trinity barge canal project on March 13, 1973.
Ned, along with his wife Genie, also stepped in to aid those seeking to defeat the Trinity tollroad—his final act of activism. Former councilperson Angela Hunt was a leader of that effort. Here’s what she had to say about the Fritzes which captures their spirit so well:
I had the privilege of working with Ned and Genie when we were fighting the Trinity Toll Road in 2006-07. Ned was our chief cheerleader, always enthusiastic and optimistic about our effort, despite the challenges in our way. Like most environmental fights, we were David to the establishment’s Goliath, and it was a struggle. We were doing everything on a shoestring budget, pushing back against virtually every elected official, and had few friends in the media besides Jim Schutze. It was tough.
I remember being at one of our many strategy meetings with our core group (which of course included Ned and Genie). Afterwards, Ned called me aside and took my hand, looked me in the eye, smiled at me, and said “Atta girl! You go get ‘em!” He was brimming with optimism at a moment that I most needed encouragement. In addition to having led one of the most successful environmental efforts in our city’s history, Ned also knew how to lift up others and help them push on in the fight. What a wonderful legacy he has left our city.
Photo of Ned climbing out of a cave—in his 80s!—by David Bezanson.
