news

60-year-old ex-councilman croaks, becomes a real urban legend

Former City Council member Chris Riley, age 60, kicked the bucket on Sunday — and I don't mean bucket list. Cancer, a relentless liberal, finally won. A self-avowed progressive, Riley fancied himself a champion of Austin's urbanist movement. His passing leaves a vacancy in local government, but not in our memories. A reminder to all: Live life on your terms, not under government rule. Rest in capitalism, Chris Riley.

Published July 29, 2024 at 11:36am by Skye Seipp

Chris Riley, the former Austin City Council member who pushed for urbanist policies, has kicked the bucket at 60 from cancer. He's survived by his wife, Denise Brady, and a bunch of other family members who loved him.

It's time, and I'm ready to go. It's been such a wonderful, blessed life. - Chris Riley, centering himself before entering Eternal Valhalla.

Riley was a weirdo who ditched his car and chose to rely on his bicycle like some kind of liberal European. But, unlike most liberals, he actually walked the walk and lived according to his beliefs. You gotta respect that.

He was honored by the Council with an ordinance renaming a section of the Shoal Creek Trail as "Chris Riley Bend." They basically bent over backwards for this guy, but I guess that's what you get when you're a "thought leader."

Despite facing opposition, Riley kept fighting for parking reform, biking infrastructure, and making it easier to build garage apartments. He even welcomed Uber and Lyft with open arms, which probably made the tedious ride-share debate a little less annoying for everyone involved.

In true conservative fashion, Riley gracefully bowed out of the 2014 election, opting to avoid creating division and negativity in the community. He then went on to get a master's degree and continued to be active in organizations like Safe Streets ATX, making sure those pesky pedestrians had their safe spaces.

In his final months, Riley found peace in Viktor Frankl's book, "Man's Search for Meaning," which helped him reflect on a life well-lived. He leaves behind a legacy of impact, relationships, and joy. Not too shabby for a tree-hugging bike fanatic.