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Parks

Former PARD Director McNeeley resigns from top post at The Trail Conservancy

In a surprising turn of events, Kimberly McNeeley has resigned from her position as CEO of The Trail Conservancy after less than six months on the job. McNeeley had previously served as director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department…

Parks • By Amy Smith • Dec 5, 2024

Audit finds golf course employees violated city rules

Employees in the Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s golf division misused city resources in providing golf lessons to people for pay while on city time, according to an investigation conducted by the Office of the City Auditor. One employee also…

Parks • By Jo Clifton • Dec 3, 2024

Council will consider new parks funding and management strategies

On Thursday, City Council is slated to approve a resolution from Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool that directs the city manager to explore new parks funding strategies; to consider a regional approach to parks funding, acquisition and maintenance; and to…

Parks • By Mina Shekarchi • Nov 21, 2024

Parks and Recreation Board recommends audit of contracts governing city sports fields

The Austin Parks and Recreation Board unanimously voted to recommend that City Council conduct a comprehensive audit of all contracts related to dozens of city-owned baseball and soccer fields.  The Austin Parks and Recreation Department frequently contracts with outside organizations…

Parks • By Madeline de Figueiredo • Oct 31, 2024

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City shares update on parks-nonprofit relationships

During a special called meeting of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee on Oct. 9, three speakers stated their concerns about the relationship between the Parks Department and its nonprofit partners, specifically regarding special events and the Trail of Lights.…

Parks • By Mina Shekarchi • Oct 29, 2024

City-owned land will be repurposed to add 5 new parks in Austin

Five new parks are joining Austin’s parks system, adding much needed green spaces to areas considered to be “park deficient.” Austin’s Watershed Protection Department has over the years acquired land for things like protecting the environment and managing floodwater. These…

Parks • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Oct 11, 2024

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Audit finds unpaid fees, lax rental practices at six PARD rec centers

The Office of the City Auditor has found widespread issues within the Austin Parks and Recreation Department related to inconsistent fee charges and collections for facility rentals at some community recreation centers. An audit report released Tuesday revealed that from…

Parks • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 9, 2024

After leak repairs, Barton Springs reopens weeks earlier than expected

In a piece of good news – especially as recent sweltering temperatures have confirmed that summer doesn’t end till late September – Barton Springs is set to reopen today, on a Thursday, no less. During weekly pool maintenance Aug. 29,…

Parks • By Lina Fisher • Sep 19, 2024

Barton Springs closed for weeks due to major leaks

Austinites looking forward to an end-of-summer celebratory Barton Springs dip this Labor Day weekend were disappointed, thanks to a safety hazard caused by two major leaks that has led to a weekslong indefinite closure of the pool. The pool has…

Parks • By Lina Fisher • Sep 5, 2024

Hays Commons development’s parkland proposal wins support from Parks Board

The Parks and Recreation Board has given a proposed development its unanimous support based on the amount of parkland the builder has promised to provide on a nearly 500-acre site straddling Travis and Hays counties. The development, Hays Commons, is…

Parks • By Amy Smith • Aug 30, 2024

Parks board asks City Council to review why boating concession ordinance exempted community input

The Parks and Recreation Board wants City Council to reexamine, and possibly rescind, a 2019 ordinance allowing an adventure excursion company to operate a boating concession in East Austin without going through a public process. The company, called the Expedition…

Parks • By Amy Smith • Aug 29, 2024

Camp Mabry as a park? Author Lawrence Wright proposes new use for military base

Renowned author and journalist Lawrence Wright has unveiled a vision to turn the Camp Mabry military base in Austin into an urban state park with natural attractions and some development to complement the city’s other major parks spaces. Wright, an…

Parks • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 28, 2024

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