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Most Popular Stories
- HUD cuts could endanger portion of more than $15M in federal housing funds
- Austin Transit Partnership presents pedestrian features, changes to stops in revised Project Connect plan
- Prompted by convention center controversy, Council seeks changes to public art program
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- Following Trump’s lead, Abbott orders state workers to return to offices
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Parks
PARD continues to work through lifeguard staffing shortages
After a year of lockdown measures and closures aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus, Austinites have entered the summer season ready to interact with the world again. But as people head outdoors, they’re noticing that the city’s aquatics operations…
Parks • By Sean Saldaña • Jun 29, 2021
Parks board rejects alcohol sales at Zilker Cafe, but the vote is in question
A key vote by the Parks and Recreation Board may need to be recast due to a shortage of board members required to consider a proposal to sell beer and wine at the newly renovated Zilker Cafe adjacent to Barton…
Parks • By Amy Smith • Jun 24, 2021
Waterloo Greenway seeks alcohol permit before its August debut
A decade after closing for Waller Creek tunnel repairs, Waterloo Park, which once stretched along the shadows of state-owned parking garages, has morphed into the renovated and rebranded Waterloo Greenway, poised to reopen in August. The once no-frills park, home…
Parks • By Amy Smith • Jun 1, 2021
Sparks fly over proposed plans for Williamson Creek
The Parks and Recreation Board had one of its most contentious – and longest – meetings in recent history Tuesday night with a heated debate about plans for a segment of Williamson Creek in South Austin. The dispute centered on…
Parks • By Amy Smith • May 27, 2021
City devising permanent solution to erosion threat in Guerrero Park
Southeast Austin’s Roy G. Guerrero Park is home to a disc-golf course and baseball fields and is a popular destination for birding. But according to the city, a growing threat poses a risk to the popular park: erosion. The 360-acre park…
Parks • By Sean Saldaña • May 25, 2021
Council OKs Pease Park public-private partnership
City Council on Thursday approved a public-private partnership between Pease Park Conservancy and the Parks and Recreation Department, making the conservancy the official private steward of the park. Initially, the conservancy will oversee event programming, capital improvements and maintenance to…
Parks • By Jonathan Lee • May 25, 2021
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Council OKs site for new Dougherty Arts Center
City Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve a site for the Dougherty Arts Center, close to the current ZACH Theatre at Butler Shores Park. The site, called 1A, was not city staffers’ first choice, but it was clear that staffers’…
Parks • By Jo Clifton • May 21, 2021
Ambitious vision plan for Zilker Park seeks community input
Hosting more than 1.3 million visitors a year, Zilker Park is perhaps the most iconic and beloved public space in Austin. Founded in 1917 with a land donation from Andrew Jackson Zilker, Zilker is the city’s oldest metropolitan park. Eighty years…
Parks • By Sean Saldaña • May 21, 2021
Reservations required for a dip in Barton Springs Pool
Folks looking to cool off with a dip in Barton Springs Pool will need a reservation starting May 21. The change is meant to limit the number of people for safety reasons because there are fewer lifeguards. The reservation system, which…
Parks • By Sangita Menon, KUT • May 10, 2021
Collaborative process yields innovative design for Williamson Creek greenway
The Environmental Commission has recommended conditional support of the Central Williamson Creek Greenway Vision Plan provided that the project reaches out to additional neighborhood associations and working groups and that the trails and improvements avoid areas marked as critical environmental…
Parks • By Sumaiya Malik, Reporting Texas • Apr 26, 2021
Park rangers continue reworking operations ahead of summer season
In a memo sent to City Council last week, Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly McNeeley provided an update about PARD’s upcoming summer operations, detailing “Covid-19 modified protocols, winter storm recovery challenges and general operational details for the season.” The update…
Parks • By Sean Saldaña • Apr 14, 2021
Commissions plan joint work group to address off-leash dogs
The Parks and Recreation Board and the Animal Advisory Commission are expected to form a work group to address the growing issue of off-leash dogs in Austin. Both bodies have received complaints from Austin residents about off-leash dogs and noncompliant…
