On the northwestern corner of Interstate 35 and Riverside Drive is a plot of land that the city purchased in 1985 and that most Austinites know to be an off-leash dog park. However, also nestled on that same plot of land is a historic 1920s bungalow called the Norwood House. Although until now the bungalow […]
Parks
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PARD unburies contract infringement with cemetery contractor
Recently, city auditors found major flaws in how the city manages its contracts, and based on the testimony by a citizen at the Oct. 23 Parks and Recreation Board meeting, the city’s cemetery contract may fall into that category. “We have a contractor that is not complying with his contract,” said Sharon Blythe, a concerned […]
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Fee increase at Barton Springs among host of aquatics centers plans
A far-reaching analysis of changes in operations at the city’s pools and aquatics centers includes a jump in admission prices for Barton Springs, one of the city’s most popular tourist and recreation spots. The new fee schedule included in a recent memo from the Parks and Recreation Department recommends adult resident admission at Barton Springs […]
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City doesn’t want Austin Rowing Club’s special deal to be too sweet
City Council voted in June to grant the Austin Rowing Club the unusual privilege of negotiating a contract renewal with the city without going through the typical bidding process. ARC and Council members argued that the special deal was warranted because the club, which had a five-year contract to operate the city-owned Waller Creek Boathouse […]
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One part of Camelback PUD isn’t controversial: A big new park
The Parks and Recreation Board couldn’t find anything bad to say about the parkland proposed as part of the Camelback PUD, a proposed mixed-use development on a 145-acre plot of land that fronts Lake Austin just west of Loop 360. Members of the board noted nearby residents opposed to the project may have legitimate concerns, […]
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Reporter’s Notebook: Grave concerns
We only know how to bury ledes… A very strongly worded memo from the Parks and Recreation Department’s Acting Director Kimberly McNeeley warns that failure to extend a contract for interment and burial services in city cemeteries could have serious results. “Without the contract extension, the City will be placed in a position that threatens […]
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Rowing center contract bounced back to committee
After reviewing the reworked terms of the Austin Rowing Club’s new contract extension, the Parks and Recreation Board suggested that they go back to the drawing board. City Council voted unanimously in June to give the Austin Rowing Club the go-ahead to negotiate a new contract to manage and operate the Waller Creek Boathouse on […]
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Environmental Commission paves another path for Zilker parking
After members of the Environmental Commission postponed a vote on a proposed Zilker Park landscaping project to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental suitability, two weeks later the tone of their response was not much different from their initial reaction. At its June 20 meeting, the commission recommended that the Stratford Drive Landfill Redevelopment […]
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City seeks input to tee up Dougherty redevelopment at Butler Shores
Voters will decide in November if the city will receive bond funds to build a replacement for the Dougherty Arts Center, but a public forum next week is intended to give city leaders input on their plan to build a new arts center on Butler Shores. The open house, 5:30 p.m. next Thursday at Dougherty […]
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Environmental Commission has questions about Zilker Park’s proposed parking lot
After the Parks and Recreation Board deferred the Zilker Park Stratford Drive Landfill Redevelopment Project to the Environmental Commission for review hoping for some clarity as to environmental repercussions, the waters only muddied further. Concerns about leaching, automotive abuse of the landfill’s clay cap, lack of green space, and the location of the proposed parking […]
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PARD patching up two pools as summer sun bears down
As the summer heat tightens its grip on Austin, the city is scrambling to get two public pools sidelined last year by severe leaks back into serviceable shape. On Monday, the Parks and Recreation Department’s acting director, Kimberly McNeeley, sent a memorandum to City Council detailing efforts to stanch the wasted water at Givens and […]
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Salamanders key as city considers improvements at Barton Springs
A variety of improvements totaling millions of dollars for the area around Barton Springs will move slowly forward in 2019 and 2020, with the protection of the endangered Barton Springs salamander as the primary consideration of city staff. At a combined meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board and the Environmental Commission on Tuesday, members […]