With the unanimous blessing of the city’s Design Commission, plans to renovate and and restore the historic Barton Springs Bathhouse continue to move forward. Barton Springs’ 1947 bathhouse is unimpeachably historic, with city, state and federal historic designations that all come with their own set of requirements for the rehab. On the city’s end, that […]
Barton Springs Pool
This man-made, spring-fed recreational pool is rightly considered the spiritual center of Austin. Despite its intimidatingly cool waters, it remains a popular year-round swimming spot for Austinites of all ages.
Posted inParks
Parks board again rejects proposal to sell alcohol at Zilker Cafe
The issue of alcohol sales at Zilker Cafe made its third and final appearance before the Parks and Recreation Board on Tuesday, with board members delivering a decisive 8-1 vote against recommending the proposal, given the cafe’s proximity – about 30 steps – to the entrance to Barton Springs Pool. The sale of beer and […]
Posted inParks
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 opens Monday, will allow people to book a two-hour window between 8 a.m. and 10 […]
Posted inEnvironment
City shares reason for Barton Springs’ cloudy water last December
After Barton Springs was closed for a few days last December following an unusual level of turbidity in the water, the city immediately began investigating the cause. As the plumes of sediment filling the freshwater pool settled, instruments measuring water quality led staff to discover that some geothermal well drilling about 4,000 feet from Barton […]
Posted inParks
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 […]
Posted inAustin
Cap Metro takes down social media post referencing 2013 Barton Springs drowning
In the photo, a curly haired woman stares into the camera wearing a red lifeguard bathing suit, holding a red rectangular flotation device over her shoulder. “It can be really serious at Barton Springs,” reads the quote that accompanies the picture. “Two years ago, this guy was on drugs and he was swimming and then […]
Posted inParks
New study envisions major changes around Barton Springs Pool
Austin’s rapid population growth and development, along with Zilker Park’s aging facilities, are threatening Barton Springs, the pool and its bathhouse. In a presentation to the Parks and Recreation Board on Tuesday, city staff and members of the Barton Spring Conservancy laid out several recommendations to preserve and improve the area around Barton Springs Pool […]
Posted inEnvironment
Staff seeking OK to fix Eliza Spring
Members of the city’s Watershed Protection and Parks and Recreation departments have been planning improvements for Eliza Spring in Zilker Park since at least 2012. The spring, which is home to the largest concentration of the endangered Barton Springs salamander as well as to Austin blind salamanders, is recognizable to visitors because of the historic […]
Posted inParks
Parking meters? In Zilker Park?
Austinites who frequent Zilker Park are used to kites, lights and fences going up. But this week, a wholly unfamiliar sight within the park grounds caught some residents off guard. Last week, the Parks and Recreation Department sent out notice that, beginning March 5, it would “implement a new method for collecting Zilker Park entry […]
Posted inParks
City mulls free swimming for some Austin seniors
Plans to waive pool fees for all Austinites ages 80 years or older at Barton Springs Pool and other city pools are moving forward. Previously, the “Lifetime Pass” program – which grants free entry to Barton Springs for seniors who meet certain requirements – was a way to honor Austinites ages 85 and above. The […]