Report on Veloway Improvements

Joan Singh, the Park Grounds Manager for the South District at the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Dept sent us this report on the work of the adopter group, Hill Country Inline Club and we wanted to share it with you.

The Hill Country Incline Club  who raised a considerable amount of funds for a shade structure installed over a year ago.  I thought you might like to see their recent donations—matching signs listing the donors, and a new park rules sign which replaced our worn and tattered one.  The garden was installed for IMP Day and they have used native plants to enhance the area.  The signs are donated as well, and they look fantastic!

They also want to install an outdoor shower, so that is next.  I think they have done a fantastic job, and Nicole Fisher has been the out-in-front leader for all the projects.  Other projects they have completed include improving the drainage away from the track (with an APF grant), clearing rocks and debris from rain events, and striping the center line down the track.

These contributions of time, labor, leadership and funds have made a huge difference for the Veloway.  I thank Nicole for all her efforts!  It has been an amazing amount of work and accomplishment!

- Joan Singh, Park Grounds Manager, South District.

It was a beautiful night in the park for Casablanca

We had over 300 people enjoy the screening of Casablanca last night at Republic Square.  We thought we’d share a few photos taken about 45 minutes prior to the screening which started a little after 8:30 pm.

Our thanks to our screening sponsor – the Downtown Austin Alliance as well as our supporting partners the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division and the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

Merrell Oyster Urban Adventure – May 15th!

(Here’s the latest press release for the Merrell Oyster Urban Adventure coming on Sunday May 15th.  A portion of the proceeds benefits the work of the Austin Parks Foundation.  More about the race, including fees, is at http://www.oysterracingseries.com.  The Austin Parks Foundation is looking for more volunteers as well – sign up here: http://austinparks.org/oyster.html)

EXPLORE ALL SIDES OF AUSTIN IN THE 2011 MERRELL OYSTER RACING SERIES Take to the Streets and Race through the Heart of Austin on May 15th, 2011

AUSTIN, Texas (Feb. 1, 2011) – Bringing the sport of adventure racing to the city of Austin, the Merrell Oyster Racing Series is coming to the live music capital of the world on May 15th. Billed as the “Ultimate Urban Adventure Race” for its ability to combine athleticism with thought-provoking strategy, this series will have racers performing crazy athletic stunts in a race around Austin, solving city-specific clues and competing in a mystery course around the city. The race will benefit the Austin Parks Foundation, a local non-profit that connects people to resources and partnerships to develop and improve city parks. For more information, visit the website at www.OysterRacingSeries.com.

“With one of the best trail systems in the U.S., lots of young, active residents and a wide variety of great attractions, Austin is a perfect location for The Oyster and the people here love it,” says Jason Ornstein, Executive Director of adventure for the Merrell Oyster Racing Series. “The Oyster began in Denver in 2003. Why is it called the Oyster? The race was originally dubbed a ‘Rocky Mountain ball buster,’ taken from the novelty dish Rocky Mountain Oysters (that’s right, fried bull’s testicles). This ball-busting, all-day fun event was so well received that it has now grown to ten cities across the U.S. and has been recognized as the premier urban adventure racing series.”

As the leader in the urban adventure race category, the Merrell Oyster Racing Series continues to expand, allowing more racers to experience the excitement of racing in the city! The series produces two separate races with the goal to hit the endurance level of every athlete: the original Oyster, which requires higher endurance for people looking to mix up their triathlon and duathlon racing schedules; and new in 2011, the Oyster Shooter, which requires less endurance for people looking to have fun and shake up tired road races.

Covering 20-30 miles, in four to six hours, on foot and on bike, the original Oyster is the ultimate urban adventure race taking teams of three to six people through a top secret, high-adrenaline course in a race around the city. Want to scavenger around the zoo, blind taste test beers at the pub, or zip down a slip ‘n slide in your next race? The Oyster delivers just that kind of awesomeness. For racers who are unsure of their endurance levels, the Oyster Relay division (teams of four to six people) is ideal for friends and corporate groups looking for team building activities. The Half Oyster division also delivers a scaled down full Oyster course at about half the length, but with all the fun!

New in 2011, the Oyster Shooter is a sprint version of the original Oyster. Individuals race on foot in the city on an approximately five mile course with Oyster obstacles along the way. “We are excited about the addition of the Oyster Shooter as it provides an excellent race option for people who want more challenging fun than a 5k or 10k,” says Ornstein. “The Oyster Racing Series allows racers to choose their own adventure. Whether it’s the original Oyster or the Oyster Shooter, both allow racers to compete at their own levels while navigating host cities and completing crazy challenges.”

CA Technologies Tells Their Earth Day Volunteering Story

What Today’s Really All About

I just finished four hours of back-breaking, muscle-straining, sweaty, dirty work and am still smiling from ear-to-ear.  In case you haven’t heard, today is Earth Day, and I, along with some of my colleagues from CA Technologies, did our part to make our little corner of the world a little cleaner and greener.  We swung pick axes to dig a drainage ditch; we heaved hundred-plus pound rocks to make room for a new hiking trail; we suffered scrapes and scratches in the thorny underbrush to remove invasive plants. But that’s not all.  The best part?  We connected.

When I showed up at the park this morning, I realized that I only knew one out the ten other CA employees that also came out to volunteer.  A sad realization that I’m sure many of you can relate to.  We’re more “connected” now than any other time in history with our hundreds, if not thousands, of virtual friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter, etc.  But how many of you don’t know your colleague down the hall, or your neighbor down the street?  In a world that seems to be getting smaller by the minute, it sometimes feels like we’re also growing farther apart.

Well, by lunch time we were cracking jokes, comparing scrapes, and marveling at what we had accomplished in such a short period of time.  We started the day as strangers but now we share something in common.  Something we can joke or reminisce about the next time we run into each other in the hall or break room.

Yes, we did something to help restore the planet, but we also did something to help restores ourselves and our connection with each other.  And that’s what today is really all about.

–Bill Talbot, CA Technologies

Photo ID (L-R)

CA Technologies employees Ernie Fontes, Bill Kittle, David Mellon, Katheryn Jager, Stephanie McArthur, Jay Williams and Jay Walker.

House Skate/BMX Park – Getting Closer

Took these photos on the way home from a volunteer workday today (4/23/11) – looks like most of the technical features are nearly complete and they are getting ready to pour more of the flat areas.

Earth Day Volunteer Days – Our Thanks!

Well, this mid-June like weather with dry, dry conditions aside, we’re thankful to all of the groups who have volunteered with us this week including an ACC biology class, employees from CA Technologies and Dell, our friends at Central Texas Trail Tamers, especially Jerry Levenson, and the Friends of Barton Springs Pool.  Also, Zoila and Michael from the Austin Heritage Tree Foundation hosted a big pecan mulching effort on the south side of Barton Springs Pool and will be there on Saturday morning finishing up.

We’ll be out at the south parking lot of Barton Springs Pool Saturday from 9 am to noon in the ravine – digging out and cutting out more invasive species – primarily Ligustrum – and adding to our big pile that will be picked up and turned in mulch by our friends at the Parks dept’s forestry group.  You are welcome to join us.

Thanks too to Bartlett Tree Experts for helping us tackle a particularly challenging section of the Barton Springs ravine.

Thank you all!

Park Grants Class – Monday, 4/18: 6:30-8 pm

The Austin Parks Foundation and the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Dept will host a pre-grant application class this coming Monday evening, April 18th, from 6:30 to 8 pm at the PARD Annex, 919 W. 28th 1/2 St in Austin, just off N. Lamar Blvd and 29th Sts.

You can sign up for the class here.

We will cover the parks department’s requirements for creating a project and adopting a park, city permitting requirements for park improvements and tips and suggestions on how to apply for a park grant from the Austin Parks Foundation to fund your project.

To see some recently funded projects in Austin’s parks, visit our Park Grants page

This year’s application deadlines are 5/30/11 and 9/30/11. To request an application or learn more about our grants program, visit www.austinparks.org/npg.html.  We will also host an additional class in August for those considering a September 30th application.

We look forward to hearing about your latest projects in the park!

 

Barton Creek Greenbelt Update – 4/12/11

The Barton Creek Trail Corps crew is finishing up a month of work at Twin Falls.  The new creek bank / retaining wall effort is nearly complete.  The trail has been cleaned up and one more row of steps will be installed.  We’ve created a separate route for trail users wishing to bypass the Twin Falls wall area as well.

And soon, we’ll switch to working on trail tread de-berming along the trail starting at Zilker – mostly this is to prevent water from rain pooling on the trail itself.  It will be a nice change of pace for the crew.

We have volunteer opportunities on Earth Day, next Friday, April 22 from 9-11:30 am and from noon to 3 pm. Please join us at Spyglass Access.  Sign up by clicking on the time links.

And thanks – again – to our funders: Impact Austin, our own APF park grants fund, Hill Country Conservancy, Bicycle Sport Shop and our partners: American Youthworks E-Corps, Greenbelt Guardians and the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Dept.  You make us look good.

Yoga & Movie This Wednesday @ Republic Square

It’s a free double-feature Wednesday at Republic Square this week.

At noon on Wednesday, YogaYoga will host the second of our weekly Yoga classes from noon to 1 pm.  Come on out and bring a yoga mat.  No experience is necessary.  Last week, we had 96 people attend, but there’s room for hundreds more!

At dusk, we’ll kick our Spring movies series with original SpyKids.  Shot in locations around Austin (pick out the spot on Lake Travis where their house is shown!) it’s fun for all ages.  Click out the trailer:

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi282722585/

Further, we’ll bring out our Imagination Playground for kids young and old to enjoy prior to the movie.  Bring a picnic and enjoy the evening with us.

And coming on Wed, April 27th, the classic film Casablanca!

Our Movies series is brought to you thanks to sponsorships and support from:

• The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department
• The City of Austin Cultural Arts Division
• The Downtown Austin Alliance
• Amplify Credit Union
• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Free movies start at dusk. Bring your kids, dogs (on leash), picnics, and blankets. Food vendors will be on site, as well as public restrooms. No glass or styrofoam is permitted.

Transportation Information: Parking is available on the street, with 3 ADA (accessibl) space near the three of the four corners of the park. Please consider walking, biking (bike racks available on Guadalupe and W 4th St sides of the park) or using public transportation – Cap Metro buses 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 17 and 22 all stop within 3 blocks of the park.

Republic Square Movies in the Parks events are co-sponsored by the by City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. They are produced thanks to funding in part by the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division. Additional sponsors include Amplify Credit Union and the Downtown Austin Alliance.

The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require special assistance for participation in our programs or use of our facilities, please call 974-6700.

Waller Creek Bridge Project Completed

New trail and rock work on the eastern end of the bridge

I was walking to a meeting and decided to see if the new Waller Creek Bridge over Waller Creek along the trail at Lady Bird Lake was open.  It is, with new trail and stone work in place on the east side.  Yup, it’s the finish to the first (of many) projects for the Waller Creek Tunnel Project, with the work on the new boathouse starting really soon, as the Austin Rowing Club is moving all of their boats out to a temporary fenced in location on the west side of the bridge.

This big limestone block placed to prevent any motorized vehicles from crossing the creek should definitely work.  No little metal bollard in a sleeve here.

Finally, a great view at the (current) mouth of Waller Creek, looking north to the nearby buildings of downtown.  A lot is going to start changing soon here.