Author: Susan Selesky
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Breaking Down Austin’s FY 2026-27 Parks Budget
On August 12, Austin City Council approved the city’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27, roughly one month after the initial draft was released. While headlines focused on the citywide total, us park-goers and trail users want to know one thing: What’s in the Budget for our Parks, Pools and Trails? Austin Parks and…
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Austin Voters Will Decide a $260 Million Parks Bond This November
After more than two years of planning, task forces and a few rounds of postponement, Austin’s parks bond is officially headed to voters! On August 6, 2026, City Council formally called a November 2026 bond election, placing a $260 million parks package on the ballot. If you’ve been following along since our January blog post,…
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Keep your New Year’s Resolutions in Austin’s Parks
We’re hitting the parks with all new opportunities to explore (and keep up those New Year’s resolutions). Maybe you resolve to get your heart rate up, try a new hobby or spend more time offline with loved ones (two and four-legged alike). No matter how you want to spend your time this year, Austin’s parks…
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ACL Funds In Action: Shade Match
Austin Parks Foundation (APF) has officially surpassed the $1 million mark in its $2 million commitment to expand shade across Austin’s park system, marking a major milestone in the organization’s partnership with the City of Austin to combat extreme heat and improve park accessibility. In 2023, APF pledged to match the City of Austin’s $2…
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National Volunteer Month
As National Volunteer Month comes to an end, we want to highlight our April volunteer projects. This month we hosted corporate volunteers, open workdays and an Earth Day project! Take a look at the impact: April 10 Corporate Volunteer Event, Zendesk at Armadillo Park Employees from Zendesk helped with Nature Play maintenance. This much-needed care…
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APF + Spurs team up for Play ATX
[cs_content _p=’41255′][cs_element_section _id=”1″ ][cs_element_layout_row _id=”2″ ][cs_element_layout_column _id=”3″ ][cs_element_text _id=”4″ ][cs_content_seo]In celebration of Spurs Week in Austin, Spurs Give and Austin Parks Foundation (APF) are donating nearly $500,000 to launch “Play ATX”, a multi-year program dedicated to renovating parks and basketball courts throughout the city of Austin. Dove Springs District Park On Tuesday, April 4th, the…
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Support Increased PARD Staffing in our City Budget
Austin Parks Foundation and other outdoor organizations are sensitive to the nature of this budget year being tight and have respectfully limited our PARD budget ask to the most pressing, equity-centered and community-supported needs. Like in years past, PARD’s most pressing need for the FY25 budget is adequate staffing to maintain parks, recreational and cultural…
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Exploring the Impact of HB 1526 on Parkland Dedication and Austin’s Parks
Updated March 21, 2024. Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1526 into law on June 10, 2023. Going into effect on January 1, 2024, this new law dictates how local parkland dedication (PLD) ordinances can be used in Texas cities with populations over 800,000 (Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Dallas). This bill has…
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Austin Parks Foundation’s Guide to Voting YES for Texas Parks this Fall
Early voting has begun in Texas and there are three measures on the ballot critical for funding parks in Travis County and across the state of Texas. Austin Parks Foundation is proud to endorse both Travis County bond proposals, as well as the proposed Prop 14 amendment to the state constitution. These measures will provide…
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2023 Golden Shovel Winners Honored for Advocacy, Volunteerism and Community Building in Austin’s Parks
Each year, APF presents our Golden Shovel Awards to people and organizations that have made a big impact on Austin’s parks. We recognize our winners at Party for the Parks, our biggest fundraising event of the year! What makes a Golden Shovel Winner? A Golden Shovel Winner can be an individual, group, or organization that…
