Howdy, y’all! In today’s episode, we’ve got a super fun interview with Texas two-step instructor Beth Coffey! You can find Beth at The White Horse, the infamous East Austin honky tonk, on Thursday nights teaching Austinites and visitors alike the art of two-stepping. Beth is an 8th generation Texan, born and raised in San Angelo. She was brought up in a big …
Project Playback: Replacing the Failing Playground at Springdale Park
The 2019 park review came with some difficult news for Springdale Park and local residents. According to the Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s annual assessment, the Springdale playground was failing and became a priority for replacement. The assessment considers safety, age and the condition of the equipment when evaluating each park. Using Board Designated Funds, and grant funds from the …
S2E10 Fitness in the Park: A Conversation with Tai Chi Master Vince Cobalis
In today’s episode, Grant interviews Tai Chi Master Vince Cobalis who was kind enough to be a part of our Fitness in the Park series! His class premieres Saturday, July 24th at 10 am on APF’s YouTube Channel, but you can watch it anytime at austinparks.org/fitness! Vince has practiced martial arts since 1968 and Tai Chi since 1981. He grew up in …
12 Swimming Holes Around Austin Guaranteed to Keep You Cool!
We know that Austin is no stranger to steaming hot summers, and Austinites are always looking for a relaxing escape from the heat. That’s why we have compiled a list of a few of our favorite swimming holes near Austin! Whether you want to stay in the heart of downtown or would rather take a day trip to swim, we’re …
S2E9 Inclusive Spaces: A Conversation with Ricardo Martinez of Equality Texas
In this episode, we are excited to bring you a conversation with the Chief Executive Officer of Equality Texas, Ricardo Martinez. Equality Texas is a non-profit advocacy organization, whose mission is to “secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration.”We examine how parks, trails, and public spaces impact the quality …
S2E8 Digital Dialogues: Public Participation in the COVID-19 Era
In today’s episode, we’re taking you back to our Park Summit Series session from May! In 2020, community engagement in support of public projects was completely transformed by COVID-19. Organizations and consulting firms with meaningful community engagement as their primary mission had to pivot their approaches to meet public health challenges. Listen and learn how these groups maintained connections to …
2021 City Budget Season: Help Us Advocate for Increased Parks Funding
Each year during the City of Austin’s budgeting process, Austin Parks Foundation works to ensure our cherished green spaces get the funding they deserve. In partnership with park advocates, volunteers and other green space organizations we have proven that when we speak up for our parks as a collective, City Council listens! This year, we are asking for $6,900,000 in …
Paving the Way for Austinites: 6 of Austin’s Best Paved Trails
Here at Austin Parks Foundation, we know there’s lots of reasons to love a paved path. From mobility aids to strollers, bikes or even just enjoying a walk with ease, there are paved paths at parks and trails all over Austin that will make your next park adventure a breeze! Check out these 6 paved path in parks and trails …
S2E7 Fitness in the Park: A Conversation with Local Boxing Instructor Ashley Bazan
In today’s episode, we interviewed local boxing instructor Ashley Bazan from Austin Women’s Boxing Club about her fitness journey! Ashley has won multiple local boxing championships and is passionate about teaching the art of boxing. She’s also our instructor for our virtual Boxing class airing Saturday, June 26th at 10 am. You can watch any of our previous Fitness in …
APF Awards Over $102,000 in 2021 Spring Community Grants
Austin Parks Foundation (APF) is excited to announce our 2021 Spring Community Grants recipients, that will receive over $102,000 in combined funding to build numerous park necessities and improve various parks across Austin! As a part of our ACL Music Festival Grants Program, Community Grants are designed to support community-initiated improvement projects requiring between $5,000 – $50,000 in funds. Since …