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 …
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 …
The Trust for Public Land (TPL), the national organization responsible for assessing and ranking parks in America’s 100 largest cities, released its annual ParkScore rankings. The rankings are based on the five qualities that make park systems great: park access, acreage, amenities like playgrounds and basketball courts, funding to create new parks and maintain and improve existing ones, and, new …
Austin Parks Foundation (APF) is excited to announce that developments to revitalize the Zilker Train are well underway with the anticipated reopening in the fall of 2021. The tunnel under the Barton Springs Road Bridge will be receiving an update along with the track, depot, and other features. APF has just released its Request for Proposal (RFP) for artists to …
In December 2020, Austin Parks Foundation (APF) awarded grants to six Austin ISD schools to create new outdoor classroom areas. The following elementary schools received a grant for $2,000 each: Oak Springs, Pecan Springs, Andrews, Cook and Pickle. Gullett Elementary School received a matching “Challenge Grant” of $1,000 to help build an outdoor stage for the school and community. “We are …
2020 was a tough year. As we all spent more time at home than ever before, we also relied on Austin’s outdoor spaces as a much-needed respite. Many things were different, but our mission to improve parks, trails and green spaces across Austin remained that same. Many of Austin Parks Foundation’s programs relied on in-person events and gatherings before March …
It’s been a tough year for Austin’s parks. Already perennially underfunded, Austin’s parks and trails systems have been inundated, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Tens of thousands of new users, overwhelming some of Austin’s most beloved parks, have taken their toll. Whether it be habitat degradation, increased littering and pollution, or just the daily wear and tear from thousands of visitors, …
On April 7th, the civic world in Austin seemed to halt for a few brief moments. John Hockenyos, an Austin based economist, delivered a less-than-rosy economic impact update to Austin’s City Council in the wake of COVID-19. “I’m hoping that is a slightly pessimistic scenario, but I think it is a realistic scenario,” Hockenyos said. The scenario predicted Great Depression …
From Blanton Art Museum to the beloved, but newly-housed, Graffiti Park at Castle Hill, there’s no denying that Austinites appreciate good art when they see it. But did you know some of the best art is in the parks? These pieces help us deepen our connection to or understanding of the parks’ history, view the parks and amenities in new …
AUSTIN, TEXAS (January 22, 2020) – Austin Parks Foundation (APF) is thrilled to announce their annual ACL Music Festival Impact Grant of $100,000 has been awarded to Alderbrook Park. These funds will be used to support the playground project, which includes a traditional playscape, boulders, nature play elements, and tree plantings. “For years, Alderbrook Pocket Park had been a vacant …
