Dear Neighbors,
I first got involved in local politics as a parks advocate determined to improve the quality of our playspaces. As a council member, I believe that everyone in Austin should live within walking distance of a great park and I have worked hard to identify funding and mechanisms to further that goal. In this newsletter, I want to highlight a number of recent park improvements in District 10 and around Austin. With summer almost upon us, I hope you will get a chance to enjoy each of them soon.
Eilers Park
Earlier this month, we celebrated the renovation of Eilers Park (adjacent to Deep Eddy Pool), which was completed just before the pandemic hit. Eilers Park now provides nature-based play opportunities with a playground integrated into the landscape and several climbing elements. The new updates include ADA-accessible walkways and parking and enhanced landscaping leading to the adjacent community.
Additionally, you will see new signage, drinking fountains, trash receptacles, picnic tables, and benches. These improvements were made possible by 2012 and 2018 Capital Improvement Bonds. My favorite part is the new art piece, “Abundance,” at the Eilers Park entrance. This piece was made possible with the Art in Public Places program, and also includes several smaller sculptures nestled throughout the park. | | "Abundance" Sculpture at Entrance to Eilers Park | Reed Park
In April the Friends of Reed Park marked the opening of new playground amenities, including two shaded play structures and a shaded swing set completed in March. The Reed Park project also included an ADA accessible plaza area, picnic tables, and an updated accessible parking space. Funding for this project came from a 2018 bond, the Parks and Recreation Department’s General Fund and Parkland Dedication Fees. | | | Whether you have a young child with you or not, I recommend checking out the extensive park and play improvements recently installed at Pease Park, the Alliance Children's Garden, and Waterloo Park. We should all be grateful to the bond voters, Pease Park Conservancy, the Town Lake Park Alliance, the Austin Parks Foundation, and Waterloo Greenway for advancing each of these fabulous projects along with our Parks and Recreation Department.
Kingsbury Commons at Pease Park offers a splash pad, treehouse observation pod, state-of-the-art playground, full-size basketball court and more. The Alliance Children’s Garden, funded via a 1998 City election, is a visually striking multigenerational play area with four thematic areas: the hill country garden, the skyline garden, the art and culture garden, and the rock and slide valley garden.
Together with the new Waterloo Amphitheater, Waterloo Park provides native landscaping, food trucks, and a nature-based playground with a slide that never gets hot in the sun. Additionally, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is dedicating $9 million for the restoration of Waller Creek via the recently approved Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This support by the federal government will fund the next phase of Waterloo Greenway’s 35-acre parks system project– The Confluence. Read more about the grant here.
| | Nature-Based Play Area at Waterloo Park | | Thanks to a unique partnership, I also am pleased to share that the improvements to our parks, trails and public spaces will continue across the city. On Tuesday, at Georgian Acres Neighborhood Park (another recently improved park space) several of my colleagues and I joined the Austin Parks Foundation to receive a $6.7 million contribution from the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Our parks system has and will benefit in many ways from this partnership. Previous ACL Fest donations, for instance, have been utilized to create green school yards and improve school parks including at Hill Elementary School. Using funds from ACL 2021, a School Parks Capital Replacement project is now underway, replacing and adding amenities at school parks across Austin.
Finally, I want to remind you that with summer around the corner, we need more lifeguards and camp counselors in order to fully enjoy our beautiful parks. The City only has 185 of the 750 lifeguards needed to keep pools fully operational, and 211 of the 350 needed summer camp staff. Pay starts at $16/hour, and hires will get paid sick leave, a free bus pass, and the opportunity to earn bonuses – up to $1250 for lifeguards and up to $750 for summer camp staff. We can all do our part to spread the word to our friends and family members who may need a summer job. For more information, visit LifeguardAustin.com.
In the rest of this newsletter, you will find a Council recap, updates on TSA times at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, tips for solar rebates, and more. I hope you and your families enjoy this graduation season and the last few weeks of school, and I wish you a parks-filled summer!
Warm regards,
Alison Alter “Parks Lady” and Mayor Pro Tem Council Member, District 10 | P.S. If you’ve called my office lately, you may have noticed a new voice on the phone! Please welcome Carrie Smith, my new Constituent Liaison and Executive Assistant. Carrie has an extensive background in public service as an administrative professional for the Lockhart Independent School District. In her free time Carrie is also a talented artist and muralist. | | |
Council Recap
Mayor Pro Tem Alter in the Community Improvements Along Exposition Blvd. and by Casis Wildfire Preparedness Month and Symposium Meals on Wheels Delivery Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and Austin Chinese Culture Festival Speaking at City Hall Lighting for Israel Congrats to the Highland Park Scotty Archers!
City News TSA Update at Austin Bergstrom International Airport City Auditor’s Office Wins Knighton Award Leveraging American Rescue Plan Funds to Help Austin Families Election on May 24th
Announcements Silent Auction Benefiting Ukraine Mental Health Awareness Month Austin Civilian Conservation Corps Photovoice Exhibit
| | | Here are a few highlights from our April 21st and May 5th council meetings. Voted against proposed Guaranteed Basic Income pilot Last week I voted against funding what has been described as an Universal Basic Income or Guaranteed Basic Income pilot. I recognize that, in our current market, many workers and their families cannot afford to meet their basic needs. However, when I looked at all the levers I have to help those families and when I considered the various city services and priorities that we are struggling to fund, I was unable to conclude that this investment was the most prudent way for us to address these needs and deploy a million dollars plus. You may read more about that vote here. Parental leave I co-sponsored item 34, sponsored by CM Fuentes, which directs city staff to study how we might implement 12 weeks of paid parental leave for all non-sworn City of Austin employees. Speed Signals The City will purchase 25 dynamic speed display devices (DSDDs) each year over the next five years, with several slated to be installed in District 10 this year. DSDDs operate on a six-week rotation across requested locations throughout the city, and this contract will significantly reduce the wait times for neighborhoods that request the devices. If you would like to request a device, call 3-1-1 to get started.
Austin Water Staffing Increases On April 21st, Council voted to employ sixteen more full-time Austin Water staff members to help secure our water supply. My belief is that having more trained staff members on site at our water treatment plants is one step towards preventing future issues. The City is also implementing my February resolution calling for an independent, third party audit of Austin Water. World Migratory Bird Day Last week, Council passed my resolution recognizing World Migratory Bird Day in Austin on May 14th and supporting the pursuit of Austin’s certification as a Bird City. Spring and fall are bird migration seasons, and each year more than 2 billion birds travel through Texas. We can do our part by limiting nighttime light usage, landscaping with native plants, implementing no mow areas, and more. Travis Audubon is hosting an all-day celebration of World Migratory Bird Day this Saturday for anyone who wants to learn more. Thank you to Council Member Leslie Pool and Travis Audubon for their support. | | | |
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