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Austin Parks and Recreation Department Barton Creek Greenbelt Reservation Pilot PARB Presentation Amanda Ross, Natural Resources Division Manager February 2020 PILOT PROJECT • Free Reservations Available Online • Park Monitors In Place At 7 Entrances • Reservations Implemented Friday-Sunday • 10:30am-7:30pm 2 GUIDING QUESTIONS • Can managing access provide enjoyable access/nature appreciation for park users? • Can a reservation system be implemented equitably? • Is this a model that could work in this park or other parks? • What are potential benefits and challenges of increasing staffing levels at the Barton Creek Greenbelt? • Are there changes to environmental impacts? 3 DATA REVIEW • All reservation slots FULL at all 8 entrances in August • Reservations available every weekend September and October • 34% of reservations were claimed 4 DATA REVIEW • 4,675 visitors were allowed to enter without a reservation • 1,642 visitors were turned away • 828 dogs were counted • Park Ranger contacts for dogs off-leash were down 35% from the previous year timeframe 5 PUBLIC SURVEY RESULTS In Person Survey (569) Online Survey (376) 54% were visiting for the first time or only visited annually Hiking, nature and swimming reasons for visiting Over 60% visited the site monthly or weekly Hiking, nature and swimming reasons for visiting 78745 most frequent zip code South/south east of Austin Online Reservation System 73% Positive Online Reservation System 21% Positive Ability to Get A Reservation 76% Positive Ability to Get A Reservation 17% Positive More than 50% said a positive was that the system: creates a less crowded space for enjoyment during pandemic 57% Had Difficulty Getting a Reservation Largest Negative of Reservation System Was Advanced Planning Largest Negative of Reservation System Was Advanced Planning 6 TRASH SURVEY Poop Bags Alcohol Containers Plastic Bags Beverage Containers Tobacco Products Small Misc. 45 16 29 21 16 54 FY18 FY20 FY21* FY19 20 5 7 6 8 12 60 18 28 29 17 62 17 10 13 16 7 47 7 CONCLUSIONS • Opportunity exists for more visitor interactions within this large urban preserve. • Given the high percentage of individuals visiting for the first time or annually, there is an opportunity to improve visitor services with more programing. • Many visitors found the online reservation system a burden. 8 RECOMENDATIONS Discontinue Reservation System Park Ambassadors Program for the Barton Creek Greenbelt Lead volunteer activities Tour Guides Encourage Responsible Recreation Entry Career Ladder Positions 9 Questions Questions