6-1: PARB Director's Report, September 2022 — original pdf

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PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD DIRECTOR’S REPORT DATE: September 2022 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS: Roy Kizer Golf Course Grand Re-opening: The golf division will host a grand reopening of the Roy Kizer Golf Course. The course, which has been closed since early March, underwent a putting green resurfacing project and reopened on September 8, 2022 under modified operations. The Grand Re- opening will take place Thursday, September 29, 2022 from 7-10 am and will feature a live onsite radio broadcast, golf, music, giveaways and breakfast for all attendees. District 2 Seaholm Intake Building Phase 1 Rehabilitation: A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for September 28, 2022, from 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM to celebrate the rehabilitation of the Seaholm Intake Building. Construction began in October 2021 and is now complete. Phase 1 consisted of a series of historically appropriate interventions to rehabilitate the iconic structure and make the facility safe and inhabitable for small programs and events while restoring character-defining features and updating the building for code-compliant occupancy. This project was funded by CIP, PLD and, HOT funds. The facility will be available for internal City of Austin events and partnership events with The Trail Foundation. District 9 The renovated Seaholm Intake Facility 1  Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park Pool: On September 28, 2022, the Parks and Recreation Department (Department) will host a community engagement meeting for the upcoming Aquatic Facility Renovation at Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park, located at 7000 Ardath St. Austin, TX 78757. The event will take place from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM both virtually through Zoom and in-person at the Northwest Recreation Center, located at 2913 Northland Dr., Austin, Texas 78731. At the meeting, the team will share the results from the second community survey and the final pool concept. The project plans to upgrade the existing pool to a regional aquatic center with a beach entry for the toddler pool, new play features, an accessible deck, and new accessible pool access. The existing restrooms will be renovated to restore the bathhouse and provide two family changing rooms. The Zoom link for the community meeting is available on the project website. https://www.austintexas.gov/sheffieldNWpool. District 7 PLANNING UPDATES: Commercial Parkland Dedication Ordinance: On September 15, 2022, the Council passed the Commercial Parkland Dedication Ordinance. For the first time in Austin history, commercial site plans will be required to pay parkland dedication fees, effective January 1, 2023. All Districts Project Connect: Project Connect is re-evaluating several options considering recent findings that put the project over budget. Land acquisition is one of the highest costs. With the outcomes of these considerations, alignments and impacts to parkland may change. The Department continues to work with Austin Transit Partnership and Texas Park and Wildlife Department (TPWD) on Section 6F of the Land and Water Conservation Act and 4F of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act. Assuming Waller Beach is impacted, it would go through a 6F conversion, which requires a 1:1 replacement of land. TPWD is discussing 6F for Auditorium Shores where the line will be subterranean. The Department will be looking for new land as part of the 6F conversion and would not entertain other ideas for the fulfillment of 6F at this time. https://projectconnect.com/. Multiple Districts Zilker Metropolitan Park Vision Plan: Department staff will review the draft concept and accompanying plan document. Interagency coordination continues throughout the review process ahead of an anticipated public release of the draft in November. https://www.austintexas.gov/ZilkerVision. Districts 5 and 8 305 Congress “Statesman” Planned Unit Development Amendment (PUD): The item is coming back to Council on September 29, for a second reading after it was postponed at the September 15 regular Council meeting (item 83). The LAW Department has drafted an Ordinance with several exhibits. The Department has the following concerns with the current ordinance, though progress has been made as noted: • Applicant has committed to reinstating current access parallel to South Congress, including ADA access, though that has yet to be codified. • The applicant has committed to building the Great Steps, plaza areas, amenitized water ponds, and reconstructing the trail without parkland credit. The remaining committed items still able to receive parkland credit are the Great Lawn, Pier, and Water Steps. This commitment has not yet been codified. 2  • The ordinance lacks a committed park plan or a roadmap to get to one. The Grove is a good example of a PUD with a roadmap. The applicant expressed interest in the planning process, and Department staff will reach out to discuss. It falls far short of the park plan or investment level of the South Central Waterfront Plan. It contains an overly cumbersome procedure for park programming which the applicant also does not agree with. District 9 • • DEVELOPMENT UPDATES: Gus Garcia AIPP Mural Project: Gus Garcia Recreation Center (GGRC) and the GGRC advisory board are working closely with the Arts in Public Places (AIPP) program to begin working on a community mural. This mural will highlight Gustavo “Gus” Garcia and everything the recreation center named after him represents. AIPP and GGRC staff are working on finalizing needs and facility space to begin this project, which is set to begin early October. District 4 Gus Garcia Mural Mendez Recreation Center: Mendez Recreation Center will begin the installation of its outdoor mural funded by capital improvement project funds. The project will include the restoration of the mural to match the park Gazebo. District 3 Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Phase 2 Improvements: This project embraces the AARC’s mission and vision to create a space of belonging and healing for Asian American communities in Austin and beyond, supports and connects the diverse communities, and will be informed by pan-Asian culture and architecture. The Schematic Design phase for the Performing Arts Center and associated improvements as outlined in the 2019 Plan approved by City Council is nearing completion. The Phase 2 3  project is being led by the COA project team, Trahan Architects, and the Construction Manager-At-Risk, FlintCo. The project team, City staff, and community champions have completed numerous community engagement events for the project thus far. On September 20, 2022, the project team gave a presentation to the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission on how the engagement process has informed the building program and design. This Phase 2 project is funded through $7M from the 2018 General Obligation (GO) Bonds. It has been identified that the available funding will not be sufficient to cover the full construction cost of the Performing Arts Center and associated site improvements that are needed to support the community. https://www.austintexas.gov/department/asian-american-resource-center-phase-2-improvements. District 1 AARC concept rendering, Trahan Architects Highland Neighborhood Park and Brownie Neighborhood Park: At the regular Council meeting on October 13, 2022, the Department will seek authorization for the award and execution of a construction contract with Rodriguez Barr Inc, for the Highland and Brownie Neighborhood Parks project in the amount of $3.7M plus a $374,000 contingency. The two neighborhood park projects were bid together because of their similar scope of work and proximity. This phase of implementation at Highland Neighborhood Park will include two ball fields, a new site irrigation system, a looped walking trail, seating opportunities, a new drinking fountain, parking lot improvements, utilities for a future restroom/community building, and 25 additional trees. The full concept plan report, including community engagement, can be found at the following link: https://www.austintexas.gov/HighlandParkProject. District 4 4  Concept plan illustration for Highland Neighborhood Park This phase of implementation at Brownie Neighborhood Park will include a picnic pavilion, irrigation system expansion, a looped walking trail, solar security lighting, benches, picnic tables, a new playground, a new drinking fountain, a vehicular turnaround with ADA parking spaces, and 30 additional trees. The full concept plan report, including community engagement, can be found at the following link: https://www.austintexas.gov/browniepark District 4. Concept plan illustration for Brownie Neighborhood Park 5  Parque Zaragoza Bathhouse Renovation: In 1931, the City of Austin purchased 9.3 acres bisected by Boggy Creek on the eastern edge of the city from W.S. Benson for the purpose of establishing Zaraqosa Park. In 1988, the Department changed the name of the park from Zaraqosa Park to Parque Zaragoza to reflect the proper spelling of General Zaragoza’s last name. Intended as a segregated resource for the quickly growing community of Mexican immigrants, the new park quickly emerged as a cultural center for the entire region. In 1941, residents of the neighborhood, organized by the National Youth Administration, a New Deal agency, built a recreation center on the northwest corner of the park that incorporated a bathhouse to complement the existing pool built in 1933. The small brick building’s two rooms served as the park’s recreation center for the next 55 years. The Zaragosa Recreation Center Advisory Board, established in 1981, petitioned the city for a new recreation center to service the community’s needs, which became a reality in 1996. In 2010 the small brick building and bathhouse were permanently closed due to their dilapidating condition. The pool remained open and porta potties were brought on-site to serve the community during the pool season. Existing conditions, Parque Zaragoza Bathhouse The project scope for the Zaragoza Bathhouse will renovate the interior of the existing bathhouse to provide restroom and shower facilities, including a dedicated entry to the pool facility. Renovations include gender-specific restrooms and a lifeguard office space. The large recreation space will remain as an open pavilion with large doorway openings allowing potential access to the space from the park and open airflow during the pool season. When the large doorways are closed, during the colder periods of the year, the space will be used for lifeguard training. A conditioned lifeguard room will be provided for safety, lifeguard, and aquatic administration use. In addition, two large shade structures will be provided poolside to provide additional shade for pool users. All improvements will be ADA compliant, and the 6  project is pursuing LEED v4 ID+C (Interior Design + Construction) certification. The project will also participate in the City of Austin Arts in Public Places (AIPP) program. Plan view and rendering of shade structures from the pool In the summer of 2022, the bathhouse structure was recognized as a National Historic Register Historic Places. The improvements will abide by the Secretary of the Interior’s recommendations for historic buildings. Community engagement was conducted through the project website and by communicating with the Amigos de Parque Zaragoza on the proposed improvements. Additional public engagement will be conducted as part of the AIPP process. The project design received a Certificate of Appropriateness by the City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission on July 6, 2022 and was approved by the City of Austin Design Commission on August 22, 2022. The project is anticipated to go through the Invitation for Bid process in the fall of 2022 with a construction start anticipated in February 2023. The anticipated construction time frame is eight months. The pool is expected to open during the pool season of 2023 while the interior renovations of the bathhouse building are being completed. The project is funded through Pool Renovations Funding (2006 Prop. 3), Facility Renovations and Improvements (2012 Prop 14), and Aquatic Funding (2018 Prop C). https://www.austintexas.gov/department/parque-zaragoza-bathhouse. District 3 Givens District Park: Construction has begun on the final project of the Phase I implementation of the Givens District Park Vision Plan. Work includes the replacement of a small restroom south of the recreation center with a new, expanded, accessible restroom adjacent to a new plaza with shaded picnic seating and an accessible walkway that will connect to the recreation center. The project will also replace an under-utilized ballfield with a multi-purpose field including new fencing and field lighting. Work is anticipated to be completed in the late spring or early summer of 2023. District 1 7  Construction site at Givens District Park Walsh Boat Landing Restroom Renovation: The 50-plus-year-old restroom building at Walsh Boat Landing is tentatively scheduled to re-open in early October 2022. The major renovation brings the structure into ADA compliance, and included plumbing upgrades, accessibility improvements and roof repairs. New features include a wall-mounted drinking fountain, stall partitions, LED lighting with sensor controls, hand dryers, and baby changing stations. The project is funded through 2018 Bonds for ADA improvements. District 10 Exterior of newly renovated restroom at Walsh Boat Landing 8  Proposed Central Maintenance Complex Facility: The Department currently operates a Central Maintenance Complex (CMC) that sits on 9 acres of city-owned parkland along South Lakeshore Boulevard. The CMC stores equipment and supplies used to maintain the parks and provides dedicated work and production areas for several PARD divisions. The facility is more than 40 years old, in poor condition, and lacks sufficient space to meet existing and growing needs for park maintenance. A second maintenance complex that houses a portion of the Grounds Maintenance unit is located at Fiesta Gardens. The building at Fiesta Gardens is in a state of disrepair and occupies prime parkland at Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach in Town Lake Metropolitan Park, which abuts a residential neighborhood. There are two additional satellite maintenance yards at Walter E. Long Metro Park and Walnut Creek Metro Park that currently house the Trails and North Grounds Maintenance units and serve primarily as materials storage areas. Lastly, there is a dedicated maintenance group at Zilker Metro Park that focuses solely on the Zilker grounds. In total, the CMC and Fiesta Gardens complexes provide operational space for multiple maintenance and construction groups that include Facility Construction, Urban Forestry, Land Management, Aquatics Maintenance, and Operations and Maintenance. Currently, the maintenance groups at CMC and Fiesta Gardens include approximately 240 full-time employees and almost 100 temporary and seasonal employees. In fall 2021, Proposition B was approved by Austin voters. The proposition authorized the City to convey or lease the Central Maintenance Complex parkland and in return acquire the funding for a new maintenance facility to accommodate approximately 100 office employees and 250 field employees. In 1981, when CMC on Lakeshore Boulevard was initially constructed, the City of Austin (COA) owned and maintained 9,555 acres of parkland. Today, Austin manages nearly 20,000 acres of parkland as well as 25 recreation and senior centers, 11 museums, art and cultural centers, 73 historic structures, 34 aquatic facilities, 172 playgrounds, 100 tennis courts and 146 athletic fields. A centralized, larger, and upgraded maintenance facility is a critically needed asset for the park system. A new central maintenance complex is proposed to be constructed at Bolm District Park in the future, which would replace the functions currently housed at CMC and Fiesta Gardens. This site was acquired with the goal to house the Department's maintenance yard and to serve as a district park for the growing surrounding neighborhoods. Based on a high-level analysis, the maintenance complex is anticipated to occupy approximately 10 acres of the 68-acre Bolm District Park. Maintaining functions of the existing satellite maintenance yards at Walter E. Long Metro Park and Walnut Creek Metro Park will be explored as an option to reduce the overall scale of the new central maintenance complex as part of an upcoming feasibility study. Based on preliminary programming efforts, a new 34,000 SF administrative building will be needed to house approximately 350 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees. These numbers include minimal growth projections for staff. Based on construction costs of similar facilities for COA and other cities, the range for administrative structures costs between $500 to $600 per square foot. In addition to the administrative building several site facilities will be needed. These facilities include staff and fleet parking, trade workshops, enclosed and open-air storage bays, warehouses, a fuel center, truck wash bays, and all the associated earthwork and utility infrastructure. Infrastructure costs will be determined when the site location is confirmed. When considering the preliminary programmatic needs and accounting for soft costs and contingencies, the costs for a new Central Maintenance Complex are 9  estimated to exceed $45 million. Of note, construction costs continue to rise at an estimated rate of upwards of 15% annually in Austin. To further evaluate space needs and assess design and construction costs, the Department contracted with a design consultant in August of 2022, to provide comprehensive programming, site analysis, conceptual design, and cost estimating services for the new Central Maintenance Complex. It is expected that the consultant will provide a complete cost analysis for the delivery of the maintenance facility. The preliminary feasibility analysis is estimated to be complete by November 2022, with the final draft of the study anticipated in early 2023. District 3 MAINTENANCE UPDATES: Operation of Pools: The Aquatic Division is working on the following projects: • Northwest Pool – Department plumbers repaired major water leak on September 2, 2022. District 7 • Garrison Park – Department plumbers are in the process of repairing a major water leak on ball fields that is causing loss of water pressure at pool. District 5 • Govalle Pool - Shade structures over lap pool were damaged during a recent storm. District 3 New 5th Volleyball Court: The sand volleyball courts at Krieg Complex have just been expanded from four to five courts. A local volleyball club, 512 Volleyball, submitted a Community Activated Park Project proposal to volunteer with their skills, in volleyball frame installations. The Athletics Office purchased the equipment while the volunteers rearranged the current courts to make room and install the fifth court. This additional court benefits the community as the Krieg Complex is Austin’s only public sand volleyball courts with lights. District 3 Krieg Complex Sand Volleyball Courts Turner-Roberts Recreation Center Track: Turner-Roberts Recreation Center track is almost finished. The Department maintenance team is currently working to provide fencing around the completed track. The site supervisor is currently working to install signage to include programming hours and operations as well as rules and guidelines for public usage of the space. Additional add-ons to the project will include racers stand with coverage, as well as artificial turf on the track infield. District 2 10  Turner-Roberts Recreation Center: The site recently completed its last inspection for its Certificate of Occupancy. Programming operation at the site resumed on September 12, 2022. The site still has a few more projects to include the installation of mounted TVs for the teen room, as well as the delivery of new weight room equipment installed in the facilities fitness center. District 2 Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center: Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center has begun work to provide irrigation to their baseball field. The work had been temporarily halted due to the recent weather. The site has seen many improvements within the past two years to include the installation of new lights, netting, batting cages and now irrigation which will greatly improve the overall upkeep and appearance of the field. District 1 Irrigation construction at Parque Zaragoza ballfield Dittmar Recreation Center – Backyard Project: The Dittmar Backyard Project is currently underway. The previous Dittmar Advisory Board donated $19,000 a few years ago to the center and is being used for the project. Paradigm, contractor, poured a concrete slab making it accessible for youth, teen and/or varsity generation programming. The slab is ADA accessible and will include new outdoor tables, ADA compliant railings as well as greenery landscaping. District 2 11  Dittmar Backyard Patio Dittmar Recreation Center Community Garden: Dittmar has built a third community garden. The community garden was built and monitored by Dittmar staff. The garden has a variety of herbs and vegetables that will be used for Afterschool and Varsity Generation programming. District 2 Dittmar Community Garden 12  Dittmar Recreation Center – Security Cameras: Johnson Controls has installed security cameras to the exterior areas of the main building at Dittmar Recreation Center. Johnson Controls returned to Dittmar on September 2, 7 and 8, 2022 to complete the installation of the cameras in the interior and exterior areas of the gym. District 2 180® Camera; facing Dittmar Backyard and Playground Dittmar Recreation Center – Pedestrian Crosswalk: Dittmar Recreation Center is installing a pedestrian crosswalk on Dittmar Road. The crosswalk improves pedestrian safety and makes it easier to cross the roadway. The pedestrian crosswalk completion date is to be determined. District 2 Area of the pedestrian crosswalk 13  Gus Garcia Upper Field Lights: The lights on the upper athletic field are nearly complete. The transformer has been installed by Austin Energy and now staff are awaiting access to the Musco application, which controls the lights. Gus Garcia Recreation Center is excited to be able to use this new amenity for the upcoming Fall Soccer season as well as future events that may run past daylight hours. District 4 Hancock Recreation Center Floor Refinish: Floors at Hancock Recreation Center have been refinished. Dance classes, community groups, and youth programs resumed on Tuesday, September 6. District 9 Hancock Recreation Center: Hardwood Floor Refinish Mendez Recreation Center Window Repair: Mendez Recreation Center recently made repairs to the facility multipurpose window after recent vandalism to the building resulted in a broken window. Mendez Recreation Center has since decided to improve its security of the premises by adding new internal and external security. The City vendor, Johnson Controls, has performed two facility walkthroughs. Last week, a member of the City of Austin maintenance asbestos team joined in the walkthrough and determined that spot checks will be performed during the camera installation as a precaution. No hot spots were identified during the walkthrough. District 3 Givens Recreation Center – Multi-purpose Field Renovation: Givens Recreation Center continues to work on the renovation of the work to renovate the multi-purpose field at Givens Park. Completed project timeline is still scheduled to be finished in January of 2023. District 1 Pan Am Recreation Center – Outdoor Lighting Repairs: Pan Am Recreation Center recently completed repairs to their outdoor ball field lights replacing over six lights that were recently out. The site hosts multiple adult leagues in the evening that depend on the well-lit field for league play. District 1 14  Givens Recreation Center – Floor Resurfacing: Givens Recreation Center recently finished resurfacing of the gym floor. District 1 George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center- Floor Renovations: The George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center was temporarily closed August 17-26, 2022, for floor renovations. The facility underwent a floor renovation that included the installment of brand-new gray laminate floors in the employee office space, lobby, and all program meeting/classrooms. District 2 New laminate flooring installation Montopolis Recreation and Community Center – Window Tinting: The windows in the pre-school room at Montopolis Recreation Center were tinted to help reduce heat and add privacy for the participants. District 3 Newly tinted windows 15  Lamar Senior Activity Center: Abatement and floor installation is in progress at Lamar Senior Activity Center. Asbestos, old flooring and sheetrock have all been successfully removed. Installation of sheetrock is near completion. No update on installation timeline as of this report. District 9 Land Management Program – Prescribed Burns: Land Management Program staff are planning to lead or assist with multiple prescribed burns on parkland, beginning as soon September 2022. Burns are planned at the Onion Creek Wildlife Sanctuary and Commons Ford Park. All burn plans are reviewed and permitted by the Austin Fire Department as well as implemented in partnership with AFD and other partner land management agencies. Prescribed burns are a critical tool for restoring ecosystem health and mitigating wildfire risk. As such, the Land Management Program plans to incorporate the practice where appropriate following local, state, and national standards. Burns are implemented within a prescribed range of conditions to achieve desired fire effects, but exact dates cannot be provided far in advance as conditions continuously change. Initial notifications to neighbors, partners, and relevant agencies are typically provided up to a week in advance with the final go/no-go decision being made the morning of the burn. Members of the Parks and Recreation Department Prescribed Burn Team will also be attending various training at the annual Texas Interagency Incident Management Academy at Camp Swift in October. Courses will cover crew leadership skills, equipment operations, and wildland fire behavior. Districts 2 and 10 Land Management Program – Forest Health Restoration: Throughout the fall, the Land Management Program will be conducting various forest thinning treatments on about approximately 40 acres of the Onion Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. The work will reduce plant competition for resources, thereby improving the health of remaining trees, including approximately 100 heritage pecans, increasing biodiversity, and strengthening the resiliency of the forest ecosystem to extreme heat, drought, and wildfire. This work is being conducted as a series of pilot projects that, with funding, could be scaled up throughout the park system on lands included in the Land Management Plan. District 2 Zilker Metro Park – Butler Landfill Maintenance Project: Planned maintenance work on the Stratford Drive Butler Landfill lot includes regrading to prevent ponding, gates to control vehicular access to the cap, a pedestrian gate near Lou Neff Road, and an irrigation system to support three re-vegetated acres. A new pump will utilize lake water for irrigation. The contractor, Clean Scapes, has completed the application of a mulch layer on the 3-acre section of the landfill planned to receive the hydroseed mix. The mulch was applied to protect the Grass Pave base and the landfill cap. The mainline and lateral line installation for the irrigation system has been completed and the installation of the split rail fence began on September 13, 2022. Austin City Limits (ACL) load-in will begin on September 19, 2022. Signage for the event has been placed along Barton Springs Road and Lou Neff Road by C3 Presents. During ACL load-in, event, and load-out, minimal to no maintenance work will be performed. After the ACL load-out, the second phase of the maintenance improvements will commence. This is anticipated to begin the week of October 17, 2022. Phase Two will include the installation of the new pump for the irrigation system and the completion of the remaining split rail fence and gates along Stratford Drive and Lou Neff Road. All maintenance work is anticipated to be completed by December 2023. District 8 16  Arial view of the Zilker Metro Park Maintenance Project. The red outline indicates areas off-use to the public during the maintenance period. View of grass pave base course, looking west. Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex Theater and Skating Arena: At the regular Council meeting scheduled for September 29, 2022, the Department will seek to authorize negotiation and execution of a cooperative contract with A V Pro, Inc. to provide commercial audio/visual equipment and related services for the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex, in an amount not to exceed $280,630. The Millennium is a 55,000 sq. ft. entertainment facility that opened to the public in June 1999. The facility features a 154-seat movie theater, roller skating arena, 16 bowling lanes, video arcade, children’s play area, and a food court. The Millennium serves as a place for youth to skate, bowl, play video games, or have birthday parties and hosts special events, classes, job fairs, private receptions, and movie festivals. The Millennium requested upgrades to the theater and the skating arena to be able to offer a variety of recreational activities to patrons in a comfortable environment within an updated, state-of-the-art facility. The proposed modernization of the theater and skating arena will include improvements to the audio, visual, and lighting systems, and a portable stage for live performances. The skating arena shall include new LED lights, fog machines, strobe lights, and music-driven flashing-colored lights. In addition, video wall panels shall be installed to display stage performances and lighting effects to enhance the visual experience. The facility will also provide microphones with stands, an audio console controller, and a public address system. The proposed audio and visual upgrades are expected to create a high- 17  energy environment that will continue to provide excitement for skating and live performance events. The Department operates the Millennium in partnership with the Austin-Rosewood Community Development Corporation, a local government corporation. https://www.millenniumaustin.com/. District 1 Evergreen Asphalt Maintenance: The Department is completing a full asphalt replacement of roads located inside Evergreen Cemetery as part of the IDIQ contract (Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity). This work includes new concrete curbs along the edges of all roads to hold the asphalt in place and reduce future failure and replacement. Additional repairs will aid in reducing washout areas and drainage problems throughout the site. No impacts will be made to cemetery plots and all tree roots will be protected from impact within the critical root zone. Work is anticipated to be completed before December 2022. District 1 Road at Evergreen Cemetery PROGRAM UPDATES: Aquatic Division – Stacy Pool: The Aquatic Division continues to work towards providing guarded aquatic facilities to the Austin community. Stacy pool is hosting the Lamar Senior Activity Center for a water aerobics class on Tuesday mornings from 10-11 am in September. Liberal Arts and Science Academy High School is also using Stacy Pool for its Water Polo Team practice three nights per week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8-9 pm until the end of October. Akins High School is at Stacy Pool on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 am-12 pm for its Swim ATX Class, which teaches high school students how to swim and prepares them to take the lifeguard certification course. Additionally, McBeth Recreation uses Stacy Pool for their Special Olympic Swim Team practices on Saturday mornings from 10 am-12 pm through the end of September. District 9 18  Dogs On Leash: Internationally renowned musicians Kevin Russell of Shinyribs and Andrea Magee teamed up with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation and Animal Services Departments to produce original songs and videos to raise awareness of the importance of keeping dogs on a leash. The videos are part of a leash awareness campaign that was spearheaded by the City and the Animal Advisory Commission, Austin Parks and Recreation Board, Austin Parks Foundation, and The Trail Foundation. The campaign kicks off at Andrea Magee's "Belfast Girl" album release which takes place at 7 pm on Friday, September 30, 2022, at 2701 South Lamar Boulevard. Shinyribs https://youtu.be/_EeKCxANriY. Andrea Magee https://youtu.be/S894M2gB_9Y. All districts 19 Dogs on Leash Promotional Video All Recreation Center Sites – Fall Youth Soccer: Registration is currently open for Fall Youth Soccer for ages 5-12. Practices begin in September with games starting in October. All Districts All Recreation Center Sites – After School Program: The first month of the After School Program is underway and is all about what KIDS can do! August/September theme is “I can be Strong!” Kids are exploring how strong they really can be through Enrichments, Homework Time, and Active Play. All Districts Givens Recreation Center – Legacy of Givens Park: Givens Recreation Center hosted a community event on Saturday, September 17, 2022, honoring the legacy of Givens Park and the Givens pool, which will begin reconstruction later this year. The ceremony included speakers and community members, along with Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly McNeely, to officially present the Lone Star Legacy Park  award that Givens received earlier this year. The event included the presentation of a Texas park award, followed by guest speakers and notable community advocates. Throughout the day, a variety of activities and games were available to the public including a food truck competition, water games, and the closeout of the evening with a Movie in the Park at 7:30 pm. Few attendees at the event. District 1 George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center: The George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center and the Austin Parks Foundation hosted a Movie in the Park community event on September 9, 2022. An outdoor screening of ‘’Encanto’’ was shown at the Dove Springs Park Baseball field. 110 people attended the event. District 2 Northwest Recreation Center – Virtual Loteria: Northwest Recreation Center is hosted a virtual loteria event for all ages on September 15, 2022, at 4pm to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. A zoom link and loteria cards were emailed to participants who will then compete for prizes that they can pick up from the center following the event. 17 attendees. District 7 Turner-Roberts Recreation Center – After School Program: Each week the Turner-Roberts Recreation Center afterschool program offers a weekly cooking class for 4th-5th graders and teenagers. The program, titled “The Wild About Cooking & Baking Class” introduces the participants to exciting and interesting culinary cuisines that can be easily made at home. Recipes included Korean Corn Dogs, Garlic Parmesan Mac & Cheese as well as Watermelon & Feta Cheese Salad to name a few. There were seven teams resulting between 60-70 patrons. District 2 Turner-Roberts Afterschool Cooking Program Givens Recreation Center – Flag Football: Givens Recreation Center recently began registration for its youth Flag Football program. This program will mark the sites first return to a co-ed flag football league for participants 5-10 years of age. District 1 20  Turner-Roberts Recreation Center: Turner-Roberts recently closed out its women’s recreational volleyball league. The league had seven teams and played every Wednesday night, the overall feedback for the program has been very receptive, and the site is looking forward to a continuation of the program next year. District 2 Turner-Roberts Wednesday night women’s volleyball league George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center – Family Cooking Class: The George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center will partner with Common Threads to host a Family Cooking Class on September 6, 2022, and September 13, 2022, from 6:30-7:30 pm. Participants who enrolled in these sessions will engage in healthy cooking activities with a lead instructor. Enrollment for this program is maxed out at 20 participants. District 2 Elisabet Ney Museum – Portraiture in the Park: Austin Museum Day, the Elisabet Ney Museum hosted Portraiture in the Park: Who are you anyways? on Sunday, September 18, 2022, from 12-5 pm. This outdoor event featureed a variety of activities that will encourage visitors to explore the many facets of portraiture. There were drawing sessions with live models, a clay portrait bust making activity, a photo booth, and collage portrait projects. Visitors also checked out Cindy Elizabeth's giant portrait photographs on view in the Museum's historic landscape. 424 in attendance. District 9 Photo of man painting outdoors and a photo of children being led in an art activity by two adult instructors at the Elisabet Ney Museum 21  Brush Square Museums – This Day in Texas History Series: This Day in Texas History series highlights and examines some of the more rarely talked about events in Texas history with an emphasis on studying people who have been less represented in history books and curriculum. Our particular focus includes women and children, people of color, and Indigenous historical figures who were important in Texas history but often overlooked. Enjoy! https://m.facebook.com/318666968327073/. District 9 Drawing depicting Alamo survivor Joe as he escapes from slavery, August 26, 1837 Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB MACC) – Viva Mexico Signature Event: The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center hosted its 15th annual Viva México celebration on Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 6-10pm, with doors opening at 5 pm. This lively celebration included live music and dance performances, panel discussions, family-friendly art activities, and a mercado by Frida Friday ATX. Special guest hosts from Univision led the evening’s programming as the Masters of Ceremonies. Please visit www.vivamexicoatx.net for more information. 3,200 in attendance . District 9 22  Poster for the 15th Annual Viva Mexico event at Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center Dougherty Arts Center – Austin Museum Day 2022: Experiment with monoprints and enjoy current exhibits featuring artists Neena Buxani, Saul Jerome San Juan, and Tiffany Heng Hui Lee at the Dougherty Arts Center. This free, family friendly event took place on Sunday, September 18, 11 am-1 pm. Please visit https://www.austintexas.gov/page/dougherty-arts-center-programs-and-events for more information. 120 in attendance. District 9. Photo of poster depicting the Dougherty Arts Center under the banner Austin Museum Day 23  George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center – Small Black Museum Residency Project, Volume II: The Carver is pleased to announce the start of the SBM Residency Project! The residency officially kicked off on September 5, 2022 and runs through November 28, 2022. This residency project supports and promotes both established and emerging artists of African descent and gives them access to financial and institutional resources that promotes advancements in their professional careers. Artists with a progressive approach to both content and form and whose work reflects shifting paradigms around race, identity, nation, and place receive a monthly honorarium and materials budget, plus resources like marketing development, documentation, organizational coaching, and more. Artists who successfully complete the residency become eligible to participate in a survey, group, or solo show, which opens to the community in early 2023. District 1 Three individual photos of artists featured in the Small Black Museum Residency Project including Alexis Hunter, Elisha Luckett and Elizabeth Hudson Asian American Resource Center (AARC) – Tones Fest: The Asian American Resource Center hosted its first annual tones fest celebration on Saturday, September 10, 2022, from 1-4 pm. Tones fest was a continuation of the tones virtual music series that started in 2021 which aimed to showcase the breadth and depth of Austin-based Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) artists and musicians. Tones fest 2022, an all-Azn music and maker celebration, included three live music acts as well as 10 arts and crafts vendors, a photo booth, event-specific swag, and kids-centric art activities. Overall feedback was very positive as the event drew a diverse and enthusiastic audience. 338 in attendance. District 1 24  Photo of the ballroom at the Asian American Resource Center filled with participants in “tones” New Golf Programs at Butler Pitch & Putt: Butler Pitch & Putt has created a new ladies program. Experienced players compete in a tournament format 3 times per month and new players participate in a golf instructional clinic led by PGA pro, Nick Pateman. To date 54 participants have played in the tournament with another 12-15 attending the clinics. Butler has also introduced The Little Swing Easy Tournament, a parent/junior team event tournament introducing junior golfers to competitive golf in a relaxed environment. Super-juniors play a 5-hole round and more experienced pairs play 9-holes. 24 teams registered for the event with four teams of junior players competing without their parents. District 9 The Hero Program: The Golf ATX courses have joined the Hero Challenge program. The program raises money for 501c3’s specifically helping military veterans and first responders with PTSD counseling/suicide prevention, homelessness, financial aid, prosthetics, service animals and sports scholarships for children of the fallen. Hero Challenge staff set up on a Par 3 on designated Hero Days. Golfers are invited to donate to the program and compete in the Hole-In-One Challenge. One Hero Day is hosted monthly on each of the participating of the Golf ATX courses. In return, the Golf ATX courses are promoted thru the Hero’s Challenge Program Application. Districts 1, 2, 8. 9 and 10 Austin Community Gardens Program: A Seed Giveaway was conducted at the Carver Library to support needs of Austin Community Gardeners as well as home gardeners on September 1 and 2, 2022. The Carver is home to a new and thriving community garden, so was an ideal location for the giveaway. Heritage and culturally significant seeds that are hard to find locally were provided, helping ensure that under-resourced gardeners could access and enjoy culturally relevant crops. Additional packets of seeds will be distributed to several gardens with large numbers of members who may not be able to attend the giveaway. District 1 Zilker Botanical Garden: The Garden hosted a Free Day on Sunday, September 11, 2022. This is one of eight Free Days offered throughout the year. In accordance with Ordinance No. 20190808-030, the City Manager shall waive the entry fee to the Zilker Botanical Garden on eight days per fiscal year, to include at least three weekend days, to create “Free Days.” The Parks and Recreation Department (Department) selected the dates to allow families and individuals to access the Garden through free days timed to coincide with holidays, special exhibits and school holidays. District 8. 25  Homeless Response: Throughout the summer, most of our Homeless Response staffing, with substantial assistance from Austin Police Department (APD), Austin Resource Recovery (ARR), and Austin Public Health (APH), was dedicated to addressing more than 100 homeless encampments at Roy Guerrero Colorado River Metro Park. Dozens of individuals experiencing homelessness in the park had relocated to the park after being evicted from other nearby locations. Some parks, some rights-of-way, some private property, without being offered shelter or any other kind of legal alternative to camping. Housing was offered to approximately 80 individuals via the Housing-focused Encampment Assistance Link (HEAL) Initiative administered by APH. Unfortunately, numerous individuals were ultimately evicted from the park without being offered housing. These people have, once again, moved to other locations nearby and are generating new complaints from residents. Department Homeless Response staff, along with APD, APH, and ARR, have been striving to address a similar situation at Gus Garcia Park and Recreation Center. Dozens of individuals experiencing homelessness have in recent months relocated to the site after being evicted from other locations without being offered a legal alternative to camping. Staff are working to reduce the amount of trash at the park and address problematic behavior while connecting individuals to very limited housing. The Department continues to receive approximately 100 3-1-1 calls related to homeless encampments each week. The exact number of encampments on parkland is unknown, but staff have documented over 800 camps on parkland alone. Staffing is not available to respond to the encampments in the field or process the incoming 3-1-1 reports in a timely manner. Staff is doing their best to prioritize responses to the most problematic encampments. Unfortunately, the single dedicated Homeless Response employee is currently on short-term disability. All Homeless Response work is now being done by other employees as collateral duty. Figure 1. Homeless Response staff have documented over 800 encampments on parkland alone. 26  Austin City Limits: Austin City Limits Music Festival is scheduled for October 7-9, and 14-16, 2022. Load in period maps/closures • • Event Day Information Waterloo Park & Moody Amphitheater: Waterloo Park was a finalist in 4 of the 5 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Austin Impact Awards project categories including Most Influential Project, Best Project Innovation, Best Project Design, and Best Public Place. The project won the Best Public Place award, which recognizes completed projects that provide the public with enhanced civic, open, or public space access or experiences. Projects may be public sector, non-profit, public/private partnership, or entirely private sector, if the space itself is generally open to the public without charge. The 2022 Awards were celebrated, and winners were announced at the ZACH Topfer Theatre on August 31. Districts 1 and 9 https://youtu.be/vVyngi1NaH4 Left to right: Stephen Coulston (ULI), Gullivar Shepard (Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates), Jesús Aguirre (Waterloo Greenway), Liana Kallivoka (PARD), Paulette Gibbins (ULI) Off-Site Pilot Parking Project for Zilker Metro Park: The last day for the shuttle pilot project was on Labor Day, Monday, September 5, 2022. The free shuttle service offered park users the opportunity to park free of charge at One Texas Center Parking Garage, at South 1st and Barton Springs Road, and ride to Zilker Park from 11 AM to 7 PM on weekends and holidays. The pilot ran from June 25 to September 5, 2022. The total number of park users who took advantage of the free shuttle service was 550. Districts 5 and 8 27  Givens District Park Festival of Recognition and Remembrance: Givens District Park will host a Festival of Recognition and Remembrance on Saturday, September 17 at 5 PM at the Givens Recreation Center, 3811 E. 12th Street. The celebration will commemorate the rich history of the park and kick off the construction phase of the new pool and historic bathhouse rehabilitation, a project funded by a 2018 General Obligation bond. This family-friendly event will begin with the dedication of the Texas Recreation and Park Society’s Lone Star Legacy Award from the Texas Recreation and Park Society. Other activities include a food truck competition, water games, and a showing of the movie Luca beginning at 7 PM. The Lone Star Legacy designation is one of the highest honors that can be given to a Texas park. Lone Star Legacy parks have withstood the test of time to become iconic symbols of their community. After 14-acre Rosewood Neighborhood Park opened as the first and only segregated public park for Black Austinites to use in 1929, many in the community soon began advocating for a bigger park, a district park, to accommodate the large numbers of people utilizing the municipal space. Finally, in the summer of 1959, Givens District Park opened to the public as the second segregated public park in Austin, a huge victory for East Austin. The park quickly became a hot spot for African Americans in Austin and the traditions that started in the park, such as holiday celebrations, youth sports and car culture, have lasted throughout the years. https://www.austintexas.gov/news/givens-park-festival- recognition-and-remembrance. District 1 Givens Pool, 1959, from the Austin History Center 28  Community PARKnerships “Pop Up” Programming Pilot: The Community PARKnerships Program is exploring the role of programming to serve as an outreach tool and activate park spaces with free programming opportunities. The PARKnerships “Pop Up” pilot will center around new nature play features initiated by the community within historically under-resourced neighborhoods. The goal is to provide support to Adopt-A-Park and partner groups in Districts 1-3 and connect communities to opportunities presented by nature play features. Each site, which includes Parque Zaragoza Neighborhood Park, MLK Station Neighborhood Park, and Kendra Page Neighborhood Park, has corresponding stewardship and partner groups set to join for at least one of the upcoming activations. By demonstrating a template for low-barrier activities as "Pop-Ups", our team encourages PARKners to replicate programming and insert opportunities relevant to their neighborhood needs. The first pop-up event was on September 7 and the last will take place on October 7, 2022. Districts 1, 2 and 3 Children using the Nature Play during the Pop-Up at Kendra Page ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES: Homeless Response temporary positions: Austin Public Health has made funding available for PARD to hire three to four temporary employees to assist with Homeless Response for up to a year. Positions were posted for 6 weeks. Unfortunately, we received a very small number of applications. Any new temporary employees will be on-boarded in October. Revenues: The Golf Division will close the fiscal year with over $10.5 million in revenues with $2 million in profit. This is the second time in the division’s history surpassing the $10 million mark. This is especially notable with one course, Roy Kizer, closed from April 15th thru Sept 8th. Districts 1, 2, 8, 9, 10 29  Zilker Train: The Parks and Recreation Board received an update on January 5, 2021, regarding the execution of the Construction, Operations, and Maintenance Agreement for a Miniature Train Operation at Zilker Metropolitan Park with the Austin Parks Foundation (Foundation). During recent testing, the Foundation found additional parts and retrofitting are needed. Additionally, the difficulty in obtaining parts in a timely manner has further delayed their timeline. The Foundation has a website that provides details on opening and activities related to the train at https://www.zilkertrain.org/. District 8 Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA): Interlocal agreement (ILA) with LCRA for the installation of buoys at Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake, Decker Lake, and the area surrounding Water Treatment Plant #4 on Lake Travis. This agreement will replace the current agreement expiring on December 30, 2022. Per the agreement, PARD and LCRA agree to mutually determine locations and number of buoys needed at each. LCRA will install buoys with PARD reimbursing LCRA for materials and labor. PARD presented the ILA to the Parks Board in July 2022 and Council approved on consent at the September 15, 2022 meeting. Districts 1, 8, 9, 10 Recreation Management System: The contract with the current vendor, Vermont Systems (RecTrac), for recreation management, expires in September 2022. PARD, with the assistance of the Communications and Technology Management Department (CTM), published a Request for Information (RFI) to survey current technology solutions in the Recreation Management Industry. PARD/CTM received three responses and conducted vendor question and answer sessions and vendor system demonstrations, along with meetings with current user organizations, between September and October 2021. Based on the information gathered, PARD will work with CTM to establish a scope of work (SOW) and conduct a formal solicitation for a future Recreation Management System. As CTM is the principal information technology department that focuses on the delivery and operations of vital IT infrastructure network and telecommunications services for the City, they will facilitate the competitive solicitation process. This includes establishing a CTM project manager and creating a timeline for the solicitation process. A CTM project manager assignment and timeline for PARD are pending. PARD anticipates the solicitation process will take over a year to complete. PARD will continue to utilize RecTrac services throughout the solicitation process until a recommended vendor is established. Watercraft Concession at 2418 Stratford Drive: The contract with the current vendor, Rowing Dock, expires April 22, 2023. The Scope of Work (SOW) is currently under development, and it was presented at the September Parks Board Contracts and Concessions Committee meeting. The solicitation is scheduled for release in early October and expected to be executed prior to end of current agreement by April 2024. District 8 FY2023 Approved Budget Summary: As of September 1, 2022, the total Fiscal Year 2023 Approved General Fund Budget for the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) is $114M (760 FTEs), and the approved Golf Fund Budget is $9.2M (47 FTEs). The General fund base budget increased by $8M (31.75 FTEs), while the Golf Budget increased by $477K (6 FTEs). 30 Significant City-wide items approved in the FY 2023 budget include: • The Living Wage will increase to $18/hour effective October 1, 2022. • A 4% increase in base pay for regular employees hired on or before April 1, 2022. The proposed pay increase will be implemented on October 1, 2022. • Expanded Service Incentive Pay program, an annual lump-sum payment for civilian employees based on tenure. 31