09-3: FY25 Community PARKnerships Impact Report FY25 — original pdf

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Community PARKnerships FY25 Year in Review Collage photo credits (left to right): 1. Courtesy of The Trail Conservancy (TTC) | 2. Courtesy of Pease Park Conservancy | 3. By Limelight Imaging, courtesy of Limelight Imaging and TTC | 4. Courtesy of Austin Parks Foundation (APF) | 6. Courtesy of Downtown Austin Alliance | 7. Courtesy of Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy | 8. Courtesy of APF Community PARKnerships brings Austin Parks and Recreation and community together to improve and celebrate Austin parks. The program cultivates partnerships with community groups, nonprofits, City of Austin departments, and other organizations that share Austin Parks and Recreation’s values and goals. Opportunities to steward and propose improvements to parks empower the community to actively participate in their development and care. When Austin Parks and Recreation teams up with these park advocates, we can do more for Austin parks. Together, we expand access to nature and recreation spaces, enrich the experience of park visitors, and take better care of parks. APR’s fiscal year 2025 (FY25) ran October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. 2 Table of Contents Alignment with City Plans ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Interdepartmental Partnerships ................................................................................................................................... 7 Awards & Recognition ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 Integrating Racial Equity ................................................................................................................................................ 10 Austin PARKners ..................................................................................................................................................................12 PARKner Program Resources .................................................................................................................................. 13 Partnership A | Partnerships for Public Purpose ......................................................................................... 17 Partnership B | Project & Program Partnerships ........................................................................................ 36 Partnership C | Community Stewardship ....................................................................................................... 38 Partnership D | Emerging or One-Time Partnerships............................................................................... 40 Community Activated Park Project (CAPP) Program .....................................................................................41 CAPP Collaborators ..................................................................................................................................................... 42 CAPP Implementation Highlights ........................................................................................................................ 44 Adopt-A-Park Program .................................................................................................................................................. 46 Community Stewardship of Parkland .................................................................................................................... 47 It’s My Park Day ............................................................................................................................................................. 49 Parkland Stewardship Plans .................................................................................................................................. 50 School Parks ........................................................................................................................................................................ 53 School Modernization and Joint-Interest Campuses.............................................................................. 53 Leave No Trace - Pet Waste & Off-Leash Campaign ............................................................................... 54 Nature Play ............................................................................................................................................................................ 55 Infrastructure .................................................................................................................................................................. 55 Policy + Procedures ..................................................................................................................................................... 56 Education + Training .................................................................................................................................................... 56 Material Procurement ................................................................................................................................................. 57 Programming + Park Activation ........................................................................................................................... 58 Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN) .................................................................................................. 60 Green School Parks .......................................................................................................................................................61 Nature Play, Emerging Green Leaders (EGL) ................................................................................ 65 OLE (Outdoor Learning Environments) Austin ............................................................................................. 63 Nature Smart Libraries .............................................................................................................................................. 64 Special Projects .................................................................................................................................................................. 65 wkrm | Volunteer Coordination Project ........................................................................................................... 65 Trust for Public Land | Park Stewardship Learning Cohort ................................................................. 66 Design Workshop Foundation | Community Capacity Building Initiative .................................... 66 PARKnership Pop-Ups ................................................................................................................................................ 67 City Parks Alliance | Greater & Greener Conference ............................................................................... 69 PARKner Volunteer Coordinator Appreciation Lunch .............................................................................. 70 Support Austin Parks ................................................................................................................................................... 71 Contact Information ........................................................................................................................................................... 71 3 Alignment with City Plans Community PARKnerships advances collective goals identified in many City of Austin plans. Citywide Strategic Plan – Community Health and Sustainability Goal 2: Ensure and preserve equitable access to parks, trails, open space, and recreational opportunities. Measure 2.2: Percentage of residents with access to developed parks. Strategy 2.2.3: Leverage grants and partnerships for park development. Community members in the North Austin Civic Association (NACA) proposed a Community Activated Park Project for a nature play area in Ron Rigsby Pocket Park and secured funding through an Austin Parks Foundation grant. Austin Parks and Recreation contributed staff time for design and installation and sourced materials from the Old Lampasas Dam project. 4 Austin-Travis County Food Plan Objective: Invest in an equitable local food economy and workforce, including strengthening local food production, agriculture, processing and distribution, and food recovery. Goal 1: Expand community food production, preserved agricultural lands, and increase the amount of farmland dedicated to regenerative food production long- term in Austin/Travis County. Strategy 1.11: Create a seed banking initiative that prioritizes the cultivation, preservation, and dissemination of native and adapted species that are ecologically, culturally, and culinarily significant, to include ongoing access to land for historically underserved people and communities. Austin Parks and Recreation created a Community-Led Native Plant and Seed Collecting Standard Operating Procedure this year. Above, Central Texas Plant Rescuers collected 547 plants and roughly 60,000 from the Old Lampasas Dam renovation project site in 2024 before construction. Central Texas Plant Rescuers is made up of Capital Area Master Naturalists and Balcones Canyonlands Master Naturalists who came together to conserve local plant genetics and diversify habitats. Photos courtesy of Central Texas Plant Rescuers. 5 Heat Resilience Playbook Goal 3: Enhance the Capacity of Our Infrastructure and Ecology to Adapt to the Impacts of Extreme Heat Strategy 3.2: Tree Planting and Maintenance Action 3.2.5: Accelerate tree plantings in accessible locations, such as parks and publicly owned land Action 3.3.6: Leverage expanded grow zones along creeks for cooling benefits (Left) Austin Independent School District (AISD), APR, and TreeFolks collaborated on this tree planting at Norman-Sims Elementary School in October 2024. (Right) Community PARKnerships has coordinated with AISD to ensure that the Grow Zone at Wooldridge School Park is preserved during modernization work. Climate Implementation Plan Sustainable Buildings Goal 1.3: By 2030, reduce the embodied carbon footprint of building materials used in local construction by 40% from a 2020 baseline* Strategy 1.3.2: Incentivize lower-carbon materials Austin Energy Green Building standards now integrate bonus points both for salvaging natural materials for nature play use and for creating a nature play space on site. (Left) As part of the Austin Airport Million Air Terminal development, felled trees were donated to the nature play materials yard. (Right) APR repurposed them into nature play features at Heritage Oaks Neighborhood Park. 6 Interdepartmental Partnerships The Community PARKnerships team collaborates across various City departments and programs to increase greenspace accessibility and enhance public parks and recreational spaces. Working together ensures that efforts align with broader City goals and optimizes City resources to maximize community benefit. Community PARKnerships collaborated with the following departments in FY25. • Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment: Art in Public Places (AIPP) program collaboration on community-initiated art projects on parkland • Austin Capital Delivery Services: coordination of the Old Lampasas Dam project to salvage trees and boulders to reuse for nature play projects, in collaboration with Austin Watershed Protection • Austin Climate Action & Resilience: o Integration of wood reuse program, a key component of the Nature Play Program, into the City’s Climate Implementation Plan o Coordination of environmental stewardship projects including development of unified park stewardship plans, Ready, Set, Plant! and Grow Zone riparian habitat expansions (in partnership with Austin Watershed Protection) to support climate resiliency priorities • Austin Development Services: coordination of CCCN’s Emerging Green Leaders strategy in collaboration with Austin Economic Development • Austin Economic Development: coordination on integrating outdoor learning environment best practices into city-based childcare centers • Austin Equity and Inclusion: participation in the City’s internal equity manager network and alignment of Community PARKnerships program goals to AEI efforts • Austin Police: safety and crime prevention in partner-managed parks • Austin Public Health: collaboration on integrating nature into early childcare programs • Austin Public Library: coordination of CCCN’s Nature Smart Libraries strategy • Austin Transportation and Public Works o Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP) collaboration on implementation of community-initiated projects o Coordination with the Safe Routes to Schools Program on over 50 Austin Independent School District (AISD) schools that are joint-use or adjacent to parkland o Coordination with the Urban Trails Program on urban trails on parkland such as the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and the Shoal Creek Trail • Austin Watershed Protection o Adopt-A-Creek in partnership with Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB) o Clean Lady Bird Lake in partnership with KAB o Ready, Set, Plant! in partnership with TreeFolks o Shoreline Stewardship in partnership with The Trail Conservancy o Grow Zone installation and maintenance o Development of unified park stewardship plans in partnership with Siglo Group and Austin Parks Foundation 7 Awards & Recognition Community PARKnerships programs and partners earned the following awards and recognition in FY25. • Austin Chronicle Best of Austin 2025: o o o “Best Playground,” Pease District Park (Austin PARKners – Pease Park Conservancy) “Best Place to Walk,” Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail (Austin PARKners - The Trail Conservancy) “Best Bike Trail/Track,” Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail (Austin PARKners - The Trail Conservancy) • Urban Land Institute (ULI) Austin Impact Awards 2025 o o o o o o “Next Big Idea” Finalist - The Confluence (Austin PARKners - Waterloo Greenway Conservancy): The project will restore ecologically sensitive areas of Waller Creek while improving public access with new pathways and greenspaces. “Next Big Idea” Finalist - Great Springs Trail: A Regional Vision for Conservation and Connectivity (Austin PARKners – Great Springs Project): Great Springs Project is developing a 100+ mile trail network and conserving an additional 50,000 acres of land over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone between Austin and San Antonio. “Next Big Idea” Nominee - All Abilities Playground (Austin PARKners - Austin Parks Foundation): This project expands inclusivity beyond accessible design by involving the community in every planning and design step. “Next Big Idea” Nominee - Nature Play Program (Cities Connecting Children to Nature): APR’s Nature Play Program is revolutionizing play, nature connection, and nature access for Austinites. “Next Big Idea” UMLAUF Historic Preservation, Expansion, and Unification Plan (Austin PARKners – UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum): The HPEU Plan transforms eight acres into an inclusive, sustainable arts oasis—uniting heritage, ecology, and community. “Best Public Place” Finalist - Rainey Street Trailhead (Austin PARKners - The Trail Conservancy): The Rainey Street Trailhead connects the district to the Butler Trail and lake, offering a vibrant gateway with a 10,250-SF lawn, nature-based playscape, floating dock, shaded seating, ADA access, and lighted paths. • City of Austin, Travis County, and State of Texas proclamations (Austin PARKners – Pease Park Conservancy) o Proclamations at the city, county, and state level honored the 150th anniversary of Pease Park. The City of Austin accepted the donation of land for Austin’s oldest public park on August 25, 1875. 8 Representing Austin Parks and Recreation Community PARKnerships staff presented at eight local, state, and national conferences: • American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) National Conference, Washington, DC (October 2024) • Texas Recreation & Parks Society Regional Conference, Austin, TX (November 2024) • Texas Children in Nature Network Summit, Waco, TX (December 2024) • Austin Parks & Recreation Programming Divisional Conference, Austin, TX (December 2024) • Texas ASLA Regional Conference, Houston, TX (May 2025) • Parks Summit, Austin, TX (May 2025) • Children & Nature Network’s (C&NN) Nature Everywhere Conference, St. Paul, MN (May 2025) • Work Force Solutions Symposium, Round Rock, TX (August 2025) Additionally, Austin Parks and Recreation Board also recognized staff for their work in nature play, and Children & Nature Network’s new Nature Smart Library toolkit and Nature Exploration Areas toolkit highlighted CCCN Austin’s strategy efforts. 9 Integrating Racial Equity Racial equity is the condition when race no longer predicts a person’s quality of life outcomes in our community. The City of Austin recognizes historical and structural disparities and a need for alleviation of historical wrongs by critically transforming its institutions and creating a culture of equity. The PARKnerships team aims to address the ongoing legacy of Austin’s 1928 Master Plan, which systemically segregated the city and concentrated communities of color east of IH- 35 with limited access to parks and green space. Nearly a century later, these same neighborhoods continue to experience the effects of disinvestment. This year’s initiatives confronted historical inequities through: • Staff Development o Community PARKnerships continued to incorporate equity work and strategy into weekly team meetings, with team members regularly attending Equity Action Team meetings to intersect community partnership work with climate equity, healthy food access, and nature access, focusing on historically excluded communities in Austin. o Staff participation in a 10-month Collective Leadership to Advance Racial Equity (CLARE) fellowship to deepen organizational capacity for racial equity work. o Staff participated in the Parks Summit, co-presenting “The Activation of College Row Park: A Case Study” alongside Dr. Nadia Amin, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Huston-Tillotson University. The presentation highlighted how community can activate the 0.63-acre undeveloped parkland at 1901 E. 11th Street, acquired through 2018 bond funds and located within the African American Historical District adjacent to Huston-Tillotson University. o Community PARKnerships coordinated registration for City equity workshops for 18 participants from four partner nonprofits. Workshops were not available after June 2025, but several additional partners expressed interest in participating if new dates are added in future. • Collaboration o Community PARKnerships is dedicated to bridging gaps and building shared accountability across partners. o The team engages with a number of inter/intra departmental groups, including  City of Austin Equity Network  External Equity Action Team (EAT)  Emerging Green Leaders (EGL)  City of Office Equity Manager Network  Central Texas School Garden Network  Grow Green 10  Active Living Coalition  APR’s Language Access Committee  City of Austin Travis County Food Plan implementation o These connections link nature, health, education, food systems, and language access to ensure equity is not treated as a separate issue, but as a collective responsibility. Collaboration ensures that racial equity in the City of Austin is not just the work of one department, but a citywide commitment woven through our system. • Prioritization + Outreach o Community PARKnerships led a City-Wide Welcome Week Event at Circle Acres Nature Preserve and Roy G Gurrero Metropolitan Park, partnering with Ecology Action of Texas to deliver a bilingual art and nature walk that connected community members with environmental education and waterway conservation while showcasing nature art installations. o APR staff focused on parks that historically have had fewer resources and opportunities for investment. Staff intentionally led It’s My Park Day stewardship events in under-resourced parks, ensuring that volunteer energy and staff support were spread more across Austin. The team also led a pop-up programming series to activate Brownie Neighborhood Park in the par-deficient Rundberg area when it reopened in spring 2025 (see PARKnership Pop-Ups | Brownie Neighborhood Park). 11 Austin PARKners The Austin PARKners Program manages and collaborates with partner organizations to bridge the gap between public funding and what our parks deserve. When APR teams up with PARKners, our limited capacity goes further. PARKners contribute: • Time, labor, and on-the-ground expertise • Park knowledge and community connections • Materials, funding, and other resources • Specialized skills and professional expertise • Innovation—creative ideas, pilot projects, and new approaches that bring fresh solutions to Austin’s parks APR supports PARKners by: • Providing opportunities to work in Austin parks • Creating pathways to propose ideas and secure City of Austin approval • Helping refine plans and navigate City processes • Facilitating communication and collaboration with City staff • Ensuring projects align with APR’s mission, follow City procedures, and meet City standards Together, these contributions and supports significantly amplify APR’s impact across Austin’s park system. APR partners with groups of all sizes doing all kinds of work all over Austin. PARKners include “friends of” groups, community coalitions, neighborhood associations, sports and hobby clubs, non-profits, and businesses. All Austin PARKners fall into one of four Partnership Configurations: A, B, C, or D. APR created these configurations to ensure that all park advocates have a clear path to partnership, to help us be transparent and equitable in our work, and to provide consistent standards and processes so that we can collaborate fairly and efficiently. Working together, APR and PARKners create better outcomes for our parks and our community. In FY25, APR collaborated with eight partners to leverage over 4.7 million dollars in external funds for improvements to parkland. 12 PARKner Program Resources Jesús Aguirre addresses PARKners at the “Meet Director Aguirre” Lunch & Learn on March 6, 2025. Lunch & Learns and Trainings Community PARKnerships team works to keep partners informed of City of Austin standards, procedures, and best practices. Lunch & Learns and trainings are free opportunities for partners to hear from experts on important park topics. Presentation materials and related resources are saved to the PARKner Resource Library for future reference. In FY25, Community PARKnerships organized two Lunch & Learns for nonprofit organizations. In March, a “Meet Director Aguirre” event offered partners the opportunity to hear from APR’s new director Jesús Aguirre, who also led a discussion of issues of most concern to partners. In September, Division Manager Amanda Ross presented on the 2025 Park Security Audit. Community PARKnerships also provides required trainings for partners doing operations and maintenance work on parkland through formal agreements. Safety Trainings are currently scheduled biannually and were offered in 2022 and 2024. This year, Community PARKnerships collaborated with APR’s Office of Special Events to offer a Partner Events Training for Partnership A organizations that facilitate events on parkland. 13 Event Topic Date Number of Attendees Number of Organizations PARKner Lunch & Learn Required Training for Partnership A PARKner Lunch & Learn Meet Director Aguirre 3/6/2024 22 Special Events 8/13/24 12 Park Security Audit 9/4/2025 20 15 6 14 PARKner Newsletter The Community PARKnerships team creates a monthly newsletter, PARKner News, to share news, opportunities, and resources with key representatives from Partnership A and B organizations. Currently, 36 organizations receive the newsletter. With support from APR’s Communications and Engagement Unit, PARKner News moved from email to Mailchimp in March 2025. This change not only offers a more polished format for the newsletter but also allows APR to track performance metrics. The average open rate for FY25 Mailchimp PARKner News newsletters (March through September editions) was 83.2%, more than double the average email marketing open rate of 35.6%. 14 PARKner Resource Library The PARKner Resource Library is a Google Drive of key information and reference materials for APR partners of all kinds. The Community PARKnerships team curates the library to ensure that materials are as comprehensive and up to date as possible. The “PARKner News” spotlights a different resource each month to remind PARKners about the library and alert them to new materials. FY25 additions to the library included: • Updated Volunteer Code of Conduct • APR’s Geospatial Hub, featuring maps with park assets, mowing boundaries, and more • Reference tools for information on Austin’s tree population and how to improve it • Resources compiled by APR’s Office of Special Events for partners planning events on parkland • Presentation from Park Security Audit Lunch & Learn PARKner Peer Learning Tour Community PARKnerships organized a peer learning tour on December 12, 2024 as an opportunity for City of Austin staff to learn more about PARKners and their parkland agreements. The tour drew 23 City staff from four departments (APR, Austin Development Services, Austin Transportation and Public Works, and Austin Watershed Protection). Participants met at Festival Beach Food Forest (FBFF) (pictured left) to hear from its volunteers and from staff of Fruitful Commons, the nonprofit fiscal sponsor of FBFF. Then the group walked along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail to the nearby Rainey Street Trailhead (pictured right) to hear from The Trail Conservancy (TTC). The peer learning tour not only educated City staff about FBFF, Fruitful Commons, and TTC but also different types of partnership agreements and their associated responsibilities. 15 Website Revisions With input from APR leadership, Community PARKnerships rewrote the “PARD PARKners” website to improve transparency and public awareness. Now titled “Austin PARKners,” the page covers APR and City Council direction for the program, the Partnership Configurations model, current partners, program impact, and information on starting a partnership. The Partnership A section also links to a new “Park Operations and Maintenance Agreements (POMAs)” page with detailed information about the City of Austin’s current POMAs with The Trail Conservancy and Pease Park Conservancy, including timelines of relevant boards and commissions and City Council actions before and after POMA execution. 16 Partnership A | Partnerships for Public Purpose Partnership A is a formal, long-term collaboration for the operation, maintenance, and programming of specific parkland between an organization and the City of Austin. These partners must meet the City’s strict performance and reporting criteria and undergo a formal partnership review process, including approval from City Council, before the City will consider entering into an agreement. Partnership A agreements include additional responsibilities for the nonprofit partner such as construction, maintenance, and/or programming on parkland. Community PARKnerships follows standard monitoring procedures for Partnership A agreements to ensure compliance with the agreement and alignment with City standards and goals. Since the formation of the Austin PARKners Program, the City has developed the Park Operations and Maintenance Agreement (POMA) as a standard Partnership A agreement. FY25 PARKners In FY25, the City of Austin had four Partnership A partners. Community PARKnerships manages two Park Operations and Maintenance Agreements (POMAs) that were developed under the APR PARKners Program. • The Trail Conservancy (TTC) signed a POMA with the City of Austin in June 2022 for the 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and almost 300 acres of the surrounding parkland. • Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) signed a POMA with the City in January 2023 for the 84-acre Pease District Park. In collaboration with APR, PPC currently stewards Kingsbury Commons, which comprises 7 acres at the south end of the park. The POMA allows PPC to assume responsibilities for other portions of the park via a phased Plan. Community PARKnerships has also assumed management of two operational and maintenance agreements that predate the 2020 Council Resolution. • UMLAUF Sculpture Garden and Museum (USGM) signed a Management, Operation, and Parkland Improvement Agreement for the 8-acre park of the same name in September 2014. • Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA) signed a Parkland Improvement, Management and Operations Agreement with the City of Austin for the 1.7-acre Republic Square in February 2015. 17 Impact Partnership A impact includes not only regular operations and maintenance but also enhancements that APR does not typically have capacity to offer in our parks. In FY25, partners’ work included capital projects, smaller-scale physical park improvements, ecological restoration, parkland stewardship, green workforce development, programming, and public art. Each partner submitted a FY25 impact report with additional information that Community PARKnerships can share on request. Combined Partnership A Impact FY25 Operations & Maintenance, estimated monetary value $3,672,598.24 Capital Improvement Projects, estimated monetary value $1,024,902.25 Ecological Restoration & Parkland Stewardship Volunteers Volunteer hours Trees & saplings planted Plants installed Cubic yards mulched Acres seeded Acres of managed habitat Pounds of trash picked up 5,201 16,982 2,946 7,514 1,084.00 30.5 29.5 38,814.90 Estimated monetary value of park ecological restoration $589,294.28 Programming Free public events DAA - Sustainable Food Center Downtown Farmers’ Market at Republic Square (Saturdays) All other events Estimated participants in free public events DAA – Downtown Farmers’ Market All other events New Public Art Pieces (temporary and long-term loans) 980 52 928 134,005 62,400 71,605 9 The impact of individual Partnership A partners is detailed in the sections below. For impact of partners outside Partnership A, see this infographic, the “Partnership B” section, and the “Community Stewardship of Parkland” section. 18 Operations and Maintenance Partnership A organizations take on significant operations and maintenance responsibilities under their formal agreements with the City of Austin. These partners operate and maintain specific parks to City of Austin standards or better, which allows APR to more effectively leverage its limited resources to meet growing department needs. These partners fund operations and maintenance in part through revenue earned on site according to the terms of their agreement with the City of Austin. However, partners also leverage community support in the form of philanthropy. The value of partner operations and maintenance reflects supplies and services not only purchased by the organization but also donated in kind in support of their mission. For the purposes of this report, the estimated value of operations and maintenance does not include capital projects, volunteer coordination, ecological restoration, or programming. Partner Estimated value of park operations and maintenance Downtown Austin Alliance Pease Park Conservancy The Trail Conservancy $1,006,821.44 $475,558.00 $851,926.80 UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum $1,338,292.00 Total $3,672,598.24 (Left) The Pease District Park POMA assigns Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) primary responsibility for the operation and maintenance of all of Kingsbury Commons except for preexisting trees and trails. This work includes the playground, splash pad, Treehouse, restrooms, lawns, furnishings, trash and recycling collection, and more. In future, a City Council-approved Phase Plan will give PPC additional responsibilities in the rest of the park. Photo courtesy of PPC. (Right) The Butler Trail and Town Lake Metro Park POMA assigns The Trail Conservancy (TTC) primary responsibility for the operations and maintenance of all new projects they construct, including the Rainey Street Trailhead that opened in 2024 (pictured). The City maintains responsibility only for specific preexisting features such as trees and trails. Outside of TTC-built projects, TTC and the City share responsibilities in the POMA area. TTC will take on more responsibilities according to the 10-year phase plan when the City and TTC agree their experience and capacity are sufficient. 19 Capital Improvement Projects Republic Square – Downtown Austin Alliance Republic Square had more than 294,000 visitors in FY25. In addition to routine operations and maintenance for this high-use space, Downtown Austin Alliance made several large repairs and upgrades, including partial lawn replacement, metal tree grate retrofits, electrical outlet upgrades, replacement of pet waste receptacle fixtures, and replacement of restroom fixtures. Kingsbury Commons, Pease District Park – Pease Park Conservancy In addition to routine operations and maintenance for the high-use Kingsbury Commons, Pease Park Conservancy installed a new buried 50-amp electrical line, added two new dog waste stations in FY25, and replaced UV bulbs in the splash pad water feature. PPC also made preventive repairs to the welds on the frame of the Treehouse and replaced its heavy-duty bed netting. Before (left) and after (right and below) restoration. “After” photos courtesy of The Trail Conservancy Fannie Davis Gazebo restoration – The Trail Conservancy The City of Austin and The Trail Conservancy joined forces to improve the historic Fannie Davis Gazebo just west of South 1st St. Austin Community Foundation provided TTC funds that had been specially donated for care of the gazebo, recently designated a historic landmark by Austin City Council. TTC offered to take on this 20 additional project beyond the scope of the POMA because it aligned with their mission. In fall 2024, TTC cleaned out the pond, planted new beds, and committed a year of landscaping maintenance beyond its current responsibilities. In spring 2025, the City of Austin handled lead abatement so that TTC’s preservation carpenters could safely clean, repair, and repaint the gazebo. The project was completed in June 2025. Left photo courtesy of The Trail Conservancy Holly Fishing Pier – The Trail Conservancy In partnership with APR, The Trail Conservancy built a new ADA-accessible fishing pier at Holly Shores at Festival Beach, west of the decommissioned Holly Power Plant, which opened in May 2025. TTC conducted extensive community engagement to ensure that the project aligned with neighboring East Austin communities’ vision for the space. The area connects to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and also includes additional seating, lighting, and native plantings. TTC maintains this area in accordance with their Park Operations and Maintenance Agreement (POMA) with the City. Lamar overlook project – The Trail Conservancy APR and The Trail Conservancy staff worked together to correct an ongoing erosion problem on the south bank just west of Lamar. TTC funded materials for the project, and APR operations and staff provided the labor. UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum In addition to routine operations and maintenance, UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum replaced a mini split HVAC unit and installed new lighting in the garden and parking lot. The UMLAUF also made repairs to roofing, the catering kitchen, and the entrance and exit gates to the parking lot. 21 “Before” photo courtesy of UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum Pedestal replacements – UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum In FY25, the UMLAUF assessed the structural integrity of the bases of all the sculptures on site and fundraised to replace four bases in urgent need of replacement. The UMLAUF’s agreement with the City of Austin did not assign responsibility for sculpture bases to either party, but the UMLAUF undertook this assessment following the collapse of the granite pedestal supporting the bronze sculpture Entrance into Jerusalem in November 2024. The UMLAUF completed the project in April 2025. 22 Ecological Restoration & Parkland Stewardship Partnership A agreements outline each partner’s responsibility for the maintenance of natural features along with its built infrastructure. Beyond those routine obligations, Partnership A partners often choose to take on ecological restoration projects. These projects not only enhance the biodiversity of the parks but also create opportunities for community parkland stewardship. Not all Partnership A volunteer opportunities involve ecological restoration, as volunteers also assist with events, programming, and art tasks. However, the bulk of volunteer work involves caring for the natural environment. The impact of individual Partnership A partners is detailed in “Ecological Restoration & Parkland Stewardship” below. For impact of partners outside Partnership A, see Community Stewardship of Parkland. Photos by Emily Risinger, courtesy of Downtown Austin Alliance Downtown Austin Alliance Due to the relatively small size of Republic Square and the nature in which park visitors use the space, Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA) does less ecological restoration and uses fewer volunteers than other Partnership A organizations. DAA does implement SITES and ASLA Climate Action Plan best practices at the park, including bug motels for pollinators, vegetation protection zones, and soils erosion control. DAA staff, contractors, and volunteers collected 20,193 lb. of trash and 5,971 lb. of recycling from Republic Square in FY25. Of the eight partners who reported on litter, DAA had the third highest poundage (after Austin Parks Foundation and Keep Austin Beautiful). 23 (Left) Invasives removal and (right) tree planting, photos courtesy of Pease Park Conservancy Pease Park Conservancy The Park Operations team does regular horticulture and conservation work in Kingsbury Commons and has special ecological restoration projects in other areas of Pease District Park. Through the “Pease Corps,” PPC enlisted 1,433 volunteers to support this work and other initiatives such as programming. Windsor Hillside Pease Park Conservancy has committed to a 5-year phased plan to restore the 226,593 square foot Windsor Hillside area into native habitat. In each sub area that PPC tackles, they begin by removing invasive species. When PPC proposed the project in January 2023, more than 80% of the hillside was overrun by invasive Ligustrum, Chinaberry, and Catclaw. 24 PPC follows up by replacing these invasive plants with native species and providing follow- up management and care to ensure their survival. Because the average slope of the hillside is 13.70%, PPC’s heavy planting of native trees and plants will also provide erosion control. In FY25, PPC contracted with the Texas Conservation Corps (TXCC) in fall 2024 and spring 2025 to remove plants. TXCC left stumps in place to prevent erosion control and applied herbicidal treatments to prevent additional growth. Photos courtesy of The Trail Conservancy Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and Town Lake Metro Park – The Trail Conservancy Ecological restoration and parkland stewardship are key components of The Trail Conservancy’s work. Regular ecological restoration activities include restoring native plant communities, reducing invasive species, improving ecological function, and strengthening long-term resiliency. Contractors such as Austin Civilian Conservation Corps, Texas Conservation Corps, and Rent-A-Ruminant perform specialized work to extend the capacity of TTC’s staff and volunteer base. TTC manages the most extensive volunteer stewardship program of any Austin Parks and Recreation Partnership A organization. In FY25, 3,416 volunteers donated 8,416 hours to care of the Butler Trail and Town Lake Metro Park. Volunteers help with ecological activities such as litter pick-up and as well as tree and plant care, garden maintenance, and programming. This work not only directly benefits the parkland but also builds connections between volunteers and Austin’s parkland. 25 Boy Scouts clean a bronze sculpture in the garden. Photo courtesy of UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum Due to the nature in which park visitors use the space, the UMLAUF does less ecological restoration than some other Partnership A organizations. However, in FY25 the UMLAUF did perform tree care, remove invasive species, and install 70 native plants. The UMLAUF also continued working with Austin Watershed Protection and Austin Transportation and Public Works on long-term plans for green stormwater infrastructure and drought and flood resistance measures at the park. The UMLAUF’s robust volunteer program includes garden care but focuses more on its art collection, programming, and other forms of museum stewardship. 26 Austin Civilian Conservation Corps members at the Rainey Street Trailhead nature play area. The Trail Conservancy contracts ACCC for ecological restoration projects along the Butler Trail pose. Photo courtesy of The Trail Conservancy. Green Workforce Development Downtown Austin Alliance Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA) supported various organizations’ educational and professional development programs in FY25. This work included providing educational programming through ATX Kids Club, the American Institute of Architecture Students forum, and the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. DAA also collaborated with UT Austin and Texas State University students in the Mexic-Arte Museum’s fall internship program on art and cultural events in Republic Square. Pease Park Conservancy Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) partners with Breakthrough Central Texas, an organization that builds a path to and through college for students from low-income communities who will be the first in their families to earn a degree. PPC typically hires three summer interns for development, communications, and operations and hires interns during the school year when funding allows. PPC has hired two interns for fall 2025. 27 PPC also partners with the Texas Conservation Corps (TXCC), a program of American Youthworks that develops skills and provides opportunities to learn about green career, by hiring TXCC for ecological restoration projects. The Trail Conservancy interns support a Shoreline Stewardship ecological restoration volunteer event in March 2025. Photos courtesy of The Trail Conservancy. The Trail Conservancy The Trail Conservancy (TTC) partners with several youth development organizations. By investing in youth internships and ensuring they are compensated, TTC helps remove barriers to participation while building a more diverse and inclusive pipeline of future leaders in conservation, public space management, and community-based nonprofit work. TTC hosts interns through Breakthrough Central Texas, an organization that builds a path to and through college for students from low-income communities who will be the first in their families to earn a degree. In FY25 TTC hosted seven paid internships through Breakthrough. These interns gained direct experience in nonprofit operations, community engagement, and urban park stewardship, which both contributed to their professional development and exposed them to career opportunities in the green sector. TTC has also worked with EcoRise, an organization advancing environmental education and youth leadership. In Summer 2024, TTC hosted two high school students from EcoRise’s Green Careers Academy Internship program, providing them with practical experience in conservation and nonprofit management. Additionally, TTC staff served as mentors for EcoRise’s Youth Climate Council in Spring 2024. TTC also partners with Austin Civilian Conservation Corps (ACCC), a workforce development program that prepares young adults for careers in the environmental sector. TTC staff have met monthly with ACCC leadership for the past three years to collaborate on supporting the Emerging Green Leaders program, sharing job postings, and 28 participating in mock interviews and local job fairs. Additionally, TTC enlisted ACCC crews for two weeks this year on restoration at Longhorn Shores. UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum The UMLAUF’s Shaping Space program brings teaching artists to Title 1 schools to provide art education that students may not have had the opportunity to receive otherwise. This year, Shaping Space served five schools, including the new addition Palm Elementary School. This year, the UMLAUF partnered with Anderson High School Business Practicum to host teen interns throughout the duration of the school year. This partnership provided educational opportunities for students in the arts and culture sector while supporting the UMLAUF’s visitor services department with front desk operations and data entry. In September the UMLAUF began collaborating with Westlake High School Mentorship Program to provide career readiness for one student throughout the fall semester. The UMLAUF also collaborates with conservator Meaghan Perry on the Bronze Conservation Workshop, an educational program focused on conservation practices and the treatment of bronze sculptures. This partnership aligns with the UMLAUF’s commitment to providing specialized arts education and preserving art through hands-on learning experiences. To support the goal of creating accessible educational opportunities, the UMLAUF gave student discounts for this program, helping to reduce financial barriers that might prevent emerging students from participating in specialized conservation training. 29 Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA) partnered with Mexic-Arte Museum and the Sustainable Food Center Farmers Market to celebrate Día de Los Muertos with the Muertos Mercado at Republic Square on November 9, 2024. Programming Partnership A organizations coordinate free programming on the parkland that they operate and maintain. These efforts align with the Citywide Strategic Plan and bring hundreds of free activities to parks each year. In FY25, Partnership A partners held 980 free public events in parks with an estimated 134,005 participants. Partners’ public events range in size, audience, and frequency and fall broadly into these categories: • Arts & music • Health & wellness • Family • Education • Heritage & culture • Conservation & environment • Outdoor markets Events create opportunities for park visitors to have fun and to learn, grow, and engage with others. But the impact of park activation goes beyond individual experiences. Bringing people together also strengthens neighborhood identity and creates community connections. Public art events employ and uplift local artists. Markets directly support small businesses. Activations draw both locals and tourists. Public programming makes Austin parks more vibrant and inspires visitors to celebrate and care for these shared spaces. 30 (Left) La Fiesta del Grito de la Independencia de México at Republic Square, photo by Emily Risinger and courtesy of DAA. (Right) DAA’s Art & Parks Tour, photo by Raven Birk and courtesy of DAA. (Left) Hillside Elementary students visit the sculpture Malin’s Fountain on a Peasecology Field Trip. (Right) Panelists speak at RISE! Austin Black Freedom Communities Festival. Photos courtesy of Pease Park Conservancy. (Left & center) Two Music on the Trail concerts at the Rainey Street Trailhead in April 2025. (Right) Ribbon cutting for the fishing pier at Holly Shores at Town Lake Metropolitan Park in May 2025. Photos courtesy of The Trail Conservancy. 31 Photo courtesy of Downtown Austin Alliance Public Art Las Calaveras by Colectivo Última Hora, Ruben Esquivel, NIZ, Carmen Rangel, and Ryan Runcie – Downtown Austin Alliance, November 2024 – present Mexic-Arte Museum and the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation worked with Mexico City-based Colectivo Última Hora to create four large-scale fiberglass skulls that were then painted by four Austin-based artists: Ruben Esquivel, NIZ, Carmen Rangel, and Ryan Runice. Located in Republic Square, Las Calaveras highlights and acknowledges Mexican, Mexican American, and Black communities, as well as the Tonkawa tribe, and their role in the history of Republic Square. 32 Photos courtesy of Pease Park Conservancy (top) and Aly Winningham of Terra Firma Studios (bottom) Peace in Pease by Aly Winningham – Pease Park Conservancy, February 2025 Peace in Pease is a mosaic showing Pease Park over the course of the day. The piece features a sun and moon, native Texas flora and fauna, and a dog walker in cowboy boots. The installation covers three limestone blocks located just north of Tudor Cottage. Really Small Museum: POINT B by various artists – The Trail Conservancy, in partnership with Art in Public Places, 2025 Curated and coordinated by artist Juliet Whitsett in partnership with TTC, the Really Small Museum: POINT B Museum ran May through October 2025. Just as the Earth and its ecosystems thrive on diversity, this POINT B Museum embraces the idea that to move from Point A to Point B in climate resilience, we must elevate and listen to diverse voices. The installation showcased six artists/ groups whose work explores their relationship with the environment. The project is located on the Butler Trail in the Holly area and was supported in part by the City of Austin Economic Development Department. 33  Images courtesy of The Trail Conservancy TEMPO on the Trail by various artists – The Trail Conservancy, in partnership with Art in Public Places, 2024 – 2025, 2025-2026 In 2022, The Trail Conservancy introduced an Arts + Culture Plan for the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. TEMPO on the Trail, a temporary art exhibition in partnership with the City’s Art in Public Places program, is the first project to launch under this new plan. The nine 2024-2025 TEMPO on the Trail pieces were installed in Spring 2024 and remained through Spring or Summer 2025. • • • • • • • • "Cosmos Composition,” Adrian Landon Brooks, north side of Drake Bridge "Symbiotic Disappearance,” Chroma Collective, south side of IH35 Bridge "Conversation Stones,” Diego Miró-Rivera, International Shores "Meet Me in the Park,” Johnny Walker, Auditorium Shores "Really Small Museum – Eco,” Juliet Whitsett, Holly Shores "Sun Poem,” Ani Bradberry, Seaholm Intake Facility “NORM,” Raul Buitrago "Wavelength: Sky View,” Darcie Book As of September 2025, The Trail Conservancy and Art in Public Places is finalizing a contract for the 2025-2026 TEMPO on the Trail. An open call for artists ran in summer 2025. 34 Photos by Limelight Imaging courtesy of Limelight Imaging and The Trail Conservancy WaterWork by various artists – The Trail Conservancy and Design Austin, September 2025 WaterWork, an immersive art experience by The Trail Conservancy and Design Austin, was a projection celebrating the dynamic between the urban environment and the natural landscape. Through projection mapping technology, the historic Seaholm Intake Facility façade transformed into a canvas of art, light, and motion. Artists and designers were asked to create short videos exploring the city’s coexistence with nature in the heart of downtown. The immersive display debuted at dusk on Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27. 35 Partnership B | Project & Program Partnerships Partnership B is a long-term collaboration between a nonprofit and Austin Parks and Recreation to bring physical improvements and/or programming to parks. The partner is not restricted to a single park or facility. Instead, the Partnership B framework allows partners to work more easily across parks. Only nonprofits with a current tax-exempt status are eligible for Partnership B. Partners must meet additional requirements before performing certain kinds of work. For example, coordination of volunteers on parkland requires appropriate insurance coverage, policies and procedures reviewed by the City of Austin, and training in Austin Parks and Recreation standards and processes. The City of Austin currently has no executed Partnership B agreements, although various organizations have more agreements with the City of Austin for certain projects or programs. FY25 PARKners In FY25, the City of Austin had 15 Partnership B partners. • 4ATX Foundation • Austin Independent School District (AISD) • Austin Parks Foundation • Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club • Barton Springs Conservancy • Ecology Action • Fruitful Commons • Go, Austin! ¡Vamos, Austin! (GAVA) • Hill Country Conservancy • Keep Austin Beautiful • Red Line Parkway Initiative • Shoal Creek Conservancy • TreeFolks • Zilker 351 • Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy 36 Impact (Left) NeighborWoods tree adoption at Dove Springs District Park. Photo by Erika Rich, courtesy of TreeFolks. (Right) Community members release butterflies. Photo courtesy of Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy (Left) Tree Health Workshop offered by Fruitful Commons and TreeFolks at Festival Beach Food Forest. Photo courtesy of Fruitful Commons. (Right) Community event at St. John’s Pocket Park. Photo courtesy of Austin Parks Foundation Partnership B organizations have a broad impact in Austin parks. Several directly support the parkland stewardship and community building of Partnership C organizations, interweaving the work of these Partnership B and C PARKners. Austin Parks Foundation’s Adopt-A-Park Program and Keep Austin Beautiful’s Adopt-A-Creek Program provide structure and support to community groups stewarding parks, facilities, and green spaces. See the Community Activated Park Project (CAPP) Program, Adopt-A-Park Program, and Community Stewardship of Parkland sections for these partners’ community stewardship and park improvement impact. Partnership B organizations also organize substantial free community programming on parkland. In FY25, nine partners held 695 free public events with an estimated total of 26,626 participants. 37 Partnership C | Community Stewardship Partnership C is a long-term collaboration between a community group and Austin Parks and Recreation to celebrate and care for a specific park or facility. “Friends of” groups help keep these spaces active, vibrant, healthy, and beautiful. The Partnership C framework creates opportunities for community groups to volunteer in the park, access resources to improve the park, and hold public events. Partnership C community groups may steward parks, recreation centers, cultural centers, and other Austin Parks and Recreation facilities. (Left) Jerry Levenson, member of the Bull Creek Foundation. (Middle) and (Right) Photos of the completed kiosk roofing repairs completed by Jerry and other helpers on behalf of Bull Creek Foundation. FY25 PARKners Austin Parks and Recreation partners with more than 100 community groups that steward specific parks or facilities. These PARKners include Adopt-A-Park and “Friends of” groups, hobby and sports clubs, parent-teacher associations, and neighborhood associations. Impact Partnership C organizations have a fundamental impact in Austin parks. These partners are made up of the local community members that steward these parks, green spaces, and facilities because they are frequent users. 38 Although some groups host large community events, organize frequent volunteer work, or fundraise for park improvements, the real importance of Partnership C groups is their regular, everyday presence in these spaces. • Community building: Informal gatherings of neighbors to enjoy the park can be as valuable to participants as formally organized events • Activation: Having people in the parks makes them safer for everyone. • Stewardship: Simple stewardship like picking up a stray piece of trash not only helps keep parks clean but also establishes community expectations for the space. • Eyes on the ground: Park visitors can help flag maintenance needs for APR more quickly because they are able to visit more often than APR staff. The difference that Partnership C groups make in Austin parks is no less significant for being less quantifiable. Many Partnership C organizations team up with Partnership B organizations for fiscal sponsorship, funding, volunteer coordination, and more, so the work of Partnership B and C organizations cannot be separated. See the Community Activated Park Project (CAPP) Program, Adopt-A-Park Program, and Community Stewardship of Parkland sections for these partners’ community stewardship and park improvement impact. 39 Partnership D | Emerging, National Scope or One-Time Partnerships Partnership D is a collaboration between an organization and Austin Parks and Recreation on a project, program, or event on parkland. These partners identify an Austin Parks and Recreation initiative that excites them and reach out to get involved. The partnership usually lasts only for the duration of the project but may evolve into a longer-term collaboration. Any kind of organization is welcome, including businesses, and civic groups that are not eligible for other forms of partnership. FY25 PARKners & Impact In FY25, the City of Austin had five Partnership D partners. • Children & Nature Network and National League of Cities (through the national initiative Cities Connecting Children to Nature) • City Parks Alliance • Verde Pitch Alliance (a Central Texas initiative of Street Soccer USA, Austin Parks Foundation, Soccer Assist, Austin FC, and 4ATX Foundation) • Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics See the Cities Connecting Children to Nature section and Greater & Greener 2026 section for more information about Children & Nature Network, the National League of Cities, and City Parks Alliance. In May 2025, five Central Texas organizations came together to form the Verde Pitch Alliance. Street Soccer USA, Austin Parks Foundation, Soccer Assist, Austin FC, and 4ATX Foundation pledged a $2 million collective investment to create more free and public soccer spaces. Community PARKnerships facilitated a meeting in spring 2025 to discuss logistical factors to consider in proposing Verde Pitch Alliance projects on City of Austin land. 40 Community Activated Park Project (CAPP) Program The Community Activated Park Project (CAPP) program serves as an entry point for community-initiated projects proposed on parkland. The CAPP Program is a process where neighbors, community groups, and partners can initiate improvements on city-owned parkland by submitting proposals that positively impact parks. Park improvement projects reflect community and APR priorities and can include anything from invasive species removal to new benches and nature play features. In March 2025, APR paused the CAPP program due to staffing changes and substantial increase in program interest that challenged capacity. Over the past eight years, the CAPP program has grown tremendously, with more than 600 total submissions received from community and non-profit partners in all 10 council districts. Community PARKnerships hopes to reopen the program in FY26. In the meantime, an interim CAPP proposal process has allowed key projects requiring APR feasibility review to move forward. In FY 25, Community PARKnerships coordinated review of 25 CAPP proposals and three interim CAPP proposals. Of the 28 proposals submitted for review, 43% were infrastructure-based (such as benches, picnic tables, and fences) and 46% were ecological-based (such as invasive plant removal and native plantings). A few submissions were for approval in concept for grant applications for other initiatives such as programming. The charts below show a more detailed breakdown of the two primary improvement categories, infrastructure and ecological projects. Invasive species removal and tree planting and/or care were the most common ecological projects proposed. Upgrades or updates to facilities were the most common infrastructure projects proposed. “Other” 41 infrastructure projects were miscellaneous one-off requests for new features such as chess tables or a koi pond. CAPP Collaborators Throughout the CAPP program’s history, APR has collaborated with over 70 different neighbors, non-profits, and community groups. In FY25, APR collaborated on CAPP proposals with 18 new partners. APR relies heavily on these groups to help shed light on parks that have specific needs that may go unnoticed, or even to highlight potential opportunity spots! In FY25, a total of 23 non-profit and community partner groups proposed park projects. First-Time Collaborators • Antone’s Nightclub • Battle Bend Springs Neighborhood Group • Bull Creek Foundation • Capital Area Tennis Association • Friends of Austin Nature & Science Center • Friends of Mayfield Park • Friends of Sparky Park • Friends of Spyglass Trailhead • Gullett Elementary School PTA • Kealing Middle School PTA • Latinx Health Professions Organization • North University Neighborhood Association • Northeast Walnut Creek Neighborhood Association • South Austin Creek Alliance • Street Soccer USA • Violet Crown Garden Group • Zilker 351 42 Previous Collaborators • Agave Property Owners Association • Amigos de Parque Zaragoza • ATX Musicians • Austin Area Garden Council • Austin Eco Conservation • Austin Parks Foundation • Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club • Austin Sunshine Camps • Balcones Canyonlands Master Naturalists • Burleson Heights Conservancy • Contigo Wellness • Cook Elementary School Park • Cunningham Elementary School Park • Downtown Austin Alliance • Ecology Action of Texas • Friends of Balcones Park / Milwood Neighborhood Association • Friends of Deep Eddy • Friends of Garrison Park • Friends of Heath Eiland and Morgan Moss BMX Skate Park • Friends of Little Zilker Park • Friends of Shipe Park • Friends of Westenfield Park • Galindo Elementary Neighborhood Association • Galindo Neighborhood Association • Geoff Hargreaves, Walnut Creek Park • Girl Scout Troop 1281 • Hancock Neighborhood Association • Highland Neighborhood Association • Keep Austin Beautiful • Mary Moore Searight Trail Team • Mayfield Park Community Project • Milestone Community Builders • Monarch Sanctuary Project • The Nature Foundation • NFT Dream Tour • North Austin Civic Association • North Oaks Community Garden • NW Austin Civic Association Parks Committee • Oakview Pickleball • Odom Elementary School Park • Onion Creek Dog Park Blue • Overton Elementary School • Pease Park Conservancy • Pemberton Heights Neighborhood • Plant Community • Ramsey Park • Ride Bikes Austin • St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church • St. David’s Foundation Community Garden • Springfield HOA Austin • Texas Oaks South Neighborhood • The Trail Conservancy • Travis Heights Neighborhood Association • TreeFolks • UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum • Walnut Creek Neighborhood Association • Walsh Munson Families • Waterloo Greenway Conservancy • Zilker Neighborhood Association 43 CAPP Implementation Highlights Before and after the turf replacement Mayfield Park Turf Project, District 10 Friends of Mayfield, a park adopters' group, raised awareness of irrigation and turf needs at Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve in early 2025. After the irrigation system was turf was added. “The Grass Patch, Inc” was contracted through the Friends group to replace the turf around the existing stanchions, which help keep patrons off the grass. 44 Heritage Oaks Park | Heritage Oaks Nature Play, District 9 Austin Parks and Recreation designed and installed a new nature play space at Heritage Oaks Neighborhood Park that opened in September 2025. The Friends of Heritage Oaks community group proposed activating the park through nature play, which would both provide a play area in a play-deficient area and deter unwanted behavior in the space. A kickoff celebration on September 27 brought together community members and representatives of Austin Parks Foundation and Austin Parks and Recreation, including Director Jesús Aguirre. 45 Adopt-A-Park Program The success of our parks system depends on the support, volunteerism, advocacy, and enthusiasm of Austin’s community as stewards and agents of their local parks. The Adopt- A-Park program helps community members become those stewards through a collaborative partnership between Austin Parks and Recreation and Austin Parks Foundation (APF). The goal of this program is to build community agency and ownership around every neighborhood park in Austin. Park Adopters serve as key community representatives for their park by organizing a community-based group and making an ongoing commitment to improving their local park, typically through activities like trash clean-up, invasive removal, and community celebration events. Through this program, adopters are encouraged to engage neighbors and park users, fostering a sense of possibility and momentum for change that can galvanize others, resulting in a more innovative, creative, and dynamic park system. Out of 176 eligible sites for adoption, 76 have been adopted. In FY25, there were eight new sites adopted: • Garrison District Park • Georgian Acres Neighborhood Park • Heritage Oaks Neighborhood Park • Metz Neighborhood Park • Mueller Greenways • Ponciana Neighborhood Park • Rosewood Neighborhood Park In addition to the officially adopted parks, five other parks have active steward groups or conservancies. 46 Community Stewardship of Parkland Community stewardship is essential to a park system that serves all of Austin. Volunteer work like litter abatement, tree care, beautification, and invasive species removal not only improves parks but also builds community as people come together for a common cause. Just as everyone benefits from parks, everyone can participate in their care. Community PARKnerships coordinates with partner organizations and City of Austin departments to facilitate community stewardship. By connecting the volunteers who want to help to the areas that most need them, the team transforms the community’s love of parks into meaningful, lasting improvements. 47 (Previous page, left) Hill Country Conservancy (HCC) volunteers pick up trash on the Violet Crown Trail. Photo courtesy of HCC. (Previous page, right) Shoal Creek Conservancy (SCC) volunteers plant Texas natives on parkand in November 2025. Photo courtesy of SCC. (Top left) SCC volunteers haul trash out of Shoal Creek in July 2025. Photo courtesy of SCC. (Top middle) SCC volunteers remove invasive elephant ear at a riparian restoration workday in March 2025. Photo courtesy of SCC. (Top right) Austin Parks Foundation (APF) volunteers work on the Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail in February 2025. Photo courtesy of APF. (Middle) Volunteers plant trees at a Ready, Set, Plant! event, a collaboration of TreeFolks and the City of Austin. Photo by Erika Rich, courtesy of TreeFolks. (Bottom) Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club move a boulder in Walnut Creek that will adjust the flow of water and create a stepping stone for hikers. Photo courtesy of Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club. 48 Photos courtesy of Austin Parks Foundation It’s My Park Day It’s My Park Day (IMPD) is a beloved biannual citywide tradition led by our partners at Austin Parks Foundation, in collaboration with APR. Each spring and fall, thousands of volunteers roll up their sleeves to take part in hands-on park stewardship projects, activations and community celebrations. The PARKnerships team plays a key role, leading and supporting efforts in priority parks-often those with fewer resources-to help ensure every neighborhood benefits from cleaner, safer, and more welcoming green spaces. IMPD is not just about one day of services – it’s about building momentum for year-round stewardship and a reminder that Austin’s parks thrive when community comes together. 49 Parkland Stewardship Plans The Community PARKnerships Program continues to advance sustainable and equitable stewardship of Austin’s parklands through comprehensive planning frameworks and collaborative policies. We ensure that community-driven initiatives and partner projects remain aligned with APR’s strategic vision, supporting responsible stewardship, ongoing maintenance, and long-term preservation of our public green spaces. This year, our stewardship plans have guided meaningful partnerships and enhanced transparency and mutual accountability between APR and park stakeholders. Together, these efforts have cultivated strong partnerships and healthier parklands. Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park Unified Stewardship Plan Completed in November 2024, the Unified Stewardship Plan (WCUSP) is a collective, holistic plan for various stakeholders to manage and preserve the natural areas of Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park. APR and Austin Parks Foundation (APF) co-led the project. The WCUSP recognizes and strengthens the mutually beneficial partnership between APR, partner organizations, and community members. Created as a collaboration between these stakeholders, the WCUSP offers a framework for knowledge sharing and the equitable distribution of responsibilities and resources in stewardship of the park. FY25 Impact The first year of WCUSP implementation included volunteer projects coordinated by APF and Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club (ARRMBC). In partnership with APR, APF and ARRMBC engaged 274 volunteers who • Girdled ~30 invasive Ligustrum trees • Removed invasive species including Nandina, Chinaberry, and Chinese Pistache • Addressed trail erosion and improved drainage • Stabilized creek crossings • • Managed vegetation for habitat health Improved trail infrastructure (Top) ARRMBC holds regular trail workdays at Walnut Creek Metro Park to maintain trails. Photo courtesy of ARRMBC. (Bottom) Volunteers girdle ligustrum at APF’s It’s My Park Day event in March 2025. 50 Train the Trainer Ecological Restoration Workshop APR collaborated with Austin Parks Foundation (APF) and Austin Watershed Protection to host a “Train the Trainers Ecological Restoration Workshop” at Walnut Creek Metro Park in February. The leadership workshop brought together 18 participants representing many stewardship partners, including Austin Resource Recovery, Austin Watershed Protection, the Elisabet Ney Museum, Blunn Creek Nature Preserve, The Trail Conservancy, Pease Park Conservancy, Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club, Capital Area Master Naturalists, Northwest Austin Civic Association, and Friends of Mueller Greenways, along with volunteer stewards. Designed to build capacity for long-term park care, the hands-on training shared best practices for leading impactful volunteer projects aligned with the Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park Unified Stewardship Plan. APR Forestry, APR Natural Resources, and Austin Watershed Protection staff as well as Siglo Group ecologists and volunteer stewards demonstrated techniques for the group. The workshop covered the essentials of safe, effective, and sustainable park stewardship: • Volunteer Leadership: Strategies for guiding diverse groups, ensuring accessibility, and navigating safety concerns like poison ivy, insects, snakes and emergencies • Tree Care & Planting: Mulching, root collar clearing, riparian planting, and live • staking Invasive Species Management: Identification and techniques for managing woody and grass invasives, girdling, weed wrenches, and seeding • Trail Maintenance: Erosion control methods like water bars, rolling dips, trail armoring, and drainage fixes, plus trail retirement and brushing 51 Bank erosion near the Hill of Life before and after restoration work. Photos by Siglo Group Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail Restoration Work Austin Parks Foundation contracted for additional Barton Creek Greenbelt trail improvements supported by volunteers and the Texas Conservation Corps. As in previous years, the work prioritized projects with immediate, noticeable impact for trail users. FY25 efforts focused on the Spyglass and Zilker Park trailheads, sections of the Hill of Life trail, and the upper section of the Twin Falls trail. The top projects were erosion control and invasive removal, followed by informal trail closures, hazardous tree/limb removal, and revegetation with native seed. Social trails, soil compaction, and lack of water infiltration can all cause trail erosion. As mitigation, the contractor realigned several trails to undulate with nature, slowed water via “speed bumps” such as water bars and rock steps, and created trenches to move water off trails into designated infiltration areas. For invasive removal, mostly along the Spyglass trailhead, the team used girdling, weed wrenching, and pickaxing to target invasive ligustrum (Ligustrum lucidum, L. sinense, and L. quihoui) and heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica). (Left) Siglo Group sustainably kills ligustrum by girdling the invasive tree. (Right) To eradicate large patches of invasive nandina, the team used weed wrenches and pickaxes to remove the maximum amount of woody roots. 52 School Parks School Parks connect Austin Independent School District (AISD) schools and public parks for students during the school day and all community members outside of school hours. To effectively manage these areas, APR and AISD established a Joint Use Agreement (JUA) for 21 school parks. 75% of these sites are in park-deficient areas. Joint Use Agreement (JUA): A joint committee of APR and AISD staff meets monthly to ensure the JUA is executed appropriately. The committee discusses challenges, successes, and community project proposals. A biannual review of the JUA is currently underway. Park Access: Recent state law changes in response to school shootings require Texas school districts to increase the physical safety of their buildings, which led the Texas Education Agency to pass new regulations around fencing. APR continues to review fencing site plans for 21 joint-use school parks to ensure continued community access during non-school hours. Additionally, APR continues to evaluate 37 schools adjacent to parks to maintain school access to park spaces, which is especially critical for schools that lack amenities like tracks and rely on nearby parks for these features. School Modernization and Joint-Interest Campuses In November 2022, Austin voters approved $2.44 billion in bond funds to modernize 25 schools, nine of which sit on land jointly owned by the City of Austin. The Cook, Odom, and Williams campuses are undergoing open-concept modernization projects, meaning that only the interior of the building will be impacted. All three sites received updated fencing, and APR continues to work with AISD to ensure public access. Six campuses (Andrews, Barrington, Houston, Oak Springs, Pecan Springs, and Wooldridge), will be fully modernized, meaning both the building and grounds will be renovated. AISD temporarily acquired full ownership of joint-interest areas of these sites to meet permitting requirements. After construction, joint-interest designation will be reinstated and will reflect the new infrastructure and reestablished shared areas. During these renovations, APR is working closely with AISD’s project management teams to ensure that City infrastructure investments are salvaged, rehomed, or designed into the new spaces, particularly the substantial investments at Barrington and Wooldridge. 53 Construction has begun at four sites, and APR has coordinated with AISD to remove and store all APR amenities. These amenities will be reinstalled in the new park areas once construction is complete. The public will also have access to these spaces, which will include renovated basketball courts, playgrounds, tracks, and fields. Leave No Trace - Pet Waste & Off-Leash Campaign In partnership with AISD, APR launched a citywide campaign to improve safety and cleanliness at school parks by addressing pet waste and off-leash dogs. The effort combined targeted digital advertisements, social media posts, and radio advertisements with signage and banners at 17 school parks, reminding visitors of the City Code and Ordinances (Title 3) in place for animal owners. By pairing digital outreach with on-site messaging, APR created clear, consistent reminders that encourage responsible pet ownership. The efforts are helping foster a culture of shared stewardship, keeping school parks welcoming, safe, and accessible both for students and teachers during the school day and for families across Austin who enjoy these spaces after hours. 54 Nature Play Nature play creates lifelong beneficial relationships with nature by connecting children with natural spaces where they live, learn, and play. This program works through cross- institutional collaborations, bringing together community partners, neighbors, and city leaders to drive lasting change through policy development, infrastructure integration, and citywide initiatives that address longstanding disparities in green space access. Infrastructure Nature play space created at Lantana Neighborhood Park by Erick Roegner of APR Facility Construction The addition of nature play can include playful borders (such as stumps and boulders instead of a traditional cement curb), ecological restoration (such as plants for play), intentional climbing features, and opening access to surrounding nature (such as raising tree canopy as needed and adding stepping stones across creeks). In FY25, APR Installed nature play spaces at six parks, with 13 additional sites in design • • Consulted on three projects with the Neighborhood Partnering Program • Coordinated Austin Development Services’ Youth Forest Council’s ongoing tracking of wood degradation of nature play features, which informs materials usage and future designs. (For example, tracking has taught APR to prioritize use of oak or 55 ashe juniper “cedar” which decay slowly over softer woods like pecan and elm that show decay only 2-3 years after installation.) • Developed a new maintenance tracking system (a collaboration between the Cities Connecting Children to Nature and the playgrounds teams) • Updated APR’s standard amenities catalog page of nature play features that can be added to parkland Policy + Procedures Nature play was only formally introduced into APR in 2019. Developing policies and procedures has been crucial to the collective understanding of concept and alignment to the program. In FY25, APR • Integrated wood reuse into City-wide Tree + Vegetation Management Services Scope of Work as Appendix item • Developed a Standard Operating Procedure to streamline how staff integrate nature play in APR • Created a working group to co-edit the Nature Guidelines, version 3.0, which is expected to be released fall 2025 • Partnered with Austin Energy to add language around nature play to AE’s Green Building program Education + Training Continuing education and professional development around program opportunities and the design, installation, maintenance, and management of nature play features are key to building collective understanding, developing new skills, and helping with staff retention. In FY25, APR • Continued to lead quarterly Infrastructure Subcommittee meetings in which City staff (69% of attendees) and external partners (31%) discuss successes and challenges around the design, installation, maintenance, and management of nature play spaces • Created standard practices for nature play community engagement as a collaboration between APR’s Cities Connecting Children to Nature team and Communications and Engagement Unit, following a pilot engagement session for the Walter E. Long Metro Park playground development project • Presented at APR Program Conference on the Loose Parts Lending Kit 56 Material Procurement At APR’s Nature Play Yard, logs and boulders reclaimed during construction projects are stored for later use as nature play features across the city. (Top right) APR staff use a chainsaw to cut “tree cookies” for loose parts play. (Bottom) Staff from APR and AISD designate logs for later use in specific nature play projects. In alignment with the Austin Climate Equity Plan, the nature play program sources reusable logs and boulders from development projects to support circular economy goals and reduce landfill waste. These materials are stored at John Treviño Jr. Metro Park and made available to Austin's Cities Connecting Children to Nature network partners for creating nature play and outdoor learning spaces. In FY25, APR • Received materials from the Texas Department of Transportation IH-35 expansion (120 tree pieces), Austin Airport development (10 logs), the Confluence at Waterloo Greenway (1 giant log), the Longhorn Dam (4 giant logs), the Old Lampasas Dam (277 57 trees, 972 cubic yards of boulders + 5 loads boulders), and storm clean-up efforts at Pease Park (4 tree pieces) and from Austin Watershed Protection (10 tree pieces) • Coordinated seven monthly Open Houses, providing 14 partners and APR divisions with 169 tree logs and stumps, 1,415 tree cookies, and 98 boulders for 19 projects and events • Promoted the City’s circular economy goals by using the Rheaply platform to offer available tree and boulder materials for outdoor education, landscaping, and nature play projects Programming + Park Activation “The loose parts absolutely sparked creativity for both the students AND the staff. We're thrilled to have this amazing resource available! THANK YOU SO MUCH!” - Austin Watershed Protection “Thank you so much! We love this resource.” - Festival Beach Food Forest 58 Loose Parts Lending Kits from activation events at the Seaholm Intake Facility (left) and Brownie Neighborhood Park (right). The Loose Parts Lending Kit Program is designed to spark creativity, cooperation, and connection with nature. Access to nature becomes more difficult to find as Austin grows. With materials like tree cookies, seedpods, pinecones, and fossils, children can connect with nature even if they don’t have a park nearby. In FY25, APR provided 35 free rentals that engaged 1,763 children and adults. APR saw an increase in rentals from childcare providers and preschools, as well as ongoing monthly use during Festival Beach Food Forest volunteer workdays. EcoRise Green Careers Academy For the 2nd year, we partnered with EcoRise and hosted two Green Careers Academy interns. Janet and Franck conducted a thorough inventory of our Loose Part Lending Kit materials, as well as high level data analysis on rentals. The data summary that Janet and Franck provided is helping APR update the kit contents based on audience and led to the decision to collect zip codes going forward. brought a global perspective shaped by community connection. They are recent graduates of Navarro Early College High School and are attending Austin Community College. Originally from Cameroon, Janet and Franck 59 Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN) Cities Connecting Children to Nature is a national initiative that seeks to create more equitable and abundant access to nature in cities through a partnership between The National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families and the Children & Nature Network. This year, CCCN leveraged $631,746 in combined funding sources across strategies to meet our collective goals, an increase of 56.4% from last year. Vision: Cities Connecting Children to Nature strives to ensure every child has access to and connection with nature every day. Mission: We are committed to connecting people with the natural spaces where they live, learn, and play, which fosters lifelong beneficial relationships with nature. CCCN collaborates across institutions and systems, amplifying efforts, sharing resources, and creating partnerships that strengthen our collective impact. Members of the CCCN collective gather quarterly for a Collaborative Briefing. In addition to networking and learning about strategy updates, briefings typically include a tour of a new nature-centered spaces or a presentation from our partner network. APR Director Jesús Aguirre, Assistant City Manager Stephanie Hayden-Howard, and Austin Public Library Interim Director Hannah Terrell at the CCCN April Collaborative Briefing The April 2025 Collaborative Briefing was unique in its focus on reacquainting City leadership with the initiative as CCCN Austin nears our ten-year anniversary. Partners at the National League of Cities and Children & Nature Network provided introductions, and speakers included APR Director Jesús Aguirre, Austin Public Library Interim Director Hannah Terrell, Assistant City Manager Stephanie Hayden-Howard, and Council Member Vanessa Fuentes. This Collaborative Briefing had 84 attendees, including leaders from 13 60 City departments and 17 external partner organizations. These participants learned about CCCN’s history and discovered ways to engage with CCCN moving forward. The gathering exemplified CCCN’s commitment to collaborating across institutions and systems, amplifying efforts and creating partnerships that strengthen our collective impact toward ensuring every child has access to and relationship with nature every day. Green School Parks (Left and middle) Austin Independent School District (AISD) representatives pick up and prepare tree cookies for AISD nature play kits. (Right) A sign provides information on the rain garden at Govalle Elementary School. Vision: Every schoolyard creates access to nature and fosters play and learning outdoors for all. Accomplishments: • Ongoing coordination between APR and Austin Independent School District (AISD) on AISD modernization, impacting nine joint-use school parks, and on fencing at both joint-use school parks and schools adjacent to parks • Ongoing coordination between APR and AISD for the installation of new park signage • Environmental Education Partners provided programming to 73 Austin ISD schools. o 64% of the schools activated are Title 1 • AISD Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee (ESAC) and GSP conducted a comprehensive inventory of eco and park features on all AISD campuses being modernized • 273 community members volunteered across seven school parks during Austin Park Foundation’s two It’s My Park Day events • AISD created 164 loose parts kits for 82 elementary schools, using tree cookies from APR’s Nature Play yard 61 Nature Play Vision: Building a world where all children can explore nature through play See the Nature Play section above for this year’s accomplishments. Emerging Green Leaders (EGL) EGLs present at CCCN Collaborative Briefing (left) and participate in the Green Career Fest (middle and right). Vision: Collaborating to build an Austin in which young people can easily access careers in outdoors, nature, and the environment, are fairly compensated for their contributions, and that the field, and leadership within, represents the communities we serve. Accomplishments: • Combination of in-person and virtual meetings: Nature Networking, Adult-Youth Collectives, Culture Change/Building a net that works • Hosted nine meetings with ten organizations and 223 participants, 62% youth • Hosted 2nd Annual Green Career Fest o 14 organizations o 75 total participants o 11 job applications submitted in-person o 7 workshops hosted o 3 people registered to vote • Normalization of talking about race and racism with stakeholders, partners, participants, leadership • Gathering to talk about green careers and opportunities, network with professionals 62 OLE (Outdoor Learning Environments) Austin Nature play features at local preschools Vision: We envision nature-rich and intentionally created outdoor learning environments in easily accessible areas across the state. Outdoor spaces where our youngest Texans engage with nature freely, stay active, and develop a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship. Accomplishments: • Increased partner involvement by 100%, with 29 organizations and childcare centers now engaged in local coalition efforts • Ongoing local coalition efforts around o Resources + Networking o Mentorship + Professional Development o Rotating meetings between Early Childhood Centers with a focused topic each month • Visited ten different childcare centers to learn about the diversity of nature- centered ECE programming across the city • Provided two trainings and eight professional development opportunities to local ECE professionals 63 Nature Smart Libraries Nature programs and Austin Public library branches Vision: Foster connections to nature through stories, experiences, and resources to promote curiosity and environmental literacy. Accomplishments: • Programs & Resources: o 16,284 community members attended 410 nature-based programs (garden story time, seed libraries, nature crafts, etc.) o Launched two new circulating STEM resources this year (five bat and four birding kits), which had 49 total checkouts • Infrastructure: o 2 pollinator gardens (Cepeda & Ruiz) o 1 accessible pathway (Ruiz) o 1 native landscape update (Windsor Park) o 1 air quality sensor (Central Library) • Tree Tours program launched (Spring 2025) – tree inventory at all APL locations, Tree tour programs offered across system • Hosted two EcoRise interns with a focus on green workforce development within a library system 64 Special Projects Community PARKnerships seeks out opportunities to improve services, strengthen relationships, and exchange knowledge beyond the scope of our regular programs. This year, Community PARKnerships collaborated locally and nationally on pop-up programming and challenges facing urban parks. Designers and urban park industry leaders worked with the team to explore new strategies to innovate Austin Parks and Recreation’s approach. wkrm | Volunteer Coordination Project In spring 2025, Community PARKnerships partnered with the wkrm design studio on proposals to make Austin Parks and Recreation volunteer coordination more efficient, effective, and equitable. Wrkm is a faculty-led, undergraduate student-led workshop in the University of Texas at Austin School of Design and Creative Technologies in the College of Fine Arts. Ten students collaborated with Austin Parks and Recreation staff and select partners on research and development. The project culminated in an April 24 wkrm presentation of proposed solutions, including marketing and community engagement 65 campaigns, signage and wearable branding for field work, a volunteer training program, and an internal Austin Parks and Recreation volunteer dashboard. Community PARKnerships is considering how Austin Parks and Recreation or the broader City of Austin might implement some of the wkrm proposals. Trust for Public Land | Park Stewardship Learning Cohort The Community PARKnerships team formed a City of Austin cohort for the Trust for Public Land's Park Stewardship Learning Cohort. The Austin team, including Austin Parks and Recreation staff from community engagement, horticulture, playgrounds, and the Watershed Protection Department, collaborated with peer cities (New York and Philadelphia) to explore how inter-agency coordination can help activate public spaces and strengthen community involvement. Key discussion topics included the role of Friends groups in park stewardship, strategies for streamlining community activation requirements, and developing long-term community capacity for park care. The cohort's insights and resources are now informing department- wide strategic planning. Design Workshop Foundation | Community Capacity Building Initiative APR, in partnership with Central Texas Interfaith, were selected as an awardee of Design Workshop Foundation’s Community Capacity Building Initiative, a comprehensive technical assistance process aimed at advancing community action to overcome built environment challenges. Using the undeveloped College Row pocket park as a pilot, we created a toolkit that empowers communities to actively shape and participate in park activation, addressing historical inequities and ensuring all Austinites have access to vibrant, welcoming park spaces. 66 PARKnership Pop-Ups | Brownie Neighborhood Park In March and April 2025, Community PARKnerships organized a series of pop-up events to celebrate the reopening of Brownie Neighborhood Park. An estimated 263 children and adults participated. The team selected this park due to its location in the park-deficient Rundberg area. At the invitation of Community PARKnerships, nonprofit and City of Austin partners provided free family activities to encourage neighbors to explore the reopened park. APR acquired an additional 5.8 acres to expand the park in 2014, and the new parkland remained undeveloped apart from a soccer field. Following two years of construction, Brownie reopened in February 2025 with a pavilion with picnic tables, a basketball court, playground, nature play, fitness equipment, rain gardens, and more. Date & Time Event Partner(s) Attendance Children Adults 3/20/25 Pick-Up Soccer 4ATX Verde Leaders 3/29/25 4/12/25 4/15/25 Playdate in the Park Earth Month Celebration Kids on the Move 40 21 24 21 14 Austin Parks Foundation, Austin Public Library, Creative Action Austin Resource Recovery, Park Rangers 13 Safe Routes to School Program (Austin Transportation and Public Works) 100* 30* Totals 263 * Attendance at Kids on the Move is estimated. Safe Routes to School confirmed that 68 children participated in their educational game 67 • Pick-Up Soccer (pictured left), Thursday, March 20, 5 - 7 p.m. o 4ATX provided new soccer nets and coached soccer play for middle school- age children. o Several families new to Brownie or new to Verde Leaders attended. • Playdate in the Park (pictured middle), Saturday, March 29, 10 - 11:30 a.m. o Austin Public Library led story time and held a pop-up library at the pavilion. o Austin Parks Foundation brought Creative Action to host a “Music and Movement” session with stories, music, and play for young children. • Earth Month Celebration, Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. o Austin Resource Recovery demonstrated a recycling truck and put up a resource booth with games, information, and compost bins. o Park Rangers hosted archery and slacklining. o Community PARKnerships hosted a loose parts nature play area. • Kids on the Move (pictured right), Tuesday, April 15, 3:30 - 5 p.m., o The Safe Routes to School Program hosted an educational safety game. Children who answered a safety question correctly could attempt to shoot a soccer goal for prizes. o Community PARKnerships hosted a loose parts nature play area. PARKnership Pop-Ups | Seaholm Intake Facility Community PARKnerships co-hosted a pop-up event at the Seaholm Intake Facility as part of Austin Public Library’s Kids Block Party on June 7, 2025. The Trail Conservancy and APR’s Historic Preservation and Tourism (HPT) team co-organized the event, which included free face painting by The Trail Conservancy, a nature play zone, and a skins and skulls exploration station with Park Rangers. TTC and HPT staff also shared information about the historic Seaholm Intake Facility’s history, refurbishment Phase 1, and plans for further development. An estimated 400 children and adults attended the 3.5-hour event. 68 City Parks Alliance | Greater & Greener Conference As announced in September 2023, Austin will host the next Greater & Greener Conference June 13 - 16, 2026. The City of Austin and our partner The Trail Conservancy submitted the application as co-hosts and are collaborating with City Parks Alliance (CPA) on conference preparations. The Community PARKnerships team is coordinating the City’s hosting efforts for this 1,000-person conference. To prepare for the conference, Community PARKnerships hosted two information sessions and two workshops in collaboration with CPA to showcase opportunities for city departments and local partners to contribute. At the completion of the workshop sessions, CPA 55 received proposals for mobile workshops and weekend tours, with regular session panel and peer group discussions currently being reviewed. The conference planning committee employed a local contractor, Miriam Connor of Creative Policy, to lead two community engagement sessions. Representatives of small partner groups and grassroots organizations dedicated to community inclusion attended these sessions. Outcomes will help integrate community voices throughout the conference. The host city planning committee had its kickoff on September 3, 2025. Known as the ATX VIBE Working Committee, this group is composed of city staff and partners focused on bringing Austin’s unique voice and talents to the conference through sponsorships and activations. 69 PARKner Volunteer Coordinator Appreciation Lunch In August 2025, the Community PARKnerships team hosted an appreciation lunch at Mayfield Park for APR partners that lead stewardship and coordinate volunteerism in Austin parks. The event included lunch, a tree cookie art activity, and certificates of appreciation for participants. Over 25 people from 13 organizations attended, including APR staff who work closely with these volunteer coordinators. 70 Support Austin Parks In collaboration with an internal APR working group, the Community PARKnerships team developed a public- facing webpage that highlights ways the community can support the APR, including monetary donations. The project • Streamlined the online donation process • Established internal mechanisms to track donations • Created a webpage that consolidates donation opportunities and other avenues for community involvement The “Support Austin Parks” initiative harnesses community interest in and support of Austin’s parks by establishing clear mechanisms for individuals to contribute financially or through volunteer engagement. The project also strengthens staff capacity by providing consistent processes and communication tools to guide responses when the public asks how they can support APR. Contact Information • Website: austintexas.gov/department/community- parknerships • Contact form: austintexas.gov/email/parknershipsinfo • Email: PARKnershipsInfo@austintexas.gov 71 Thank you to all our dedicated PARKners and City of Austin staff across departments who worked together to serve Austin’s parks in FY25. Your collaboration makes these beloved community spaces better. 72 (Previous page) Staff at Waterloo Greenway Conservancy (top left) and Pease Park Conservancy (middle right) show off certificates of appreciation for their work stewarding parks (see PARKner Volunteer Coordinator Appreciation Luncheon). (Top right) APR staff check out the new Holly fishing pier area and discuss operations and maintenance roles and responsibilities with The Trail Conservancy (TTC). Under TTC’s agreement with the City of Austin, TTC has primary responsibility for any new park features they bring to parkland. (Bottom) APR staff welcomed the public into the Seaholm Intake Facility to learn more about plans for the historic building and enjoy a “Skins and Skulls” Park Ranger station, a Nature Play Zone, and airbrush tattoos provided by TTC (see PARKnership Pop-Ups | Seaholm Intake Facility). (Below, left) APR’s Green Team participated in The Trail Conservancy’s Earth Day land and lake clean-up on April 25. (Right) APR land management staff presented “Hot Topics: Fire mitigation, climate change, and how PARD is building a more resilient parks ecosystem” to park adopters at Bright Ideas: The Parks Summit on May 3. 73