11-1: Directors Update, April 2026 — original pdf

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AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR’S UPDATE April 2026 Recreation Services Division Athletics - Ballfield Upgrades The APR Athletics Office has replaced eight scoreboards at the Krieg and Havins softball fields. Therapeutic Recreation – Art in the Park The 30th Annual Art in the Park at Fiesta Gardens, held on April 9th in collaboration with Art Spark Texas, welcomed over 1,000 individuals with disabilities. Community Initiatives – Teens in Leadership Training The TILT (Teen in Leadership Training) graduation was held on April 16th at the Doris Miller Auditorium. We celebrated 20 teens (15-18 years of age) successfully completing the program. Community Initiatives – Soap Box Derby Totally Cool Totally Art hosted their first annual Soap Box Derby Race Event on Saturday, April 18th at Turner Roberts Recreation Center. 10 Recreation Centers and their teens took part in the program and got to build from scratch a life size soap box derby car and race them in this event. Community Recreation Division Hancock Recreation Center’s Robotics Club: 11 participants meet weekly to create with Cubelets Smart Blocks, learning real engineering and problem-solving skills. They create MazeBots to tackle tricky courses, StoryBots that act out their own stories, and RaceBots that zoom through obstacles to compete against friends. The program is all about helping students feel proud of what they build, all while learning and having fun! Delores Duffie Recreation Center April 15, Delores Duffie Recreation Center hosts its second year of Jackie Robinson Day – Hit, Pitch, Run Challenge. Over 70 participants pay tribute to Jackie Robinson and his contributions to America’s Favorite Past Time by exploring the key elements of baseball. The East Side High softball and baseball players volunteer to help run the younger aged participants through some warm ups. Natural Resources Division Park Ranger Program – Year-to-Date Contact Counts • 11,874 citizen contacts • 20,595 programming contacts • 202 hours of programming Park Ranger Program – Summer Operations • Preparation underway for expanded summer park operations with Cadets and Seasonal/Temporary staff during peak times for Memorial Day through Labor Day. Aquatic Division Aquatic Maintenance Continues preparing facilities for the season, completing motor repairs at the Bailey, Eastwoods, and Clarksville splash pads. Canyon Vista, Mabel Davis, Martin, Walnut Creek, and Garrison pools are now filled. Barton Springs The pool successfully reopened after the skimmer project. Staff are finalizing plans with the Austin Nature and Science Center for the Greater and Greener tour, which will include a swim at the pool. Deep Eddy Reopened on 4/13 after the annual spring cleaning, which included facility deep cleaning, deck resurfacing, repainting, and pool-shell touch-ups. Staff also began adding four new lane-line stripes in the Shallow Pool to improve lap-swim flexibility this summer. Instructional Swim Programing, Marketing and Public Pools Aquatics Division recruiting remains strong, with 959 applications (up from 804 in 2025), 317 staff ready to work (vs. 377 last year), and 796 lifeguard class registrations, up from 727 in 2025. Northwest pool ribbon cutting ceremony is set for April 30th. Photo Credit: KXAN Capital Improvement Projects Projects Ready for Summer Recently Opened to the Public • Rosewood Playground: January 2026 • Pavilion, Other Improvements: This Summer • Wishbone Bridge: February 2026 • Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Park • Country Club Creek Bridge: February 2026 • Basketball Court: February 2026 Capital Improvement Projects Projects Ready for Summer Recently Opened to the Public • Barton Creek Streambank Repair: March 2026 • Violet Crown Zilker Mile Zero Trailhead: November 2025 • Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex • New Roof and HVAC Install: December 2025 • Barton Springs Skimmer Bypass: April 2026 • South Austin Recreation Center Front Desk Capital Improvement Projects Projects Ready for Summer Opening Soon!* • Park Ridge Neighborhood Park: April 24 • Beverly S. Shefield NW Pool: April 30 • Montopolis Pool and Playground: June 1 • Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center: June 6 *All dates subject to change Capital Improvement Projects Projects Ready for Summer Opening Soon!* • The Confluence: June 6 • Parque Zaragoza Bathhouse: Summer • Beverly S. Sheffield Education Center: Summer • Ridgeline Neighborhood Park: Summer • Zilker Maintenance Barn: Summer • Givens District Park and Recreation Center: • Historic Interpretive Signs: Summer • Reopening: Early Fall Capital Improvement Projects Kicking Off this Summer • Fiesta Gardens: Design Phase • Nash Hernandez: Design Phase (In Progress) • Austin Nature Center • Roof Replacement and ADA Improvements: Design Phase • Grey Rock Golf Course: • Water Line Replacement: Design Phase • McBeth Recreation Center: • Water Line Replacement: Design Phase • Beverly S. Sheffield NW Playground: Design Phase • Onion Creek All-Abilities: Permitting Phase • Zilker Clubhouse: Construction Phase QUESTIONS?