11-1: Director's Update, October 2026 v2 — original pdf

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AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR’S UPDATE October 2026 Architectural Development Division Doris “Dorie” Miller Auditorium Named a COA Historic Landmark • Designation made by City Council at the October 8 meeting. • USO opened it in 1944 as a dedicated recreation building to serve Black service members stationed in Central Texas. • • That same year, it was named for Doris “Dorie” Miller, the first Black service member to receive the Navy Cross for heroism during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Transferred to COA in 1946 and became a beloved space for the East Austin community, hosting many events. • Also served as a venue on the Chitlin’ Circuit, a network of performance venues throughout the US that offered safe spaces for Black entertainers to perform. Aquatics Division Instructional Swim Program • Swim ATX currently serves three schools, with a fourth anticipated in FY28 • Project SAFE and other FY27 swim programs move forward through scheduling and partnership development. • Lifeguard recruitment and certification are underway • Success of free lessons at Colony Park Pool may support adding another adult swim class this spring. Barton Springs Pool • Austin City Limits Festival weekends concluded without concerns at Barton Springs Pool. • Barton Springs University is scheduled for October 27, 2026, at 9 a.m. Implementation of the RecTrac point-of-sale entry system remains underway. • • The pump replacement remains pending due to vendor delays. Public Pools • Two vacancies have been filled, bringing full-time staffing to full capacity. • Special Olympics programming at Big Stacy Pool concludes October 31. • Replacement of the hot-water well at Big Stacy Pool is planned for November. Deep Eddy Pool/Recruiting • Lifeguard hiring for summer 2027 is underway • Deep Eddy Pool may close beginning November 30, 2026, for a month-long fill-valve replacement project. Maintenance • Quotes for the Liz Carpenter Splash Pad project are estimated at $120,000. Community PARKnerships Division Austin Extreme Heat + Early Childhood Roundtable • Austin Parks and Recreation is leading a City collaboration with Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child and the National League of Cities through the Prenatal-to-Three Impact Lab. KABOOM! Project at North Oaks Neighborhood Park • KABOOM!, sponsor volunteers, and neighborhood residents partnered on a community build to redevelop the nature play space and expand the community garden. Cities Connecting Children to Nature 10-Year Anniversary • Celebrated the 10th anniversary of Cities Connecting Children to Nature Austin, recognizing citywide partnerships that have expanded children’s access to nature. Community Engagement with The Trail Conservancy • Eastside Family Garden Open House | October 10, 9–10:30 a.m. • Seaholm Waterfront Open House | November 7, 9–11 a.m. Golf Division FY26 Highlights • The Golf Enterprise Fund achieved record revenue of $16.2 million, with $12.5 million in expenditures. • The division contracted $3 million in capital improvements and completed more than $500,000 in additional in-house improvements. • Participation exceeded 393,000 rounds, representing 3% growth in play. • Practice facilities, contractor merchandise, and golf cart rentals also generated 3% revenue growth. Lions Golf Course / University of Texas Agreement • City staff negotiated an agreement for the 141-acre Lions Municipal Golf Course on the University of Texas-owned Brackenridge Tract. • Subject to City Council approval, the agreement would transfer ownership of the property to the City. • The agreement is scheduled for discussion and a vote at the November 19 City Council meeting. • The agreement provides the City with its first opportunity to own Lions Municipal Golf Course in 50 years. Natural Resources Division Contract Status Successful Reopening ZBGC agreement expired September 30 and ZBGC chose not to extend or renew their contract. Gate entry resumed October 16 with nearly 2,000 visitors during the opening weekend. Partner Engagement APR is continuing to partner with long-standing supporters with Austin Area Garden Council and member clubs. Join in the fun at the annual Roots & Wings Festival at Zilker Botanical Garden on October 31st. Operations & Maintenance Division Zilker Great Lawn Event and Maintenance Schedule Oct 19 – Oct 30: Maintenance • Conduct Assessments Ensure grounds are safe • • Aerate compacted areas Irrigation audit, repair • • Overseed southwest lawn • Add nutrients to grass areas Survey terrain elevations • Identify low spots steps for • positive drainage Sep 14 – Oct 1: Load In Oct 2 – Oct 4: Weekend 1 Oct 9 – Oct 11: Weekend 2 Oct 12 – Oct 16: Load Out Oct 28 – Dec 8: Load In Dec 10 – Dec 23: Trail of Lights Dec 26 – Jan 8: Load Out Operations & Maintenance Division Great Lawn Remediation in Three Phases Phase 1: Initial Remediation will focus on opening the top southwest section of the Great Lawn. This area will be available to the public starting Saturday, October 31. Ground crews will open additional areas as assessments dictate. Phase 2: Ongoing Remediation will focus on an engineering survey of the entire lawn to create positive drainage. Additional soil will be brought in and sod replaced. Irrigation heads and valve boxes will be raised and adjusted. Phase 3: Final Remediation will focus on working in zones around the Trail of Lights (TOL) footprint. Work will continue during and after load out of TOL, until the lawn is restored and positive drainage is achieved. Park Development Division John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park Going to Bid • Vision Plan adopted in 2020 • Phase I includes: • Wildflower meadow, invasive species removal • Picnic shelters • Playground amenities • Restroom • Trails, access road, parking, etc. • Construction anticipated to start Spring 2027 • Funding provided by the 2018 GO Bond, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grant, and a Housing and Urban Development Grant. Recreation Services Division Therapeutic Recreation Fall Events Trail of Treats at Dottie Jordan Recreation Center 10/22, 5pm – 7pm Halloween Dance at McBeth Recreation Center 10/24, 7pm – 9pm Party & Talent Show at Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center 10/31, 10:30am – 12:30pm Fall Adaptive Dance at Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center, 11/13, 10am – 12pm