Original Post:
The Scenic Brook Neighborhood Association has transferred ownership of the park on Oak Meadow to the City of Austin, effective September 28, 2018. This has been something we have been working towards for quite some time, and with the help of Randy Scott at the Parks Department and Rich DePalma, we have finally been able to make this goal happen.
The City will now hold the deed for property which frees our neighborhood from taxes, maintenance expenses, and liability. We look forward to seeing the Parks Department demo the pool and set the stage for a beautiful new park area. We plan to create a “Friends of the Park” group and work towards the vision to create a fully accessible park and playground in the space.
If you would like to join this non-profit and become an advocate for the park, please get in touch with us here or email Rachel.Moede@gmail.com.
UPDATE (3/16/19):
We are meeting with City officials to discuss the future of this property on March 27, 2019. See Events tab for more information.
UPDATE (3/29/19):
We had a wonderful meeting with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) and Austin Parks Foundation on Wednesday, March 27. We discussed our vision for the park, timeline for demo (expected to begin in late May due to a permitting slow-down), and funding opportunities that the Parks Foundation thinks our park is a great candidate to receive! Currently, the Park Group (we need a better name) is working on an application to receive a year long assistance program from the Parks Foundation that will result in a master plan and outreach to the community and local businesses. We are really hoping to receive this “scholarship” of sorts, as it would really help us move the project along quickly! The application is due on April 30, so check back soon for more updates. If you want to get in on the fun with the Park Group or just have something you want to share with us, email AustinParkGroup@gmail.com and use subject “Park Group.” Keep a look-out for future community outreach events, hopefully taking place as early as this summer!!
PS- They said we were the largest group they’d ever met with. We are thrilled to have so much community support around this project!
UPDATE (5/25/19):
We submitted our application to APF (Austin Parks Foundation) in late April and are anxiously awaiting to see if we will receive the scholarship program that will help us through every step of the Master Planning process.
I’m sure everyone has noticed the fast pace of the demo at the park that started on May 21. The City has had their crew out every day, even in the rain, and progress has been swift! Thank you to everyone who is sharing pictures on our Facebook page!
Lastly, some more exciting news! At the Scenic Brook Neighborhood Association May meeting, it was proposed to officially name the park “Scenic Brook Park.” This motion was voted on and approved, so we will now take the next steps to creating the Friends of Scenic Brook Park group. This group will head up all fundraising, community meetings and events for the park, and organize clean up days. If you want to jump in with us, email Rachel.Moede@gmail.com.
We will update this post as more details are known.