Park Stories from the Community

We can participate by getting involved through the Dove Springs Recreation Center, working with our City of Austin Park Rangers, and collaborating with community groups such as Manantial de Salud and GO! Austin / VAMOS! Austin (GAVA).

Cleaning up Dove Springs District Park

Maria Ester Aguirre: Cleaning Up

Maria Ester, her husband and three children have been living in Dove Springs for six years. They go to the Dove Springs District Park 3-4 times a week, where they play soccer, take karate classes, go swimming, or go for hikes on the trails and enjoy the creek and the panoramic views of the golf course.

When Maria Ester learned from a friend that the park had seen better days, she was determined to help get it restored to its original beauty – she and her family have always been attracted to the rustic forests of this park. She worked with the Austin Park Rangers to clean up the area, an experience that was not only fun for her children, but also taught them to take care of the environment around them. “We don’t have to leave Dove Springs in order to have fun,” she says. “Everything we need is right here.”

Getting a new playground at Onion Creek District Park

Sara Torres: Safe and Family Friendly

Sara had been involved with the Onion Creek Plantation Neighborhood Watch – their neighborhood borders the Onion Creek District Park – when they were asked by GAVA and APD to include the park as part of their surveillance. Many of the homes near the park had been torn down because of the flood plain; and because of the empty streets there was a lot of crime. Sara and her team initially focused on safety and repairs.

After fixing the lighting and the locks on the bathrooms, and doing some general clean up, they decided to take it a step further and work to create a positive, family-friendly environment. The current playscape was falling apart, so they organized a telephone campaign. As a result, Austin Parks & Recreation is set to install a new playscape by early August 2013!