Government
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Travis County is launching a 10-year plan to expand its parks system. The Travis County Commissioners Court approved a plan to expand, strengthen and increase access to county parks over the next decade at an April 14 meeting. The countywide effort comes after voters approved a $276.44 million parks bond proposition in 2023. In the Southwest region, the county is looking to acquire new land connecting Reimers Ranch Park in Dripping Springs to RGK Ranch Park—a 1,506-acre park acquired by the county in 2024. The county has already begun developing vision plans for both parks, including camping sites and expanded trails at Reimers Ranch Park, said Kari Spiegelhalter, co-founder at Mend Collaborative, an urban planning and landscape architecture firm working on the county’s parks plan. TravCo unveils final parks plan
The details
Overall, the Travis County parks department has developed a list of 35 recommended projects, with several in southwestern Travis County. Some projects may be short-term, completed in three years or less; medium-term, completed in four to six years; or long-term, taking seven to 10 years.
Recommendation type
Recommendation
Park name/location Timeframe
Funding sources
Acquire land to connect RGK Ranch Park to Reimers Ranch Park. Develop and implement a Vision Plan for Reimers Ranch Park that incorporates the newly acquired properties and includes camping and expanded trails. Make park-wide improvements to Pace Bend Park, based on the Pace Bend Vision Plan. Develop and implement a vision plan for RGK Ranch Park. Construct synthetic sports fields, pavilions, and walking trails.
Voter-approved bond funding
N/A
Short-term Acquisition
Annual budget process, voter-approved bond funding
Reimers Ranch Park Short-term Planning
Annual budget process, voter-approved bond funding Annual budget process, voter-approved bond funding Funded in the 2023 voter- approved bond funding
Pace Bend Park Medium-term Project
RGK Ranch Park
Short-term Project
Bee Creek Sports Complex
Short-term Project
What’s next
REIMERS RANCH PARK PAVILION
BEE CREEK SPORTS COMPLEX
71
Travis County Parks representative Janet Coles said. “It’s very holistic and will help us with many challenges the county has in front of us as we can use our parks as fabric for the community to rely on,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Ann Howard said about the plan.
The parks plan was developed over the past year using feedback from community members, a steering committee and the Commissioners Court, Spiegelhalter said. The approved plan will allow county staff to develop cost estimates for the projects, which could require funding approvals at a later date,
BEE CREEK RD.
REIMERS RANCH TO RGK RANCH LAND ACQUISITION
71
RGK RANCH PARK
HAMILTON POOL RD.
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Get back in motion • Fractures & injuries • Steroid injections • On-site x-ray • Total joint replacement • Minimally invasive robotic surgery • All ages seen: children to adults Pain or injury to the back, spine, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, or leg? ARC Orthopedics offers surgical and non-surgical treatment options to get you back on the right track.
Book now at Orthopedics.ARC.clinic
9
LAKE TRAVIS - WESTLAKE EDITION
Powered by FlippingBook