Digging In: People, Parks and Projects

Spring is in the air…and in the podcast studio! This month the People of the Parks podcast returns with a very special episode featuring APF’s park improvement guru, Katie Robillard, PLA. The gals get the skinny on some of the projects that are currently in the works, why parks take so long to get from start to finish and how APF ensures our environment is protected throughout each of these park improvements. They wrap things up by taking one of their classic left turns to discuss ACL predictions. Happy Earth Month, y’all!

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

See, so whoever is the next guest on the pod is gonna be extra moisturized. Hello, hello, and welcome back to People of the Parks, the official podcast of Austin Parks Foundation. I am your host, Susie, and as always I am joined by my lovely co-host Katie. What up? And our producer, Extraordinaire Taylor. Hello, hello. It is April, my fellow pod people. And at 8 PF, that is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

SPEAKER_02 0:32

That is right. Spring has sprung. It is beautiful outside. If you like rain.

SPEAKER_04 0:38

I'm living for the rain.

SPEAKER_02 0:40

And to top it all off, it's Earth Month. Okay. But what's not to love about April? Truly.

SPEAKER_04 0:46

And because it is such a big month around here, we had to get a big time guest to join us in the studio. So let's get right into it today because we are thrilled to be joined by our chief design and implementation officer for APF Drumroll, please. Katie Robalong!

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Welcome to the pod, Katie. Thanks for having me today. Of course, we're so excited to have you here because when it comes to park projects and the work we're doing to improve parks around the city, you're like the Obi-Wan of APF. 100%. The most Star Wars reference that I can think of. And it's not even May. Exactly. You know everything that there is to know about park projects.

SPEAKER_04 1:29

But before we get started, we do need to make a very special shout-out to some listeners. Your mom, Leanne, is a listener of the pod. So Leanne, shout out to you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Hi, Mimi.

unknown 1:43

Hi, Mimi.

SPEAKER_02 1:45

We love it. Thanks for listening. I'm I'm guessing she's gonna definitely listen to this one, right? Okay. Perfect. You're gonna have to tell her there's a special shout-out. Yes. Well, let's get down to business. So, Katie, can you start by telling us a little bit about what you do for APF? What does your job entail?

SPEAKER_01 2:01

Sure. I lead a team right now of uh three landscape architects, including myself. And uh we manage all of the APF park improvement projects and investments. Um, and then we also offer design services uh for both large and small scales in different parks across the city.

SPEAKER_04 2:21

So you are really in charge of boots on the ground, making digging into the work, making it happen.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

Yes, yes. And we do this all while we are um ensuring that we're in alignment with the parks department and what the community really wants to see in their parks.

SPEAKER_02 2:37

You make it sound so simple, but we know it's not we see you working hard every day, so we know that there's so much that goes into that.

SPEAKER_04 2:46

Yes, I think it's also important for us to share um all that goes into creating a park because as Katie's okay, building a park, how hard can it be?

SPEAKER_02 2:55

And it is very hard.

SPEAKER_04 2:57

Well, and what really gets me is when I started APF, I too, listener, was one of those people of like, oh, how much can it be to like build a- How long can it take, really? It's a banana, Michael. What does it cost?$10. Um, and you would be surprised, just like I was. So it's not easy deciding that you want to build something and then just going out and do it. Katie, what does that process look like? Like from start to finish, give us just a broad overview of how a park becomes a park.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

Yeah, I mean, it all does start with an idea and a lot, usually a blank uh slate of uh parkland um that's in the city. Um a lot of times community members are requesting to see something in their park, or the city has identified it as a priority project. Um, and so we always do community engagement. Um we spend a lot of time making sure that the design reflects what the community wants. Then we have to go into design and permitting, which can take up to a year.

SPEAKER_04 3:55

If you've ever built anything in Austin, you know.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Yes, and then construction. So construction is often uh minimum, you know, six to eight months and can run up to a year and a half on larger scale projects. So it takes a while. Um, and we appreciate everybody's patience, and we usually remind everybody that it just takes a long time.

SPEAKER_02 4:12

Well, you want to give people what they want. It would be terrible if you created a park and there were a lot of amenities missing that they wanted. So like the community engagement is so important, I would assume. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 4:22

What are some of the things that come up most in these community engagements? Yeah, what do people like at their parks? Give us the inside scoop.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

I mean, people always want trails. That's a big thing. I think that's a pretty basic amenity to have.

SPEAKER_04 4:33

I am people in this case. I love a trail.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Yeah, you know, drinking fountains that gets hot. Shade is super important. Um, you know, we do get a lot of requests for dog parks and splash pads, which are tricky um, you know, to maintain uh for the city, and so we can only do those very sparingly, but we do hear that quite a bit.

SPEAKER_04 4:53

Yeah. The water, the shade, you know, gotta get a respite from these hundred and some odd degree days, right?

SPEAKER_02 5:00

Well, and I mean we just hit a major milestone in our commitment to this match the city's two million dollars in funding for shade structures. Um, and that's something that you have been intricately involved in, correct? Yes, yes, and so we have done a million dollars worth of these shade structures, man-made and natural, so like trees as well as um and then we still have a million to go, but those are uh in the works already, right?

SPEAKER_01 5:25

We're planning those and we're hoping to make significant progress by the end of this year. Like close to the parking lot.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

I know, I think that's fantastic. And I mean, it just we want the parks to be used year-round. I mean that's the goal. It makes a big difference, it does make a huge difference.

SPEAKER_04 5:40

As someone who lives in a new construction neighborhood, girl, that shade makes a difference for sure. Our tree has finally gotten large enough to provide a tiny spot of shade. You just stand in that one spot there. And it I'm telling you, it makes a huge difference. So I'm really excited to test out some of these new shade structures this summer. Yes, I know.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

The thought is kind of that we put in the shade structures, the man-made shade structures, and then plant the trees and then give them a few years, and then ultimately they provide better shade than the man-made structures. Of course. Yeah, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:09

And who doesn't love a tree? Right? Ugh, I dream of a tree-lined street. Or park. Yes, or park, or trail in a park.

SPEAKER_02 6:19

Do you want to walk us through an actual project of what the timeline would be for some for creating a park?

SPEAKER_01 6:25

Sure, it takes a while. I guess the first one that comes to mind is Scenic Brook Pocket Park in the Oak Hill area. A beautiful park now because of all your work. Right. So it started out, um, it's less than the acre, um, and it started out as a former HOA pool that was kind of abandoned. Um, and they deeded it over to the city in 2016, um, which is 10 years ago. Oh wow. Yeah, and it sat vacant for a long time, and the neighborhood association um reached out to us and applied for design services to help them come up with a concept plan, um, and that took a little over a year with all the community engagement and design process. Um, and then uh that was around COVID. Uh, the plan was adopted by the City of Austin formally. Um, and then in 2022, we funded the design and engineering and permitting happen in 2023, construction happened in 2024, and then it opened in the summer of 2025.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

Wow, okay, so a long process, but when you look at what was created, I think it's worth the wait for sure.

SPEAKER_04 7:28

Oh, absolutely. I think one of my favorite features, I'm going a little off script here, is when I was um writing about this park for the newsletter when we did the grand opening, um, I saw that there was, I think it's part of like watershed for is it Barton?

SPEAKER_01 7:43

It's in the Barton Creek zone, and it is definitely a sensitive area. Um that probably adds to the timeline as well. Right. Like, and we just were very careful. Um, we definitely followed all the ordinances and um watershed protection really has a close eye on that project. Um, but yeah, it we did a great job um really observing that.

SPEAKER_04 8:02

It's it's really cool to see also how you guys incorporated some of those needs alongside the desires of the community. So there is like a really interesting portion of the back of the park that's more focused on that water conservation and ecological conservation.

SPEAKER_01 8:20

Yeah, it's like a big creek buffer zone right there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 8:23

And it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

And this kind of just I I've had a question about this, and maybe this is for my own personal benefit. But can you explain the differences between the types of parks? So, like I know some parks are metro parks, some are pocket parks. Like, how do you determine what park is what?

SPEAKER_00 8:38

Yeah, that is.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

It's usually based, it is based on the size of the park. And so pocket park is under two acres. Um neighborhood parks are you know a little bit bigger than pocket, and they're meant to serve the surrounding neighborhood. And then district parks are kind of the next level with metro parks being the largest that serve the entire city.

SPEAKER_04 8:55

Okay, that makes sense. Okay, it does, yeah. So I'm I'm thinking of like parks in my area. Grand Meadow neighborhood?

SPEAKER_00 9:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 9:05

Okay, it's okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:06

She doesn't, there's 400 parks, Susie. She never buy them all. I guess no, it is a neighborhood.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

It's 10 acres, so it's a pretty big neighborhood park. It is. And the thought is that people can walk to it. There's not parking provided, there's no restroom, they can run back to their house to go to the restroom, where a district or metro definitely provides restrooms and parking.

SPEAKER_04 9:25

Okay, so there are different amenity levels to those parks as well.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Yes, there's kind of like a standard accepted amenity for each.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Very interesting. Look, we're learning. I know. I love it. Okay, well, let's talk about what's going on right now. So, what are some recent projects we've completed, or maybe a few that we will be completing soon that you can tell us about? What's keeping you up at night?

SPEAKER_01 9:48

Well, you know, there's always something. Um, but I think one that I'm really proud of is Little Walnut Creek Green Belt just down the street. So that was completed a few months back. But that was definitely years in the making. And I think what made it so special is um the site is beautiful, there's a lot of trails, and then the the neighborhood was super invested um and were park stewards for a long, long time. Um, where they really advocated for the green belt, and then they also participated in It's My Park Day every year. They did a lot of trash pickup, and it was really great to help them with the vision and concept plan, and then all the way through this first phase of construction.

SPEAKER_04 10:25

So JC, we don't usually do that after you, ma'am. You owe me a dike. Oh okay. So with the park projects that APF tackles, are they all community initiated? That's what I was gonna ask.

SPEAKER_01 10:40

We are sharing the brain cell right now. They are not. It just happens that I am uh bringing them up that are both community initiated, but often we always make sure the community is involved so they end up being community related to the community, and the community is involved in them, but not all of them are community initiated. A lot of them are identified by the parks department as a need. Yeah. Um, that they see whether it's a failing playscape or a failing amenity or just an undeveloped park that needs to serve an area that's park deficient.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

Yeah. But I would say that it's encouraging to see these park projects that are community initiated because it inspires other people. Okay, I see something that I want in my park, we might be able to help you. I mean, we've got grant programs, we've got our design services. So if there's something you want to do at your park, we might be the um the help that you need to make it come to fruition.

SPEAKER_04 11:32

Yeah, we might be your guys. Exactly or gals in this room. So, as we mentioned before, it is Earth Month. And I would like to talk a little bit about how APF goes above and beyond to try to make our park projects as environmentally sound as possible. We touched on this when we talked about Scenic Brook, but what are some other examples, Katie, of of ways that we're really helping to give back to the earth with these projects?

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Yeah, I mean, I think one that comes to mind is Grand Meadow Neighborhood Park down in southeast Austin. My neck of the woods, baby. Yes, and so it is 10 acres. It's under construction right now, and it this land sat vacant for a very long time. And I think the community had a vision for this long before we were involved, um, and they're still involved. And so I think this one's really special because, like its name, we're really trying to create a special meadow and restore the meadow better than we found it. Um, and so that's a big part of this construction project.

SPEAKER_04 12:31

And I've gotta say, it's looking amazing. I get so excited every time I drive by it, and like they started mapping out where the trails are gonna be. I'm like, ooh, this is gonna be my new walking route.

SPEAKER_02 12:40

So will it will it have what else will it have? Will it be mostly like a natural meadow with trails or will it be a playground? What else, what kind of thing?

SPEAKER_01 12:48

Yeah, so there a big portion is the meadow that was very important for the pollinators for all the you know environmental features. Um but there is a play lawn that will be maintained so that you can go through a frisbee, um kind of informal play lawn. Um there will be a community garden and a food forest. I'm so excited for that. And then I think an exciting part is the nature play. Um so nature play has been installed already. Um uh it was just completed and it's it took reclaimed boulders and timbers. Um and I think it's gonna be a really cool children's play area that's adjacent to the food forest and community garden.

SPEAKER_04 13:26

Oh cool. Oh, the boulders.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

I love that it's kind of a different kind of park, too. I mean, that's what's so cool about Austin is you can find a park for everybody's kind of interest level.

SPEAKER_04 13:35

So and this is, I think I'm gonna keep harping on Grand Meadow because it is the first ground up park project that I have been at APF for. So when I started, it was truly just the meadow, and then things started. And now it's getting grander by the day. It is, it's getting grander and grander. So it's been really exciting for me to. I mean, this is a park I've I even before I was a part of APF, I would drive by and see the meadow and be like, man, when are they gonna do something with this? When are they gonna do something with this? And now they are, and I've gotten to be a part of the process. It's really cool. Awesome.

SPEAKER_02 14:09

Well, we can't let you go without talking about the big one. Yes, the biggest project that APF has ever taken on, the All Abilities Playground at Onion Creek Metro Park. I know you guys didn't think we were gonna get through a pod without talking about all abilities, especially not when we have Katie here. So tell us where we are, tell us kind of what's going on with the project.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

Yeah, so this is a project that is taking up a lot of our team's time. Yes. Um we have a great group of consultants that are working on it. Um we're in design development right now. Um we're still in the fundraising kind of stage and trying to fund this project that we're estimating to be about a$15 million project. Um but we are well on our way, and um the plans are shaping up, we're getting it within budget, and um, you know, we hope to break ground at the latest in early 2028 because again, it's one of those projects, it's just so big it does get it right, get it right, and make sure we're making it as inclusive as possible. And that takes a lot of design.

SPEAKER_04 15:08

And now we know Metro Park, we we can scale.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Yes, yes, it's like hundreds of acres, and we're just this project is a small portion of that, but we think it'll make a big impact for all the people in Austin.

SPEAKER_02 15:20

Okay, so for people who aren't aware of the project as intimately as we all are in this room, can you talk a little bit about what it will look like when it's completed or what the plans are?

SPEAKER_01 15:31

Yeah, so it is, it will be the city of Austin's first fully inclusive playground. Um we're gonna be providing ample ADA parking, making it super accessible for families to get there. Connections to the neighborhood are also really important in the trail network that are already out there at Onion Creek Metro. Um and then we're providing um, you know, we hope to provide very um exciting play areas for everybody to explore, and they're all themed after like native um uh animals and insects.

SPEAKER_04 16:04

Which one's your favorite?

SPEAKER_01 16:06

Uh right. Today maybe the beaver room. Oh, it changed. Yeah, I think that's gonna be fun. Maybe that's just going off the off of the nature play area and then the building and the manipulation that the kids can have with the different objects in the space. But I think it changes every day. Yeah. Yeah. That's so exciting.

SPEAKER_02 16:25

I I mean we were out there last week for um Congressman Kazar presenting the city with a check for more than three million dollars for the project. And just standing in that spot and and thinking about the preliminary plans that we've seen and trying to envision it, it I it's just gonna be amazing. I know it's so exciting.

SPEAKER_04 16:42

That 2028 date, I remember when it seemed so so far away. It's really not that far.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

A year and a half from now, though. The pressure's on. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 16:50

Okay, so that's what's keeping you up here. Yes, exactly. Well, that's so exciting. We can't wait for that.

SPEAKER_03 16:57

Left turn alert.

SPEAKER_04 16:58

Anybody want to throw out their guesses for ACL lineup? Oh. Okay, wait.

SPEAKER_02 17:05

I had one the other day.

SPEAKER_04 17:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 17:06

I see people saying Jack White is out because he's because he's performing at the Moody Center, but to me, that makes it seem like he's going to perform at ACL. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 17:16

He's coming in the middle of the week. Well, is ACL Live it's like it's a live nation venue? It's Moody Amphitheater. Isn't that the outdoor one? Yeah. Oh, wait, yes. Ooh, I don't know. That is also put on, I think, by C. Is it? Is it okay? So they C3 contracts people to do multiple shows.

SPEAKER_02 17:34

I also think Lily Allen. That would be so sick. Maybe Olivia Rodrigo.

SPEAKER_04 17:39

I would love Olivia Rodrigo. Also, low-key. I'm gonna expose myself here, but I am a cat's eye fan. I was gonna say cat's eye too. I would love to see cat's eye. I don't even know who that is. Uh me and like every sixth grader in Austin will be a cat's eye show.

SPEAKER_03 17:58

I don't know. I keep telling you my hope is Hillary Duff. Oh, that could happen. It's open. She doesn't have any tour dates at that time. Is she performing again? She is. Yeah, she's like a whole wow. Oh dang.

SPEAKER_04 18:10

Okay, the other one we talked about, Ella Langley. I would love, but I don't think because she's coming to Moody. Oh, wait, Katie R. What's your ACL hope and dream? You don't have one? I don't know. Not a single one. Mumford and sons?

SPEAKER_01 18:27

I mean, I really liked Chris Stapleton last year or the year before. I can't remember. Oh yeah, he was there recently. It was like two. Yeah. It was like the best. Are you watching? I'm at the sixth grade.

SPEAKER_04 18:36

I was gonna say, I'm gonna do Katie's vote to my cat's. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 18:40

I think every time I go, it's like I never know the bands, but then I end up finding a favorite.

SPEAKER_02 18:44

I think that's the best part of it is you you go in, like, oh, I want to see this person, this person, then you stumble upon someone that you really like. I know.

SPEAKER_04 18:51

Well, we'll find out next month. If it's cat's eye, I'm gonna just play like two cat's eye songs in a row on next month's pod. No, you're not because it'll get taken down. Producer Taylor is cracking down. Okay. Well, now I think it's time for the bulletin board. This, dear listener, is where we give you a rundown of all the events coming up in the next month, and we have a lot happening. First up, on April 16th, we have Spark in the Park happening at 10 a.m. at Garrison District Park. Now, this is part of that event series designed for senior citizens to help them stay active mentally and physically in the beautiful great outdoors.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

Indeed. And on April 17th, we've got our Barton Creek Greenbelt Restoration Skills Accelerator. It rolls off the tongue, danger. That's happening from 9 a.m. to noon. We talked about this on our last episode, but this is a volunteer series that is ongoing. There's one happening on April 18th at 9 a.m. That one is at Walnut Creek Metro Park. Yes. Go back and listen to that last episode to hear Freddy talk about that program. Dang. I know I was joking on the name, but it's it a really cool program.

SPEAKER_04 20:01

Yeah. Also on April 18th, we've got Art in the Park at Agave Neighborhood Park. That starts at 10 a.m. And on April 20th, we have another spark in the park. This time happening at 11 a.m. at Gus Garcia District Park.

SPEAKER_02 20:14

Now we got to get into our Earth Day events. Because you know we got Earth Day events. On April 22nd at 9 a.m., we're hosting a community volunteer event at Kendra Page Park. We've also got a playdate in the park happening at 10 a.m. at Balcones District Park. And that evening at 6:30, we're hosting Fitness in the Park. This is our beginner pickleball course at Gus Garcia District Park.

SPEAKER_03 20:37

Have you made it out there, Susie? No. Freddie, Freddie is coming for us all in pickleball, by the way.

SPEAKER_04 20:43

Well, okay, Freddie is also like a regular tennis player. So he's out there just whooping up on everybody.

unknown 20:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 20:53

As always, you can head to our website, austinparks.org, to see the remainder of the events happening this month. But I do want to give a special shout out to a community park event happening on April 25th. Our crew will be out at Great Hills Neighborhood Park for some fire mitigation efforts. Now, this is really important work. They're going to be clearing out brush to help deter wildfires, and that's happening from 9 a.m. to noon. So head on over to our website, again, austonparks.org to learn more.

SPEAKER_02 21:21

And that's gonna do it for people of the parks this earth month. We want to thank KDR, the lovely KDR, for joining us and giving us so much good information. We'll be back in May with another episode. But until then, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to show us some love and join the conversation on social media. We'd love to hear from you. Until next time, we'll see you outside.