Mark Your Calendar

Austin's completely transformed Waterloo Park unveils opening date

UPDATE: Citing rising COVID-19 cases and Austin's reentry into Stage 5, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy announced on Thursday, August 12 that it will postpone all opening-day celebrations scheduled for Saturday, August 14, including the ribbon-cutting ceremony and land dedication, daytime programming, and nighttime concert showcase. However, Waterloo Park will still open its gates to the public on Saturday, August 14, starting at 10 am. "CommUNITY Day festivities and activations will be rescheduled at a later date," the announcement notes. "In the meantime, Waterloo Greenway will continue to follow all local, state, and CDC health and safety guidelines, as well as encourage all guests to wear a face mask and practice social distancing when visiting Waterloo Park."

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Mark your calendar, Austin. Downtown's anticipated Waterloo Park has an official grand opening date — and it's less than eight weeks away.

Waterloo Greenway Conservancy announced June 23 that the reimagined Waterloo Park will officially open to the public on Saturday, August 14, 2021, with a full day of events.

The opening date marks the big reveal for the space, which has undergone an exciting transformation.

"In partnership with the City of Austin, the Conservancy will commemorate its grand opening with an inaugural all-day event called CommUNITY Day — a free, family-friendly festival with dozens of activations and live performances representing cultures from around the world, all in the reimagined 11-acre park," says a release.

The day will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and then Austin residents will be encouraged to explore the vast space. Highlights of the opening day event include:

Musical and performing arts at Lebermann Plaza
Kids’ activities at the Kitty King Powell Lawn
STEM programming at the Meredith Heritage Tree Deck
Environmental programming in the Luci and Ian's Family Hill Country Garden
Booths from community partners will be located throughout the grounds
In the eveining, Waterloo Park will host a “Taste of Austin'' concert showcase at the new Moody Amphitheater

The new 5,000-person Moody Amphitheater is inviting an Austin music icon to celebrate the park's reopening. Gary Clark Jr. has been announced as the first ticketed concert at the new venue, with a performance slated for August 20. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 25, at 10 am via ticketmaster.com. One hundred free tickets to this show — and all future concerts — will be available to the community via a lottery system.

The largest green space in downtown Austin, the new Waterloo Park spans 11 acres. The urban park boasts a one-and-a-half-mile hike-and-bike trail, multiple lawns for fitness and leisure time, and custom-built playscapes. "All [of it] is designed to immerse visitors in the Waller Creek habitat," notes the release.

Its opening will mark the first phase of completion for the ambitious Waterloo Greenway park system, which has been equated to Austin's version of Central Park. It will stretch from 15th Street to Lady Bird Lake and will be home to a "wide array of natural and cultural destinations."

Waterloo Park will open to the public August 14.

Waterloo Park downtown Austin aerial view

Courtesy photo

Waterloo Park will open to the public August 14.

parks openings

Hit the Road

Austin City Council passes resolution over MoPac expansion concerns

Photo courtesy of KVUE

The City Council has taken issue with some environmental concerns and planning that may be outdated.

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) has been looking to make improvements on MoPac Expressway South from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane to try to improve traffic. It is looking to add up to four express toll lanes.

But the Austin City Council recently passed a resolution over its concerns with the project.

“[The resolution] tells the city manager to work with the CTRMA on the MoPac South Project. When you see state money being spent on projects that affect the local community, we want to make sure we are holding the highest standard possible," Councilmember Paige Ellis said.

Some of the concerns listed in the resolution include that it's been more than 11 years since CTRMA held its original scoping meeting; that the Recommended Build Alternative has not changed substantially since 2015; and that fine particulate matter in the air in Travis County already exceeds healthy metrics; plus others.

Ellis said she has some environmental concerns.

"The environment is protected for species like the golden cheeked warbler and salamanders, so we want to make we are sure limiting impervious cover," Ellis said.

The CTRMA said its environmental study evaluates potential harms and mitigations to things like water quality and endangered species. The CTRMA added that it has "worked extensively with the city of Austin throughout the study."

Read the full story, including information on how to submit feedback, and watch the video at KVUE.com. CultureMap has added a paragraph to this excerpt listing some details from the City Council document.