DONATE to Auditorium Shores & Town Lake Park. Now Auditorium Shores/Town Lake Park Stakeholders can donate directly to their favorite park. Austin Parks Foundation has established a donation page, designed specifically for donations to target the park's basic infrastructure. Your contribution goes directly to the Auditorium Shores/Town Lake Park rehabilitation fund and is tax deductible. Donations at any level are welcome.

Auditorium Shores shoreline erosion in the spotlight and dogs are central to the problem.

Two months ago PARD did a reinforcement project at the limestone blocks. Once complete, PARD installed a temporary construction fence to let their new work settle. Upon removing the fence, a good portion of their work was eroded due to dog play.

In the stretch between SRV and the limestone blocks, erosion due to dogs transitioning in and out of the water has caused significant damage to the shoreline. Two solutions are being discussed:
• A messaging campaign that places signs along the shoreline describing the problem.
• Placing a fence along the area of concern. The style and design of fence has not been stated.

Problems exist in attempting to repair the eroded areas due to the rise and fall of the lake level, and continued use by the dogs. As of now, PARD is asking dog owners/handlers to be mindful of the shoreline erosion issue. The Trail Foundation and PARD Planners are discussing alternate options. Opposition to fencing has been stated by several involved in this conversation.

More to come on this issue. See images of the erosion.

Support our parks, vote for PARD budget items at the City of Austin's 2011 budget online forum. This online forum lets you vote for 2011 budget proposals.

Liz Carpenter Fountain in Butler Park, back up and running. See KVUE story here. 

The department had closed the Liz Carpenter Water Fountain in April 2010 for repairs. This includes: “Hyper-Chlorination” on a weekly basis. The Installation of a ultra-violet disinfection system. Bi-weekly testing for the cryptosporidium pathogen.

The Parks and Recreation Department is currently evaluating permanent solutions and funding options that will provide more sustainable solutions to the sanitation, filtration and operational deficiencies of the system.

The Liz Carpenter Water Fountain schedule: Open: 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. - Wednesday through Sunday - Closed for maintenance: Monday and Tuesday

The fountain's lights are currently not working however, the department’s staff is continuing to work on repairs to bring them back online as soon as possible.

What do you think? - West Riverside Drive Closure Poll - Town Lake Park is a great experience, yet currently, West Riverside Drive passing through the center of the park - as a east/west thru fare. In the past decade efforts have been made to reduce and slow traffic through the park, and with redevelopment on the horizon, a complete elimination of West Riverside Drive from the park looks to be the next step. Click here to answer the poll question on keeping or removing West Riverside Drive from Town Lake Park.