Heads Up Texas Disc Golfers, your help is needed, and quickly!

The City recently announced that they will be closing Pease Park Disc Golf Course by the end of the year. This announcement comes months after telling the community that the course would remain open until there was another course opened (possibly at Roy Guerrero Park) so that the other area courses are not drastically overused, drastically exaggerating environmental impact at every other area course. This was a complete lie. There will be no course at Roy G for many months, if ever. City officials strung us along, just to shut us up and announce their real intentions while the citizens were not paying attention. They did this on a Friday afternoon at 4:45 pm right before the short Thanksgiving week. Here is a link to the KXAN story on Friday �

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/disc-golf-almost-done-at-pease-park-

The City also promised that they would work towards (or at least consider) reinstating some aspect of the course at Pease once the storm-water work is completed. Given that this information came from City officials, it is unclear what will be the final result, especially with their recent track record of inconsistent stories.

So, if you are interested in having future disc golf recreation in Austin, or are interested in simply having city officials which tell the truth and follow ethical protocol standards, PLEASE make yourselves heard. There is no chance that they will ever show the community respect if folks simply accept this as the way government works.

If you wish to contact the following people to express your opinion, here are the phone numbers of the elected representatives. You may e-mail them using this website

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/groupemail.htm

Mayor Lee Leffingwell - (512) 974-2250
Council Member Chris Riley - (512) 974-2260
Council Member Mike Martinez - (512) 974-2264
Council Member Randi Shade - (512) 974-2255
Council Member Laura Morrison - (512) 974-2258
Council Member Bill Spelman - (512) 974-2256
Council Member Sheryl Cole - (512) 974-2266
Sara Hensley, PARD Director � (512) 974-6716
Assistant City manager Bert Lumbreras � (512) 974-7717

To widen the scope of your responses, here are the email addresses of the Mayor and Council, many of their aides, the Parks Dept. Director and 2 of the Assistant Directors, and the Austin Parks Board. ALL of these people need to hear about this from you, and they need to hear about it often. The groups opposed to Pease are getting to these influential members often and vocally, the disc golf community now needs to do the same.

The city is, at best, breaking their word about keeping the course open until a new course is completely installed and operating. This was a publicly stated commitment.

Mayor & Council
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Mayor\Council Aides
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]


PARD Director & Assistant Directors
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]


Austin Parks Board
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Just a reminder that tonight is an important �public input� meeting about the proposed disc golf course at the Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Park; Monday evening, November 29th
6:00 � 7:30 pm
Ruiz Branch Library
1600 Grove Road, 78741

And tomorrow night is the monthly Austin Parks Board meeting;
Tuesday evening, November 30th
6 pm at City Hall
301 W. 2nd Street
Boards and Commissions Room (Rm. 1101)

The opponents of this new course have marshaled their defenses and are putting a lot of pressure on the city council, parks department, and austin parks board; the same as the opponents of the Pease course have done.

We need good turnouts at both meetings and good pressure on these same institutions though emails and phone calls in order to balance out the negative information.


For the Parks Board meeting on Tuesday, the official agenda lists the disc golf part at a briefing by the city on the proposed disc golf course at the Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Park. I believe the public can also speak out about this project at this time because it is on the agenda. But in addition to that, they have a Public Comment period at the beginning of the meeting for people to speak about items not on the agenda. This is where we can talk about Pease.

Having a lot of supporters there both voicing concern for Pease as well as the need for Roy G. is important from a �public input� standpoint. If we don�t speak up for what we want, we�ll never get it.

Thanks!

Seen yah on the front page of newspaper.........If the two pictures would of been on the same page the headline could read "Hippies against Indians"....:)

Who would the Austin City Council support in such a war?

If the Hippies wore tie-dyed ponchos, and were homeless, I pretty sure the council would fall in line.

The city is going to start doing Master Planning work for Pease Park this year, maybe even starting as early as June, but we don�t have any definite dates/locations yet. As soon as we do we will pass those along. We will need, NEED, big attendance and input at these city meetings to really push for disc golf going back into Pease once the creek work is done.


In the meantime though, one of the Pease improvement groups, Pease Park Conservancy, is having a �Meet & Greet� to talk about the master planning process. They want neighbors and park users to give their input on what they want to see in the Pease Master Plan. The group�s website is: http://www.peasepark.org/ and they have a facebook page too http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pease-Park-Conservancy/111926615556330


This is a great event for disc golfers to show up to and voice our desire as park users, neighbors, and city residents, for disc golf to be included in the park�s future.

Not in a confrontational way, but in a constructive, involved, �This is what we want; this is what we think is important; this is why� way.

We want and need to show that disc golf is still a desired and appropriate activity at Pease.

Thursday
May 19th
6 pm
Pease Park, at the picnic table area


We hope to see you there!
Waterloo Disc Golf Club

We just heard (via their twitter feed) that the Pease Park Plan Meet & Greet is Postponed until May 26th at 6pm because of the rain.

http://twitter.com/#!/PeasePark

Below is a link to a story about Pease Park and the master planning public input meeting coming up on Thursday, February 27th.

http://austin.twcnews.com/content/news/297416/city-seeking-public-input-on-future-of-pease-park

If you click on the link for more info, there is a link to a survey but apparently the survey is CLOSED.

Please contact the woman in charge of the master planning process and ask her to re-open the survey; and tell her you want disc golf back in Pease Park, that you want it as part of the Master Plan for the park.

A full 18-hole course would be preferable, but at the very least a 9-hole course.

Kim McKnight
[email protected]
512-974-9478

We need lots and lots of disc golfers to attend the meeting and speak up for disc golf. If you can�t go, be sure to email and/or call Ms. McKnight about it.

Thursday, February 27th
6 � 8 pm
Lamar Senior Center
2874 Shoal Crest Avenue
Austin, TX 78705

Thanks,
Waterloo Disc Golf Club

The Pease Park Master Plan Survey has been re-opened, but only until 5 pm this Friday, February 14th. So go fill it out right away, and spread the word to others.

Our pressure to get them to re-open the survey worked, let�s make sure disc golfers are heard loud and clear that we want disc golf BACK in Pease Park, permanently.

Here is the link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VWX5XCX

And here is the link to give feedback about the Master Plan: [email protected] or call 512-974-9478

Below is a copy of the email Ms. Kim McKnight sent out in response to some of our contacts since last Friday. Lots of info and links, please go check it all out.

Remember: mark your calendar and plan on showing up to the public input meeting on Thursday, February 27th, 6 � 8 pm, Lamar Senior Activity Center, 2874 Shoal Crest Avenue, 78705. A big disc golf turnout is VERY IMPORTANT at Master Planning meetings.

We need you to fill out the survey, email and phone with feedback, and come to the meeting.

Thanks!
Waterloo Disc Golf Club



The City of Austin, in partnership with the Pease Park Conservancy, is working with WRT (Wallace, Roberts & Todd, LLC) to develop a Master Plan for Pease Park and an adjacent portion of the Shoal Creek Greenbelt north of the park. The Master Plan will provide a long-range vision to guide the further restoration and preservation of this historic green space located in central Austin.

Mark Your Calendars
The next meeting for the Pease Park Master Plan process will be Thursday, February 27, 2014 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Lamar Senior Activity Center, 2874 Shoal Crest Avenue, 78705. We encourage you to attend.

Take the online survey
The City of Austin wants to hear about your vision for Pease Park. We�ve extended the deadline for the survey until 5pm, Friday, February 14. Please be sure to share the survey link with your friends and neighbors.
Link to Pease Park survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VWX5XCX

Recap of Public Input Meeting #1�November 21, 2013
More than 60 people attended the Nov. 21 meeting to provide feedback about Pease Park�s future. Participants were asked for input about recreation, natural resources, cultural resources and infrastructure.

Click the following link to access the Nov. 21 presentation:
http://goo.gl/Ohd3bU

Click the following link to access inventory and analysis maps:
http://goo.gl/ZPW9Jh

Click here to see public input received at the Nov. 21 meeting:
http://goo.gl/cvU1YR

Background
WRT and the Pease Park Conservancy will undertake the Master Plan process in close partnership with the City of Austin. An integral part of the process will include a series of public stakeholder meetings and surveys designed to solicit input from various members of and stakeholders in the Austin community, including residents who use the park and the greenbelt. WRT will synthesize this public input to create a feasible and sustainable blueprint for the recreational development and ecological restoration of those areas in the future. The plan is projected to be completed by early fall of 2014. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Austin Parks and Recreation Board and City Council will review and approve the Master Plan.

Since 2008, the Pease Park Conservancy has led efforts to improve the area�s landscape, including planting 500 new trees and restoring historic features in the park, such as the Tudor Cottage and Memorial Entry Gates constructed in the 1920s and the picnic tables installed by the Works Progress Administration. Founded in 1963, WRT has established a national reputation for planning public spaces across the country. The firm�s headquarters are located in Philadelphia, with satellite offices in Dallas, San Francisco and Miami. Among its numerous projects, WRT has prepared a master plan for Houston�s Memorial Park and is currently working on the Trinity River Park project in Dallas. WRT also spearheaded the comprehensive �Imagine Austin� plan for the City in 2012.

To learn more about the Pease Park Conservancy, please go to www.peasepark.com, contact (512)777-1632 or email [email protected] For updated information about the Pease Park Master Planning Process or to provide feedback, please email [email protected].gov or call (512)974-9478.

Best regards,
Kim McKnight

Kim McKnight, MSHP
Project Coordinator & Cultural Resource Specialist
Planning and Development Division
Parks and Recreation Department
City of Austin
512/974-9478
[email protected]