I have two favorites:
(1) Shipe Park: I first started swimming at Shipe soon after I moved to
Austin in 1991 for graduate school, and I’ve been swimming there ever
since. I now swim there with my daughters – and I’m looking forward to the
pool re-opening in the summer of 2019. It’s a great gathering spot where
families from surrounding neighborhoods and beyond come together for
movies, playground time, or community events.
(2) Nicholas Dawson Park: When I moved to Bouldin Creek neighborhood
in about 1999, this pocket park had high grass, a dilapidated and swingless
swingset, and little else. A small group of neighbors came together and
transformed the spot into one with landscaping, swings, and local art. It is a
real jewel and now provides access to trails that lead to Bouldin Creek. It’s
a testament to the hard work volunteers in every part of our community do
everyday to help improve our neighborhoods.