Austin Parks and Recreation reopened the western half of Zilker Park’s Great Lawn on Oct. 31 after an annual maintenance period, the city announced in an Oct. 27 news release.
Visitors can now access the western side of the lawn, which includes the park’s rock island, sand volleyball courts and athletic field. The remainder of the lawn and Lou Neff Road will remain closed as setup begins for the Austin Trail of Lights event in December, according to the release.
The Great Lawn, bordered by Lou Neff Road, Stratford Drive and Barton Springs Road, was closed for the Austin City Limits Music Festival load-in on Sept. 21 and remained closed through October. An Austin Parks and Recreation spokesperson said the maintenance was part of the department’s standard annual schedule.
The release said Austin Parks and Recreation maintenance teams collaborated with C3 Presents, a local event management company, and its contractors to complete a series of regular maintenance tasks during the closure.
“Efforts include complete debris removal, irrigation repairs, lawn aeration, rye seed distribution, and selective watering to aid turf recovery,” the city wrote in the release. “Volleyball courts have been tilled and screened to restore optimal conditions. Finally, areas south of Barton Springs Road have been hydroseeded to reestablish grass.”
Structures for the Austin Trail of Lights, coordinated by Austin Parks and Recreation, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment and the Austin Trail of Lights Foundation, will occupy the remaining portion of the great lawn. The annual event begins Dec. 10 and runs until Dec. 23.
Other features of Zilker Park, such as Barton Springs Pool, the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and the Barton Creek Greenbelt will be unaffected by the ongoing closure, according to the Austin Parks and Recreation website. However, visitors will lose access to the park’s volleyball courts again after Nov. 16.
