The Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) worked with the community to create a new vision for Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park. The Vision Plan was adopted in February 2022. View the final adopted Vision Plan below. Take a virtual tour of the park here. District 7
Final Vision Plan
- Final Vision Plan Report (PDF) (adopted 2/2022)
- Final Report Appendix A and B (PDF) (adopted 2/2022)
- Final Vision Plan with legend (PDF) (adopted 2/2022)
Background
Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park is a 31-acre park in the Allandale neighborhood. The park was acquired by the City of Austin in 1955, and was last planned in 1987. Located at 7000 Ardath Street, the park is named after former director of the Parks and Recreation Department, Beverly S. Sheffield. Park amenities include baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts, a pool, rentable picnic spaces, a duck pond, and trails along Shoal Creek.
Project Description
PARD gathered community input to develop a plan to guide future development in the park. The plan includes recommendations for phased implementation.
Objectives include:
- Engage community stakeholders in visioning the park’s future
- Create a plan to guide phased implementation of desired park updates and features
Final Planning Values: Identified through community input
A. Enhance and preserve park natural amenities
- Preserve and enhance shade within the park
- Improve and maintain the duck pond
- Add more native habitat areas (trees and grasses/wildflowers)
- Remove impervious cover
B. Enhance and increase recreational amenities (active and passive)
- Support walkers and bikers with adequate trail networks
- Add seating for passive recreational opportunities
- Incorporate more open-ended active uses of the park
- Support existing active recreation uses (baseball, tennis, pickleball, pool)
- Provide dedicated spaces for gatherings, pedestrians, cyclists and dogs
- Develop unutilized areas of park
- Improve lighting
- Improve playground and restroom facilities
C. Increase park connectivity and park identity
- Better connect the park to the neighborhood and nearby recreational amenities
- Enhance signage and wayfinding
- Create opportunities to learn about the park and its history
- Update existing footbridge to park
- Build a new footbridge to park
D. Balance park amenities with other City infrastructure needs
- Coordinate dam rehabilitation requirements with community needs
- Provide space within the vision plan for pool modernization
- Plan for sewer line replacement project
Anticipated Schedule
- Small group meetings: Completed April 2021
- Community Meetings: Completed August 2021
- Finalize draft park vision plan: Completed November 2021
- Present draft park vision plan to boards and commissions for approval: Completed January 25, 2022
- Final plan adopted: Spring 2022
Community Engagement
Community members were invited to participate in community engagement events and opportunities to share about park needs and uses. Opportunities included virtual community meetings, virtual small group meetings, and online survey opportunities. Small group meetings took place in April 2021, and community-wide meetings began in early May 2021
Community Survey #1: closed April 19, 2021 (View survey results)
Community Survey #2: Review Your Planning Values: closed May 17, 2021 (View survey results)
Community Survey #3: Provide Feedback on Vision Plan Concepts: closed July 6, 2021 (View survey results)
Community Survey #4: Draft Final Vision Plan: closed August 23 (View survey results)
Small Group Discussions
These discussions focused on the specific issues identified. Recordings of meetings can be viewed below.
- April 6, 2021 Recreation and activities (view recording)
- April 20, 2021 Neighborhoods, communities, schools (view recording)
- April 27, 2021 Nature and environment (view recording)
Community Meeting #1: What We've Heard
May 4, 2021
Noon and 5:30 p.m
Recording of noon meeting
- Presentation slides (PDF, 16 MB)
- Meeting chat (PDF)
- View Draft Planning Values (PDF)
- Provide your input on Planning Values (open May 4 to May 17, 2021)
Community Meeting #2: Proposed Site Concepts
June 15, 2021
Noon and 5:30 p.m.
Presentation (PDF, 14 MB)
- Noon Recording | Meeting Chat (PDF)
- 5:30 p.m. Recording | Meeting Chat (PDF)
- Review Concept A (PDF) and Concept B (PDF)
Community Meeting #3: Draft Final Vision Plan
August 3, 2021
- Meeting #3 Draft Final Vision Plan (PDF)
- Noon recording
- 5:30 p.m. recording
- View Chat from both meetings (PDF)
- View Presentation (PDF, 10 MB)
Draft Final Vision Plan: Pop-up Events in the park
- Saturday, August 7, 10 a.m. to noon (in person)
- Sunday, August 22, 10 a.m. to noon (watch virtual meeting) | Chat (PDF)
Presentation to Parks and Recreation Board
January 25, 2022 (link to minutes)
Funding and Resources
This project was funded through 2018 Bond funding.
Contact Information
For more information or to provide feedback, please contact Charles Mabry by email or phone at (512) 974-9481.