Austin Parks and Recreation worked with the community to create a new vision for Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park, adopted in February 2022. The first project to be implemented will be replacement of the playgrounds with new, safe, and accessible play features. City Council District 7

Background

Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park is a 31-acre park located in the Allandale neighborhood. The park was acquired by the City of Austin in 1955 and renamed in 2001 in honor of Beverly S. Sheffield, who served more than 40 years with Austin Parks and Recreation. The park includes baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts, a pool, rentable picnic areas, a duck pond, and trails along Shoal Creek.

The Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park Vision Plan was adopted in 2022 and identified the playground replacement as a top priority. The existing playgrounds and current equipment is aging and in need of replacement. The site also contains historic features that will be preserved, including the Miller Melberg designed “Turtle” sculpture and the “Northwest Park Playground” seat wall.

Project Description

This project will replace the traditional playscapes for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12 at the park. The project will serve families, children, caregivers, and visitors who use the playground. The new playground will remain within the existing footprint to protect the large heritage trees surrounding the site. Improvements will include new play features, enhanced ADA accessibility, and drainage upgrades.

The project is taking place from late 2025 through 2027. Design and community engagement will occur from February to March 2026, followed by construction beginning in August 2026. 

Objectives

The purpose of the project is to provide a safe, inclusive, and nature-based playground that reflects community priorities and preserves important historic elements. Within this overall purpose, we plan to achieve the following objectives: 

  • Replace aging playground equipment with safe and accessible play features;
  • Preserve historic elements including the Miller Melberg “Turtle” and seat wall;
  • Incorporate nature-based play elements in alignment with the Vision Plan;
  • Improve drainage and ADA accessibility within the playground area; and
  • Engage the community to identify preferred play elements and design features.

Anticipated Schedule

  • January to March 2026: Community engagement and conceptual design
  • Spring to early summer 2026: Construction documents
  • Summer 2026: Permitting
  • Late summer 2026 through spring 2027: Construction

Community Engagement

Community members are invited to participate in three phases of engagement to help shape the new playground. Engagement opportunities will include "pop-ups" (unscheduled tabling opportunities to get input from neighbors) at the recreation center, the park, and nearby schools. Online surveys will be available for those who are unable to provide feedback at the pop-ups. We will keep the community informed about opportunities to give feedback and the project process, listen to ideas and suggestions, and show how your feedback influences the design.

Community Engagement Round 1

The focus will be to identify priorities and desired play elements.

Community Engagement Round 2

The focus in Round 2 will be to review draft concepts and receive feedback.

Community Engagement Round 3

The focus in Round 3 will be to review the final concept.

Funding and Resources

The project budget is $450,000 dollars. Funding will support design, community engagement, construction documents, permitting, and construction of the new playground.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact Reynaldo Hernandez, project manager, by email at Reynaldo.hernandez@austintexas.gov or by calling 512 974 9464.

Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park Vision Plan

The Vision Plan was adopted in February 2022. View the final adopted Vision Plan below. Take a virtual tour of the park here.

Final Vision Plan

Overhead drawing of the Vision Plan showing outlines of the park, tree areas, play areas, parking, and pool

Vision Plan Background and Description

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.

Austin Parks and Recreation gathered community input to develop a plan to guide future development in the park. The plan includes recommendations for phased implementation.

Objectives included:

  • Engage community stakeholders in visioning the park’s future
  • Create a plan to guide phased implementation of desired park updates and features
Planning Values

The following planning values were 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
Schedule and Community Engagement

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

Small Group Discussions: These discussions focused on the specific issues identified. Recordings of meetings can be viewed below.

Community Meetings:

Community Meeting #1: What We've Heard
May 4, 2021
Noon and 5:30 p.m
Recording of noon meeting

Community Meeting #2: Proposed Site Concepts
June 15, 2021
Noon and 5:30 p.m.
Presentation (PDF, 14 MB)

Community Meeting #3: Draft Final Vision Plan
August 3, 2021

Draft Final Vision Plan: Pop-up Events in the park

Presentation to Parks and Recreation Board: January 25, 2022 (link to minutes)

Funding

This project was funded through 2018 Bond funding.

 

Related Links
Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest Municipal Pool

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