Update

• Staff Update Memorandum to Mayor and Council, July 29, 2024

Background

The first phase of the Project Connect Light Rail Implementation Plan will require the relocation of the Waller Creek Boathouse from the north shore of Lady Bird Lake. The former Youth Hostel site on the lake's southern shore is the only viable alternative site for the boathouse facility.

The Youth Hostel building was constructed in 1966 as a community center for the Kassuba Apartments. The City of Austin acquired the property through CIP funding in 1985 and partnered with the Austin Rowing Club (ARC) for the use of the building to store boats. ARC relocated to the Waller Beach location when a previous boathouse’s construction was completed in 1988, and the City entered into an agreement with the Southwest Council of American Youth Hostels to convert the building into a Youth Hostel. Alterations to the building and its interiors were made through the years to enhance accessibility and improve service at the building. The hostel closed in 2020 with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Austin Parks and Recreation Park Rangers currently use the Youth Hostel site for offices, storage, and other staff needs. The site also includes a dock with canoe rentals, a small parking lot, access to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, and nearby on-street parking. The building has been reviewed for historical designation, but after review, the building was not eligible.

The Waller Creek Boathouse opened at 74 Trinity Street in 2012, after the previous location was demolished for the construction of the Waller Creek Tunnel. The boathouse is owned by the City and managed by the Austin Rowing Club. It currently serves the community with indoor and outdoor rental spaces and is home to the ARC, Retro Boat Rentals ATX, Rō Fitness, ARC Kayak & Paddleboard, and Alta’s Café. Additionally, the boathouse includes equipment for the adjacent Waller Creek Tunnel’s Outfall Facility.

Project Description

A Feasibility Study aims to determine how the Youth Hostel site can reasonably become the new Boathouse site for the City and its residents and how much it would cost.

The project boundary surrounds the 7,000 sf Youth Hostel building and includes the Peace Point peninsula at Lady Bird Lake Metropolitan Park and the adjacent Lady Bird Lake waters. It also contains portions of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, which is managed and maintained by the Trail Conservancy.

Austin Parks and Recreation and Watershed Protection have divided the feasibility study into two components: Environmental and Architecture. INTERA has been selected to complement the Environmental Services Portion. Atkins-Realis has been selected as the architectural services consultant team.

The feasibility study will include:

• Facility and site assessment
• On-the-ground survey
• Bathymetric survey
• Geotechnical engineering evaluation
• Phase 1 Environmental assessment
• Code analysis
• Research of local and state regulations, programming identification, and preliminary design options with conceptual-level cost estimates.

Options to be evaluated include the reuse of the existing Youth Hostel building with or without additions, demolition of the existing building and construction of a new facility, and the option of two separate buildings. Additionally, Austin Watershed Protection is a partner in the feasibility study to determine the feasibility of facilities on the site to serve their crews who regularly access Lady Bird Lake to remove trash and debris, and monitor and conduct studies on algae, etc.

Anticipated Schedule

The Feasibility Study's Environmental and Architectural Services components are anticipated to be completed in 2025. The timeline and integration of these two separate scopes of work with the accompanying engagement are described below. Note: All meeting timelines are tentative based on ongoing contract negotiations.

• Winter 2024: Website launch (complete)
• Summer 2024: Environmental Services (complete)
• Winter 2026: Architectural Services (in progress)
• Summer 2026: Council Office and Parks Board Briefings

Funding and Resources

Funding for the feasibility study came from the City of Austin's Project Connect Office and Austin Watershed Protection. The funding for the new boathouse will be identified during the Feasibility Study process.

Community Engagement

This process is guided by City Council Resolution 20220901-085, which directs Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) "to coordinate with the Austin Rowing Club and other appropriate organizations that currently utilize the Waller Creek Boathouse." As a citywide asset, community and stakeholder input plays an essential part of this process. The project team will regularly seek to engage stakeholders in the local community including park users, recreational groups, nearby neighbors, businesses, community groups, and other stakeholders.

APR will lead accompanying community engagement throughout the project, which will likely include:

• Small Group Conversations 
  As part of the feasibility study, the project team will coordinate with the groups and organizations who have relationships to the current boathouse or the proposed relocation site. The project team will set up small group meetings with stakeholders and attend events to share presentations, brief project updates, and gather feedback and concerns.
• Community Meeting at Completion of Feasibility Study
  Upon completion of the feasibility study, a community meeting (virtual or in-person, to be determined) will share the results of the Youth Hostel Boathouse Feasibility Study to the community, discuss the findings of the assessment and research phase, and provide updates on anticipated next steps available for the site. Questions and discussions from community members and stakeholders received at the Community Meeting will be reviewed by the team that works on the next phase of the project.  The Austin Transit Partnership and Parks and Recreation will co-sponsor this meeting.

The project team will keep interested people informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and aspirations, and provide feedback on how public input influenced the preliminary design options and programming identification.

Contact Information

If you have any questions or comments, please email Ricardo Soliz, Division Manager, Austin Parks and Recreation, or call at 512-974-9452.