The Trail Conservancy is implementing various elements proposed in PARD’s Holly Shores/Edward Rendon Sr. Park Vision Plan, which designed a vision for revitalized open space that integrates redevelopment of the decommissioned Holly Street Power Plant site with existing open space. During the development of the Vision Plan, consultants worked with the neighboring communities through a series of public meetings and outreach efforts to identify priorities from as broad a constituency as possible. The Trail Conservancy desires to build on these successful engagement efforts to ensure the community continues its collaboration during the design of the Fishing Pier Project, an inaugural Corgan Canopy Fund project announced in 2018 as one of the 15 projects for TTF’s 15th anniversary.
The Fishing Pier Project is located just west of the decommissioned Holly Power Plant at Festival Beach, adjacent to the lagoon and the baseball fields. The area is located in the East Cesar Chavez and Holly Neighborhoods, home to generations of Hispanic residents who have worked to preserve its character and culturally historic sites. A significant achievement for the community has been the recognition by the U.S. Department of the Interior to designate the Tejano Music Legends Trail as a National Recreation Trail. The Trail showcases many historical and cultural sites that honor Austin’s Latino musical legends from the 1940s and 50s. Part of the 5.6-mile pathway runs along the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, connecting the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Arts Center (ESB-MACC) and Holly Project. Neighborhood leaders are currently working with partners and area schools to improve the promotion of the trails for fitness, health, historic preservation, and cultural awareness.
In addition to the new ADA-accessible realignment of the Trail along the waterfront by PARD, the Fishing Pier Project will provide a fishing pier, additional seating, lighting, and native plant restoration to support the ecological restoration of the urban forest and natural areas and protection of the shoreline for wildlife habitat.
The concept of a fishing pier originated from the Holly Shores/ Edward Rendon Sr. at Festival Beach Master Plan approved by the Austin City Council in 2015. “…recommendation is to build a high level fishing pier and viewpoint over the lake, immediately next to the warehouse plaza and close to the main bike and pedestrian trails. This could be a quiet place to seek respite from the city on a weekday morning, or full of people, perhaps even hosting a small event on the weekend.”
When TTC first launched this project from the Master Plan, one of the key initial steps was pinpointing the exact location and orientation, as the Master Plan indicated that “locations of project elements are conceptual and subject to change based on engineering, permitting, and design development.” Initially, the chosen site was not publicly accessible, and the community had begun using an informal water access point further west near the lagoon. However, after gathering community feedback, which was overwhelmingly positive about the adjusted location, TTC proceeded with detailed design development at the newly favored site.
The concrete trail shown in the design is part of a separate project run by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) recently opened. Due to their funding sources, PARD was required to construct the trail from concrete and not some other material. Â
The existing boat dock on the lagoon is privately owned and maintained by the Lorraine Camacho Activity Center. There is currently no public access to this dock. Please contact the Lorraine Camacho Activity Center for their list of programs and events that use this dock.
Drawing from previous community engagement, this project was intentionally designed to retain its character as a small neighborhood park and not a place for large groups of people to congregate. The Holly Shores Vision Plan provides larger community gathering areas near the existing Camacho Activity Center main building.
The Trail Conservancy recognized the potential of a future bridge connection as one of the 15 Projects for the 15th Anniversary. As outlined, TTC has committed to conducting a feasibility study to connect the new trail alignment at Holly Shores to the peninsula off Lakeshore Blvd.
In the current design, no additional drinking fountains are included. There are two existing drinking fountains, one near the baseball diamond and parking lot and the other near the Lorraine Camacho Activity Center. A new trash and recycling receptacle will be installed near the pedestrian bridge during the PARD lakefront trail project.
The Trail Conservancy recognized the potential of a future bridge connection as one of the 15 Projects for the 15th Anniversary. As outlined, TTC has committed to conducting a feasibility study to connect the new trail alignment at Holly Shores to the peninsula off Lakeshore Blvd.
One of the preliminary concept sketches showed a possible stone pergola near what is now a fishing pier. The community-guided Holly Shores Vision Plan indicated that the pavilion and family gathering areas should be closer to the existing Camacho Activity Center. Regulatory complications were another one of the reasons the pergola was not feasible so close to the water’s edge.
Existing parking will remain nearby at the Camacho Activity Center. The fishing pier is highly regulated, so there is a limit to the size that can be installed. Additionally, the Festival Beach boat ramp remains open and will be preserved as shown in the Holly Shores Vision Plan.
Sharoll & Bryan Sheffield · Austin Parks & Recreation Parkland Dedication Program
Jonna & Jill Foundation · The Cooper Matthews · Glanville Grill Foundation · H-E-B Texas
Ron & Rene Albee · Jacob & Terese Hershey · Luci Baines Johnson & Ian Turpin · Cheryl & Walt Penn · REI
Sally Matoushek · Texas Realty Capital
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