The Trail Conservancy is preparing to implement 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 Holly Project, an inaugural Corgan Canopy Fund project announced in 2018 as one of the 15 projects for TTF’s 15th anniversary.
Holly 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 Holly 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.
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Click to see other projects planned in the area from the Holly Shores/Edward Rendon Sr. Park Vision Plan.
Design Notes (FAQs)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Existing Conditions
Project Schedule
June 8th, 2019:Â Open House #1
Residents, trail-users, and community recreation groups help design a vision for the site and learn how it will integrate and support the redevelopment of the neighboring park amenities proposed in the Holly Shores/Edward Rendon Sr. Park Master Plan.
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December 7th, 2019:Â Open House #2 –Â Lorraine Camacho Activity CenterÂ
Design concepts presented at open house, providing functional and gathering space recommendations based on community input received during the initial phase.
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View the summary report from Open House #2
View Photos from the Open House
View the Project Flyer
View the Welcome Board
View the Input Board
View the Concept A Boards
View the Concept B Boards
View the Inspiration Boards
June 24, 2021: Open House #3 –Â Virtual Meeting
Held via Zoom, the team shared “what we heard” from the second community engagement and presented the updated schematic design responding to the project goals, community feedback, and site conditions.
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View the video
View the presentation slides
View the survey report
Spring 2023: Design & Development Completed
Summer 2023: Site Development Permit Submitted
Fall 2023: Construction Documents Begin
Late Spring/Early Summer 2024: Anticipated Construction Begins
Comprehensive Community Engagement Summary
2019
- April – In-depth Interviews – Community Leaders
- April 29Â – ETLCNA Town Hall – 6 to 8 p.m.
- May 18Â – Project Kick-off Event – Camacho Activity Center – 9 to 12 p.m.
- June 8 – Public Open House – Camacho Activity Center – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- June 12Â – Festival Beach Community Garden – Terrazas Branch Library – Group Presentation – 6 to 8 p.m.
- June 13 – Rebekah Baines Johnson Center (RBJ Center) – Group Presentation – 3 to 4 p.m.
- June 15Â – Holly Project – Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail – Tabling/Intercepts – 8 to 10 a.m.
- June 19Â – East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Contact Team – Group Presentation – Terrazas Branch Library – 6 to 8:30 p.m.
- August 1Â – ETLCNA – Neighborhood Meeting – 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- December 7 – Public Open House – Camacho Activity Center – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
2021
- June 24 – Public Open House – Virtual Meeting – 6 to 7 p.m.
