South Austin Neighborhood Park

This spotlight feature originally appeared in GENA’s Winter 2024 newsletter.

GENA members and Galindo residents have been closely involved in the creation and evolution of South Austin Park and the South Austin Recreation Center from the very beginning in the early 70s.

South Austin Neighborhood Park has since become the crown jewel of the Galindo neighborhood. GENA formally adopted the park in 2018 through the Austin Parks Foundation Adopt-a-Park program, continuing our neighborhood’s longtime stewardship.

A Brief History of South Austin Neighborhood Park 

1970s: Founding and Opening of the South Austin Rec Center

The 24 acre area that comprises the park was acquired by the City of Austin in two parcels. Formerly an unmanaged wooded area, Galindo neighbors worked with the City of Austin Parks Department to open the Rec Center in 1974 as a welcoming place for South Austin children, teens and adults. The adjoining 12 acres were acquired in 1980 to preserve the wooded acreage as greenspace and to develop the Tennis Center, which opened in 1981, enhancing the variety of activities available to area residents and families.

 
2004-2006: Preservation of Mixed Use Park

In a surprise to Galindo residents, an expansion to the Tennis Center was announced in 2004 that would have nearly doubled its size, resulting in the removal of a large percentage of the park and the playing field. For the next two and a half years in dozens of city meetings, GENA played a pivotal role in representing the variety of neighborhood interests to promote a plan that would maintain a balance of multi-purpose urban green space in the park with the existing 10 tennis courts.

2007-2021 Development of the Mile Long Perimeter Trail

GENA members designed the trail plan with input from neighbors at GENA meetings that was approved and implemented by the Austin Parks Department. GENA members then worked for several years raising funds from private donors and writing and receiving a large grant from Austin Parks Foundation, successfully gaining the funding to develop the trail. Trail construction was completed in January 2021.