Support Us Button Widget

Zilker Park Vision Plan “shelved,” Mayor Kirk Watson says

The expansive overhaul of Austin’s signature park will not be moving forward, the mayor announced Monday.

The Great Lawn at Zilker Park on a sunny day.

The Zilker Metropolitan Park Vision Plan has been “shelved” indefinitely.

Photo by ATXtoday

The Zilker Metropolitan Park Vision Plan has been “shelved” indefinitely, Mayor Kirk Watson announced in his email newsletter Monday.

“The Zilker Metropolitan Park Vision Plan will not be on the August 31st City Council agenda and there is no plan to bring it before the Austin Mayor and Council in the future,” Watson said.

A draft version of the expansive, ~$200 million plan was released last year, delineating what would have been the first master plan for Zilker Park in its 100 years of existence.

A map of the overall draft zilker vision plan

The Zilker Metropolitan Park Vision Plan would have added several new fixtures to the 100-year-old park.

Rendering via the City of Austin’s Zilker Park Vision Plan Draft Document

In addition to changing traffic on Barton Springs Road, the 254-page draft of the plan envisioned major additions to the park, including:

  • Three new parking garages
  • A land bridge crossing over Barton Springs Road, joining the north and south sides of the park
  • A new Zilker Hillside Theater, integrated with the new land bridge
  • A new pedestrian and bike bridge across Lady Bird Lake
  • A new picnic area near the Great Lawn with bathrooms and concession
  • A new welcome plaza, repurposing the current caretaker’s cottage on the south side of the park

In the months since the draft plan was announced, residents have expressed concerns about the plan’s impacts on the park’s accessibility and ecology, sparking a campaign called “Save Zilker Park.”

City Council had plans to discuss these concerns later this month, before Watson’s announcement Monday.

“My recommendation is that we cool off for a spell,” Watson said in his newsletter. “We could all benefit from a little time and perspective. And then, we can start working together on the recommendations in the plan that have consensus … this plan wasn’t the right course and it’s time for it to be ended.”

More from ATXtoday
Party like it’s your birthday with these gifts from nearby businesses to you.
The spine-tingling pop-up will take over King Bee in east Austin from Wednesday, Oct. 9 to Thursday, Oct. 31.
Sometimes you get the munchies late at night, so we’re helping out with a list of spots that stay open late around Austin.
Tally up your Austin experience score based on how many landmarks, music venues, and festivals you have visited since living in the Capital City.
Plus, you’ll want to find your friendly neighborhood city editors at ACL for a chance to answer some trivia questions and win a friendship bracelet.
Pending Austin City Council approval, Our Future 35’s vision plan for Austin could become a reality.
During Legacy Business Month, locals are invited to celebrate Austin’s community fixtures through a competitive challenge.
The world-famous music festival is just around the corner — read up on a few updates you may have missed recently.
Consider these landmarks our Hollywood signs.
ATXtoday readers shared which local restaurants + meals they miss the most — and we think you’ll agree.