Brentwood Trail Update—We Did It!

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Susan

Friends of Brentwood Park successfully raised the funds needed to hire professionals to build the almost-1/2-mile-long park trail.

Thank you to all our neighbors who donated! Several community organizations also donated, and we would like to thank them now. Thank you to Violet Crown Community Works, Brentwood Neighborhood Association, Crestview Neighborhood Association, and Paragon Prep.

We are waiting on the permit to begin work. Parks and Recreation is applying for the permit. They anticipate that it will be issued sometime the first or second week of April. Since that is only a few weeks before the Violet Crown Festival, we will begin the trail once the festival is over.

American Youthworks has been hired to build the trail and they estimate that it will take between 3 and 4 weeks to complete.

You can download and view the proposed trail map here.

Almost-Summer 2013 Update: Trail and Fundraiser

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Susan

Construction on the new granite trail in Brentwood Park continues, and Friends of Brentwood Park expect work to wrap-up shortly. There were a few unexpected delays, but those issues have been addressed, and the crews are back at work. You may have experienced some problems with walking your normal route in the park, but we expect the trail to be complete soon.

The new walking trail was organized by Friends of Brentwood Park, funded by a grant from Austin Parks Foundation and donations from neighbors and local groups—including Violet Crown Community Works, Brentwood Neighborhood Association, Crestview Neighborhood Association, and Paragon Prep—and installed by American Youthworks volunteers.

The trail forms an almost-1/2-mile loop, starting at the granite portion of the trail at Arroyo Seco, following the complete granite trail clockwise, and walking back down the sidewalk along Arroyo Seco to the start. Sometime in the near future, Friends of Brentwood Park hopes to organize a fun-for-all-ages marathon to celebrate the park and the trail. Stay tuned!

You can download and view the proposed trail map here. More about the project here.

On June 5th, Joel and Joanna Fried hosted their end-of-school-year BBQ and asked guests to make a donation to Brentwood Park. The BBQ is an annual event that the family has been hosting for several years, and a few years ago they started asking for donations to go to park improvements. This year, they were able to raise $1,153.81!

Thanks Joel and Joanna for hosting! Also, thank you neighbors for coming out, sharing great food and company, and donating much needed funds for future park improvements!

Friends of Brentwood Park is planning our next project now. If you have suggestions and/or are able to lend a hand coordinating new park projects, please contact us on Facebook or through our website.

The Next Park Project—Walking Trail

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Susan

Friends of Brentwood Park is thrilled to report that the Austin Parks Foundation has awarded FOBP a grant for a decomposed granite trail along the border of the park. We applied for the grant in September 2012.

With the grant and our individual fund raising, we already have met 89% of our funding needs but still have $3,000 to go. We would like to break ground this winter or early spring, and we need your help. If just 60 neighbors could donate $50 each, our goal can be met.

Any donation through the Austin Parks Foundation is tax deductible. To donate by check, and to find out about other ways to help, click here.

The trail project is part of the Friends of Brentwood Park Master Plan. The master plan was created to guide projects such as the pavilion and tree planting, which enhance and improve the park for neighborhood use. The master plan for the park can viewed hereon our website.

You can download and view the proposed trail map here. More about the project here.

Come Party for the Park! Fall FOBP Fundraiser

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Susan

ATown, Wednesday, December 5, 2012, 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Come one, come all to the second annual Sip-n-Shop fundraiser at one of Austin’s most unique shops, ATown, 5502 Burnet Road at Shoalmont Drive. As you’re holiday shopping this year, please stop by on Wednesday evening, December 5th, and enjoy a glass of cheer with us as we celebrate another successful year of park improvements. Refreshments and adult beverages will be served! ATown will donate 10% of event sales directly to Friends of Brentwood Park, and we’ve got big plans for next year!

Browse art, clothing, jewelry, home accessories, pottery, music, garden décor, kitchen treasures, and countless unique and interesting gifts from dozens of Austin’s artisans. Whether you’re shopping for little stocking stuffers for a few dollars, or bigger one-of-a-kind gifts, ATown will have something special for your budget.

And featuring . . . GUS Austin t-shirts! Inspired by Lichtenstein, Haring and Warhol, GUS blends his graphic pop art style with iconic images of Austin. Bold simplicity is what GUS is all about, for any person who loves strong, simple, contemporary art. His current series features renditions of the beloved Texas longhorn, Mexican free-tailed bat, trailer park eateries, and, of course, the famous armadillo! GUS is donating $5 per t-shirt to FOBP! See more at www.gusartaustin.com.

This is an easy and fun way to help Friends of Brentwood Park kick off the New Year, but you can also make a tax-deductible donation to the Austin Parks Foundation. Complete the Park Adopter Donation Form and select “Brentwood Park, Friends of” in the list of adoptee groups.

FOBP has been able to do so much in the park thanks to the support and volunteerism from our neighbors, and we look forward to another great year with you.

Trail Project Update

Posted on September 15, 2012 by denman82

Friends of Brentwood Park (FOBP) submitted a grant in September 2012 to apply for funds to build a 2,030 linear foot granite trail in Brentwood Park. The proposed trail would run along the north, west and south borders of the park and connect to the Arroyo Seco sidewalk. The grant that is being applied for is through the Austin Parks Foundation.

The Brentwood Park Trail Map can be downloaded and viewed here. It was created by a neighbor and landscape architect who donated his time towards the project. If you have questions, comments, or concerns about the proposed trail, please contact us here.

The trail was suggested by residents during the park planning process in 2011 and is part of the Friends of Brentwood Park Master Plan, which was voted on by the neighborhood. The master plan is available here.

FOBP is asking for a $21,000 grant, and we are pledging to contribute $6000 from local donations. We have already received donations of $2700 from Violet Crown Community Works, the Crestview and Brentwood neighborhood associations, and a BBQ fundraiser held in the park last summer.

To make a donation by credit/debit card, go to Austin Parks Foundation, fill out the form at the top, click the box next to “Brentwood Park, Friends of,” enter amount to the right of the name, and complete the payment information at the bottom. Or, make your donation by phone by calling Austin Parks Foundation, 512-477-1566, Ext. 1.

For tax-deductible donations by check, make checks payable to Austin Parks Foundation with “Brentwood Park, FO” in the memo line, and mail it to the Austin Parks Foundation, P. O. Box 300369, Austin, TX 78703.