Our Mission
Pease Park Conservancy celebrates the diverse ecology and history that make Austin’s first public park valuable and unique. The Conservancy works to restore, enhance and maintain this 84-acre public green space for the sustainable use and enjoyment of all.
Bringing immediate joy to the Austin community, Kingsbury Commons reopened to the public following renovations in July of 2021.
Approved by the City of Austin in 2014, the Pease Park Vision Plan is a comprehensive blueprint for the rehabilitation, preservation, and enhancement of the park’s cultural, recreational, and natural features.
Phase 1 of Implementation
The Conservancy raised $10 million to implement Phase 1 of the Vision Plan - the renovation of Kingsbury Commons - and an additional $5 million to maintain those improvements into the future.
Park Operations & Maintenance Agreement (POMA)
Subsequently, the City of Austin approved a POMA, formalizing shared responsibilities for Operations, Maintenance, and Programming of Pease Park between Pease Park Conservancy & the City of Austin.
7 days a week, 365 days a year
A team of 5, the Conservancy’s Park Operations Team is onsite in Kingsbury Commons 7 days a week, 365 days a year to maintain the space to the highest standard.
Clean restrooms
Lead volunteer groups
Empty 18 trash and recycling bins several times per day
Care for basketball & cornhole courts
Tend to native plant beds
Perform daily inspections & maintenance on playground
Operate & maintain safe chemical levels for the beloved splashpad
Pick up litter, maintain grills, pet waste stations
Offer welcoming smiles & guidance for park visitors
Work with the City on care for the trees & maintain the Great Lawn
Througout the 75 contiguous acres of Pease Park, the Conservancy’s Park Operations Team cares for the ecology and biodiversity of the space in partnership with the City of Austin according to the Pease Park Land Management plan.
What does that mean exactly?
Removing invasive species of plants and replacing with native flora
Leading 1500 volunteers annually at 200 volunteer events
Installing a greenhouse to propagate native plants & provide conservation education
Contracting with the Texas Conservation Corps on projects throughout the park
Caring for pollinator plants that maintain Pease Park’s designation as a Monarch Waystation
Responding to emergencies in times of drought, freeze, or flood
A core value of the Conservancy is to make Pease Park accessible and welcoming for all. Programming events are curated and offered to the public for free, providing opportunities for community members to connect with nature and one another.
In 2022, more than 6,300 community members enjoyed these free community events.
858 Attendees
43 Events
14 Events
625 Attendees
167 Events
1,475 Attendees
34 Events
3,342 Attendees
The Conservancy hosts celebrations of the seasons throughout the year where the community can come together to enjoy all of the programming pillars in one day.
Over 2,000 Austinites gather in Pease Park for each of these events. In 2022, more than 6,000 people came together for these festivals in Pease Park.
The Conservancy coordinates and funds field trips for elementary aged classes from Title 1 schools. Each field trip includes:
– A volunteer experience
– A learning component developed in partnership with Families in Nature
– Free play and lunch
Students and teachers take Ecology School curriculum back to the classroom after the field trip to continue the lessons. Four Title 1 schools have participated and the Conservancy has a goal to increase this impact to 8 schools by the end of 2023.
This will allow around 400 students to engage with nature while improving their environmental literacy and learning.
The Conservancy has invested in two projects that have helped identify stories to be shared about the land that is now Pease Park and the optimal methods for sharing these stories and themes.
The themes identified to be shared include:
1
Pease Park is a place that reveals the wonders of the natural world and the intersections and tensions of our evolving place within it.
2 Pease Park is emblematic of racial and economic injustice in Austin and presents a unique opportunity to acknowledge our history of slavery, segregation, and exclusion in order to create a public space that is welcoming and accessible to all.
3
Pease Park is a natural treasure that belongs to us all, and caring for it is part of our heritage.
Along the Water, a project with Civic Arts in 2022, moved the organization forward on the second theme. Based on their work, Civic Arts has recommended the Conservancy begin to share the history of the Black Freedom Communities that lived and thrived along Shoal Creek after Emancipation through both programming and physical markers in the park.
The Conservancy will make strides in 2023 with these recommendations by further diversifying its staff and board, creating events and programs in partnership with Austin’s Black communities, and planning for the design of physical markers and spaces to recognize and share these themes with park visitors.
Reservable spaces have been home to incredibly joyful and meaningful events such as weddings, classes, reunions, and more. Nonprofits and City of Austin departments use these spaces for free or at a discounted rate.
Raised from Rental Fees
$92,250
Value of Donated Spaces $74,300 Weddings, Engagement Parties, Rehearsal Dinners
48 Nonprofit Meetings
$100K+ Level
Carrie and Robert Hicks
Helen and Sandy Watkins
Morgan and John Burnham
Tejemos Foundation: Lynne Dobson and Greg Wooldridge
$50K+ Level
Annie and Ryan Jacob Anonymous
Carolyn and Jack Long
H-E-B
Moody Foundation
Patrick Dunn
Sharon Dunn and Robert Prentice
The Playful Child
Urban Forest Grant Fund
Andrea Giles and Rogan Giles III
Annie Linebarger and Jason Jones
Brian and Caroline Haley
Caitlin and Gavin Turner
Chase and Andrea Rado Hamilton
Elizabeth and Rob Shands
Elizabeth and Ryan Taylor
Fran and George Ramsey
Hellie Hamilton and Charlie Cottingham
James and Sarah Hillhouse
Jennifer and Ronnie Skloss
Kate Thompson
Katherine and Jody Goehring
Katy and Matt Culmo
$10K
Andrew and Laura York
Beth and Tom Granger
Catherine Lucchesi and Harold Groendyke
David Barbour
JKS Family Fund
Laura Gottesman
Leslie Moore
Lew Aldridge
McBee Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Joe W. Bratcher Jr. Foundation
Rachel and Jeff Arnold
Laura and Garrett Key Laura Fowler
Mark and Genevieve Crozier
Mark and Lindsey Hanna
Mary Tipps
Michelle and Robert Strauss
Mike and Abby Smerklo
Milam and Tory Newby
Nicole and Tyson Tuttle
Pierce Runnells Foundation
Sabrina and Jay Brown
Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Victor and Dalton Young
Waterproof Foundation Inc
Wendy and Steve Martinez
RAW Running Ryan Youngblood
Shield-Ayres Foundation
Ten Eyck Landscape
Architects: Christy Ten Eyck
The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation
The Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation
The Tecumseh Foundation
Wendy Dunnam and Michael Tita
In partnership with the City of Austin, the Conservancy continues to steward the park as a respite and gathering space for all of Austin with a focus on pursuing initiatives and investments that support historically underserved Austinites.
Accounting for resources and community needs, the Conservancy will pursue initiatives using criteria set forth in the Strategy Screen, consistent with the Vision Plan’s guidance.
Pease Park will be known as an accessible urban green space for all, where land stewardship, environmental innovation and inclusive programming embrace the community’s history and inspire its future.
P.O. Box 50065 • Austin, TX 78763 512-903-3387 • info@peasepark.org peasepark.org
