Pease Park upgrades continue, part of trail still closed after landslides

After multiple landslides, one in May 2018 and another in May 2019, part of the Shoal Creek Greenbelt Trail had to be closed.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin's Pease Park has seen a number of upgrades over the years like new playscapes, new bathrooms and even a splashpad, but there is one area that has been left untouched.

After multiple landslides, one in May 2018 and another in May 2019, part of the Shoal Creek Greenbelt Trail had to be closed. Since that time, there' s been a detour around the destruction left behind from the landslides.

There is a sign up on one of the fences saying construction starts soon to stabilize the hillside, but that was posted in 2018.

KXAN did reach out to the City of Austin's Watershed Protection Department to see what the plan is for the closed trail. They said a number of agencies are working together including the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Public Works, Austin Transportation, Shoal Creek Conservancy and Pease Park Conservancy to determine what improvements would best benefit the public.

There's no set date on when the trail will be fixed at this time.

Pease Park Conservancy has been working to improve the park for years. In July, the conservancy finished phase one of its overall vision to improve the park, which brought in a number of improvements. The destroyed trail is something that is being looked into.

"Pease Park Conservancy is committed to making sure that the trail along the landslide is safe, that the part of the hillside that was unstable is stabilized or deemed stable so that people in the park are safe — and ultimately we would like to see the trail replaced on the Western end of the creek," said Heath Riddles-Sanchez, Pease Park Conservancy CEO.

Pease Park Conservancy is dedicated to revitalizing and improving the park. It hopes to begin phase two of its project soon. In phase two, they hope to open up more space and expand the park to the east in some parts.