Mulching, planting, helping butterflies: Volunteers to improve nearly 100 Austin parks

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Thousands of volunteers will clean up and improve 95 different Austin parks on Saturday as part of the city's semi-annual "It's My Park Day."

The event has encouraged community members to help beautify parks in every corner of the city for more than 20 years. After working from 9 a.m. to noon, the Austin Parks Foundation estimates that volunteers will have donated a collective $650,000 in labor value.

In addition to mulching, litter pickup, planting, and more, the Parks Foundation and the city will hold a special ribbon-cutting ceremony at Little Walnut Creek in East Austin. The 206-acre natural area now boasts improved trails and a park with a playground, fitness equipment, a climbing boulder, an off-leash dog area and more.

"This year we have a whole new park," said Austin Parks Foundation Marketing and Communications Vice President Katie Kennedy. "Afterward, you can stay, and our crews will be making seed balls that will be used to fill in some vegetation around this new park."

Those who pre-registered for the event will receive a free t-shirt that they can then wear around the city later that day to score a few perks.

Among the businesses participating are Amy’s Ice Creams, Central Machine Works, Dog Day Coffee and Zilker Brewing Co.

"Later in the day, you can take them to participating businesses and redeem things like free drinks, discounts, half off, buy one get one," Kennedy said. "It's a really cool way for the entire community to participate in this event."

The previous event, held in the spring, saw a significant force of Austinites beautify their parks. The Austin Parks Foundation said more than 3,300 volunteers collected 10,450 pounds of trash.