The Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s new director, Jesús Aguirre, invites community members to share their thoughts and perspectives on what the Parks and Recreation Department does well and what opportunities there are for improvement. The director will be holding listening sessions throughout Austin and visiting department facilities. For those who are unable to attend the listening sessions, you can share your responses below. Either way, he would love to hear from you. Additional dates and times will be shared here.
Free Zilker is trying to attend all of the listening sessions, but after going to one, we were very disappointed with how the meetings are controlled. Instead of everyone have a focused conversation, tables are spread out so everyone sits in small groups with strangers. They are asked to leave comments on sticky notes. These are filed away in the PARD office and never reported on.
The online survey seems to be a better vehicle for public comment, though it does attempt to direct answers into narrow choices. You can write about how you feel about various topics; others can agree or disagree. It makes for interesting reading and discussion. Please make time to visit and provide your input. See Community Listening Sessions Feedback – PublicInput.