Barton Springs: Free Swim Day and Public Forum

[Ed. Note: After being closed for flood cleanup, Barton Springs has re-opened today.]

speedosprings.jpgLast year, the City of Austin authorized the Barton Springs Master Plan, a project to find ways to better maintain and improve Austin's most treasured public pool.

This past spring, the city hired architects to work with the pool's stakeholders (one of the most vocal being Friends of Barton Springs Pool) to develop the master plan. Tomorrow, during the pool's annual "Free Swim Day," the city will be hosting a public forum to which the public are invited to come and give their input on how the Barton Springs Master Plan should proceed.

Thus far, some of the suggested improvements include renovating the aging bath house, adding a second bath house and adjusting the dams to increase water flow and decrease algae buildup.

From noon to 5 p.m. tomorrow in the Splash gallery, the architects hired by the city last spring - Al Godfrey and Laurie Limbacher - will be showing diagrams and exhibits and taking questions from the public. At 6 p.m., the Barton Springs Pool Master Plan Forum will begin, during which the architects will be joined by Friends of Barton Springs Pool, City staff, swimmers and other pool stakeholders to discuss ideas and suggestions regarding the Barton Springs Master Plan.

The Master Plan Forum will be the second forum that the city's hosted to get public input on the development of Barton Springs Pool.

*Random photo of man in speedo at Barton Springs Pool courtesy of Vermont Ferrett on flickr.

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Comments (3) [rss]

Great, Barton Springs Pool is open again! Does anyone know if Sculpture Falls is safe for swimming?

I was out at Twin Falls last Saturday. I know it's not the same location but it's the same waterway. It was about a foot higher than it has been recently and it was moving pretty fast but it was safe for adults to swim in. I'm sure by now it has calmed down a lot.

Note to others: Body surfing rapids downstream from Twin Falls only SEEMS like a good idea. There are large rocks under those high waters. I've got scars to prove it...

Indeed, Milkman, you speak truth, body surfing in those rapids is unadvisable. However, wearing a speedo to Barton Springs and strategically posing by the entrance steps is a good move, regardless of the standard of judgment you use.

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