PARD gets kids outdoors

In an ideal world, children and nature would be as inseparable as leopards and spots. That’s the kind of world the Austin Parks and Recreation Department wants to create, so with the aim of getting more Austin-area kids outside and connected to nature, the parks department is undertaking improvements to three city parks: Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, MLK Station Neighborhood Park and Armadillo Neighborhood Park. According to PARD’s news release, “The vision for these park improvements is to provide abundant and equitable access to nature for the children of Austin, with a specific focus on children in low-income communities and children of color.” Kids of all ages are invited to attend the following community engagement events, where they’ll enjoy pop-up play areas, design-a-park stations and fort-building activities:

• Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park Playground Replacement and Nature Play, 12138 N. Lamar Blvd. (meet at the playground), Sat., Jan. 18, 10 a.m.-noon
• MLK Station Neighborhood Park, 2907 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (meet at E. 16th St. and Clifford Ave.), Sat., Jan. 25, 10 a.m.-noon (bad weather date is Feb. 1)
• Armadillo Neighborhood Park, 910 Armadillo Rd., Sat., Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-noon (bad weather date is Feb. 29)