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April 4, 2019 — A Spring Barton Springs Cleaning Volunteer Opportunity

Hark, the herald angels sing!
It’s time for all to clean the Springs!
So join the gang on April 4
to help us with our cleaning chores!

earthdaycleaningparty

On Thursday, April 4 (9am to 3pm), volunteers can help clean Barton Springs by push-brooming the shallow end algae, helping yank invasives, brushing and cleaning the stair rails and sidewalls, potting the plants (it’s not what it sounds like), aerating and weeding the lawn and gardens, and generally doing some good for this place Austin loves!  All this hard work helps contribute to the cleaning, well-being, and beautification of Barton Springs Pool.

Volunteers can choose from 3 two hour shifts, starting at 9am.  Please sign up for a shift at the SignUp link (http://signup.com/go/cHHzANt) to help spiff up the pool.

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Agenda for Council Cleans Barton Springs Pool Thursday (Oct. 11)

Agenda for Council Cleans Barton Springs Pool Thursday (Oct. 11)

8:45 am          Coffee & Tacos

9:00 am          Convene for Press Conference Presentation of Recent Barton Springs Pool Projects Supported by City Council

A.  Welcome & Recognition — Steve Barnick, FBSP

B.  Protecting Our Environment, Parks and Pools:

  • 2018 GO Bond Package with $72Mfor open space acquisition and $45M for parkland acquisition — Mayor Steve Adler
  • 2018 GO Bond Package with $40M to build a new pool at Colony Park and renovate existing pools — Council Member Leslie Pool
  • 2018 GO Bond Package with $112M for drainage improvement projects and to continue buyouts of properties in flood-prone areas — Council Member Alison Alter

C.  Honoring our Past: FY2019 HOT Funding for rehabilitation of Historic Barton Springs Bathhouse — Council Member Ann Kitchen

D.  BSP Master Plan Update — Rey Hernandez, PARD

  • 2018 Daylighting of Eliza completed — Donelle Robinson, Watershed Protection
  • 2017/2018 Repopulating Aquatic Plants – Mike Cannatti, Barton Springs Conservancy

E.  City Council Comments on Status and Future of Barton Springs:

  • Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo
  • Council Member Jimmy Flannigan

F.  Closing – Steve Barnick, FBSP

9:30 am           Convene for Pool Tour (Bathhouse, Upper Dam, invasive plants behind diving board, tree planting south lawn, reintroducing aquatic plants, and Eliza Daylighting)

10:15 – 12pm  Clean the Pool

12:00 – 3pm   Event Clean-up & Continued Monthly Volunteer Efforts

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Patriotic Pool Cleaning — July 5, 2018 (9am – 3pm)!!!!

At this great place we call Barton Springs,
the waters flow cool, clear and clean,
but to show our love true,
wear your red, white, and blue,
and join in with our pool cleaning team!

On this Fourth of July holiday, join us Friends of Barton Springs Pool on Thursday, July 5 for one or more of our two-hour shifts, starting at 9:00, 11:00 and 1:00.  There is no better way to provide community service than doing a refreshing day of volunteer work to keep Barton Springs Pool the best that it can be.  Help “give back” to Barton Springs by volunteering with one of our projects — including push-brooming the pool bottom of the shallow end, scrubbing algae from the sides, rails, and stairs, helping with landscape efforts to beautify the grounds with weeding, turning the mulch, and generally lending a hand to make the pool and grounds as clean and beautiful as possible. So come roll up your sleeves, bring a friend, have a snack and enjoy the comp any of other Barton Springs enthusiasts. We look look forward to seeing you there!

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FBSP President’s Message — April 2018

President plants peck on plastic Anas platyrhynchos!

Friends,

Our year of volunteering at the pool officially started with It’s My Park Day on Sat(3/3) where we had an amazing group of volunteers that got the chance to work on a weekend.  We were able to distribute several yards of mulch, did some amazing ligustrum removal in the area behind the diving board, and all the gardens got some much needed TLC.  The pool was partially drawn down which was a treat for our volunteers to see the springs exposed.  Our April 5 cleaning will be the first Thursday cleaning of 2018, and we are excited to help with reducing algae, and do whatever it takes to put a shine on the pool.

We are advocating for a lot of little projects inside the fence this year, including planting more trees, and our Advocacy Chair (Nelson Guda) is spearheading this effort.  We attended a meeting with the team of folks replanting aquatic plants in the pool, and from what we learned after our 2nd attempt to make this work, we are optimistic we will find the right protocol for future planting success.  There is also a wall that is degrading near the pump station on the north side and the sediment accumulation at the bypass tunnel entrance that we are going to inquire about what can be done.  As always, our volunteer efforts are the main mechanism to learn about the pool, raise awareness to any issues we encounter, and advocate for changes to make the pool the best it can be.

On Tuesday, April 3, the Bathhouse rehabilitation design discussion was kicked off, and for me personally and for FBSP as a group advocating for the pool, this is a proud moment in moving forward what was laid down in the Barton Springs Pool Master Plan.  The bathhouse project was a main topic of the BSP MP in 2009, and was also addressed extensively in the Feasibility Study in 2016 where all the challenges that entangle any development at BSP were documented.  And now in 2018, we are going to embark on developing a design for the bathhouse that will insure its place in landscape of BSP for the next 50-70 years.  We encourage all our members to get involved in this process!!  This is the time to speak out about your concerns, issues, and what you think is important about the bathhouse. To find out more about this project or sign up for project updates you can visit the website (http://www.austintexas.gov/bartonspringsbathhouse).   If you wish to comment to me at (president@friendsofbartonspringspool.org), I would love to hear from you and carry your message the best I can as we advocate for the best design we can.

We are anxiously awaiting Give5 to Mother Earth Day on Friday (April 20), the fundraiser for Austin’s environmental non-profits, including FBSP.  At last count, we had over 200 businesses signed up to dedicate 5% of their sales to the fundraising effort.  If you want to know more about this and who the sponsors are that are participating go to https://austingive5.org/.

Have you swam at the pool lately?  Before our large downpour at the end of March, the spring flow was on a steady decline to about 45cfs, and with the onslaught of spring weather, we are experiencing an algae bloom at the pool.  Thankfully, with that 3-5 ” of rain, the spring flow is up to just shy of 70 cfs.  This will help with stripping the algae from the surfaces of the pool and allow it to move on down the creek.  If you ever want to know about pool flow or the latest about the aquifer, check out the links on the right side of our website to see the USGS Barton Springs Weekly Water Flow and Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District.

And last but not least, we have been a supporter of the efforts to replace the tile facade at the Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater with a mural by the team headed by Wanda Montemayor.  If you do not already know about her work, check out the murals at Deep Eddy, and Barton Hills Elementary. I hope to have some of the concepts in our display case soon. So check them out and if you get a chance add your support to this effort.

See you at the pool,

Steve Barnick, FBSP President

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April 5 — First FBSP Pool Cleaning Event for 2018!!!!

Then inaugural 2018 volunteer pool cleaning for Friends of Barton Springs Pool will be on Thursday, April 5, 2018, with 2-hour shifts starting at 9am. Now that the Pool is “back in business, it’s time for Friends to leap back into action (and into the pool!).  To help get the pool in its pristine and uncrowded state while also helping “give back” to Barton Springs, here’s your personal invite to come take care of Barton Springs Pool, our beloved watering hole.  In addition to the usual cleaning projects — including push-brooming the pool bottom of the shallow end, scrubbing algae from the sides, rails, and stairs, helping with landscape efforts to beautify the grounds with weeding, turning the mulch, and generally lending a hand to make the pool and grounds as clean and beautiful as possible — we may also be clearing the gunk from the intake to the Bypass Tunnel. So come roll up your sleeves, bring a friend, have a snack and enjoy the comp any of other Barton Springs enthusiasts. We look look forward to seeing you there!

 

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President’s Report — March, 2018

PRESIDENT’S REPORT (MARCH, 2018)

Friends,

We kicked off the new year with a board retreat in February where we discussed some very ambitious goals for 2018.  But first I would like to welcome our new Vice President, Ryan Cox.  Ryan expressed interest in getting involved with FBSP and we are all excited about having him on the board.  We are still seeking a membership chair so if anyone would like to get on board please get a hold of me and we will talk.

Fundraising is FUN

Fundraising is the main vehicle for us to supply tools and equipment used during our volunteer pool cleaning efforts. There are three very important fundraising events happening that we are proud to be a part of.

  • Amplify Austin is our city’s annual community wide day of online giving that’s  happening on March 1-2.  To make a donation for Friends of Barton Springs Pool, click this link https://amplifyatx.ilivehereigivehere.org/friendsofbartonspringspool2018 and make donation!  Thanks!
  • Give5 Austin to Mother Earth is an event specifically dedicated to benefit 9 local nonprofit organization FBSP being one of them. A first part of the campaign involves finding business sponsors that will pledge to donate to 5% of their revenue on Fri(4/20) Mother Earth day.  If you business would like to participate as a sponsor, please click this link, https://austingive5.org/signup, and sign up!
  • FBSP Booth is our chance meet folks, and spread our message at the south side pool entrance.  We offer an assortment of products for a donation and plan on sponsoring the booth on the Sunday before each of our first Thursday of the month pool cleaning events.  We are working on a new design for our t-shirts and other products so please come by and listen, learn and contribute to our cause.

Spring Cleaning is Fun, Too!!!!

In 2018, we are kicking off our year of volunteer cleaning at the pool by participating in the biggest city-wide volunteer event known as It’s My Park Day on March 3, 2018.  Sponsored by Austin Parks Foundation, participants can sign up for a shift at the Austin Parks Foundation site link, https://austinparks.givepulse.com/event/69299-Barton-Springs-FBSP-Barton-Springs-Volunteer-Pool-Cleaning. Just click the “Register” button, create an account (with name, zip, email, and password), provide the requested information (t-shirt size, allergies, emergency contact, DOB, address), click the waiver agreements, and you’re in!  Please share information with others using this link, https://givepul.se/u8hm3

This is a chance for our members to participate on a Saturday while the pool is closed for spring cleaning.  Our regular volunteer pool cleaning events on the first Thursday of the month will run from April to October.

Ongoing Challenges for Friends

We have a multitude of challenges both inside and outside the fence at Barton Springs Pool. As an nonprofit organization our true calling is inside the fence sponsoring volunteer pool cleanings. We take the knowledge and experience gained from these events to raise awareness of issues, advocate for change and work with the BSP Staff to find solutions. This year we have challenges that include planting trees, repopulating plants in the pool, removal of sediment at the bypass tunnel inlet, keeping algae in the shallow end under control, eliminating non-native plants, and of course putting a shine on the pool railings and the diving well ducks. We are also giving support to many outside the fence activities that in part are integral to the goals of the Barton Springs Pool Master Plan. This involves the renovation of the bathhouse, a Zilker Park visitors center, and feasibility studies on how to improve pool water flow.  We are also in support of the HOT funding for historic preservation, the city bond initiative for purchasing aquifer land, and stopping our neighboring communities from dumping treated sewage into the aquifer. If you have a chance please add your name in support of these very important challenges to Barton Springs Pool.

We are all about finding ways to put big smiles and foster good feelings at the pool. The celebration of the completions of Eliza Springs Day Lighting project , the annual FBSP member picnic, and organizing Council Cleans the pool will hopefully keep everyone smiling and wanting to make the pool the best it can be this season.

See you at the pool,
Steve Barnick, FBSP President