Home Page for Friends of the Parks

March 2021

Workday on Sat. Mar. 13th is scheduled!!!. Details will be announced by March 10th. It will focus on cleaning up storm damage in City Park and HGB I.

The Wilderness Run for 2021 has been canceled, we hope to resume the Wilderness Run in April of 2022.

Family membership dues for 2021, pay by mail, click here or contact our Treasurer Sondra Morton.

FOP encourages you to purchase an annual family membership for the Lakeway Activity Center, it helps FOP retain access to the meeting rooms at LAC plus providing you with discounts at LAC events.

Because the annual membership meeting scheduled for the end of January 2021 was cancelled the Board decided to email in the near future a newsletter covering some of the items normally highlighted during that meeting.

The FOP Board is asking that members take a look at the City of Lakeway's Adoption of the Master Plan Proposal found in the Dunaway and Associate's Preliminary Parks and Open Space Master Plan pdf file. The Board is interested in your feedback on how this will impact the Friends of the Parks of Lakeway (FOP) organization.

Upcoming Events

Mar. Board meeting was held Monday, Mar. 1st using Zoom.
Mar. workday Sat. Mar. 13th is ON, book the date!
We have a Facebook page being administered by Dan Moyer
Lakeway Friends of the Parks
For those who shop on Amazon, FOP is now a listed charitable organization and can receive 0.5% of your Amazon purchase.
Navigate to smile.amazon.com, login, select "Change Your Charity" and search for "Friends of the Park" located in Lakeway, TX and click on the Select button.
Family membership dues for 2021, pay by mail, click here or contact our Treasurer Sondra Morton.
FOP encourages you to purchase an annual family membership for the Lakeway Activity Center, it helps FOP retain access to the meeting rooms at LAC plus providing you with discounts at LAC events.

Hurst Creek waterfall near Sailmaster trailhead (click to enlarge)

Hurst Creek waterfall near Sailmaster trailhead in the Hamilton Greenbelt during recent cold spell. Photo by Ryan Dunn

February Post Snow Storm 2021 What to do to storm damaged plants?
Another article on outdoor plants, click on the following link Mary Kay Pope's article titled "After the Freeze 2021". Here is an additional resource, click on the following link The Natural Gardener's article titled "Maintenance after the Freeze". This is in no way expert advice, but this is what I am going to do: For woody plants cut off any broken branches, twigs etc. Leave everything else alone until the weather warms, stays above freezing and things begin to bud out, then prune out what is truly dead. One way to check to see if you plant is still alive is to scratch the wood with your finger nail and if you see green it is still alive. For soft tissue plants such as succulents trim back the mush now. For Sago palms, I have been told that you should not cut off the dead/brown fronds until it starts putting out new growth. I have no idea whether this is correct information or not. Like I said above my advice is only what I am doing. One more thing about thinking a plant is dead, don't be to anxious to take it out. 11 years ago after a snow storm on 2/23, I thought a shrub was dead and started to take it out and to my surprise under ground were new shoots. So one just has to be patient. submitted by Jerry Cooper My Sandawkwa viburnum are brown, but I will wait an see if they get new growth. Don’t be in a big hurry to yank your shrubs out of the ground unless they are true tropicals. I have sent a question to Travis Cnty Extension office, but you can look at https://www.realgreenlawns.com/austin/freeze-protection/ Jerry Naiser the owner was in my Master Gardener Class years ago. submitted by Cindy Berdan I feel Cindy and Jerry are more qualified to address this. Our big cactus were mush so had them cut back yesterday. Otherwise I have heard not to cut shrubs for several weeks in case of another freeze. Garden centers are looking forward to a busy spring retail business! submitted by Judy Hazen For What Its Worth, my parents are master gardeners and sent me the following: Hi DCMGA Veterans & Interns: Janet Laminack, our Denton County CEA, let us know there will be some events on the Aggie Horticulture Facebook site about assessing and recovering from freeze damage in your landscape. Here's a link to a currently posted video: Aggie Horticulture - Assessing Freeze Damage Other events are planned for Wednesday and Friday at 1pm CST. Find those events at this link: Aggie Horticulture Facebook Events There's also an Aggie Horticulture Facebook Live Event at 4pm CST this Friday, February 26 "CWGA: Urban Landscape Winter Storm Recovery" where "a team of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists and agents, will be hosting an emergency webinar session at 4 p.m. Feb. 26 to address questions and concerns related to recovering turfgrass and plants in urban landscapes and gardens following the winter storm." You can register for this event at this link: CWGA: Urban Landscape Winter Storm Recovery Please take advantage these and share them with friends and family, too. Cheryl Huckabee DCMGA Communications Director, Systems This email was sent from the Master Gardener Volunteer Management System. submitted by Dan Moyer 2/24/21 I hope you all survive last week without major damage to your homes, other than frozen plants outdoors. I just wanted to bring you up to date on some things that I found at the bird blind. Unfortunately, we had more vandalism at the Bird blind sometime during the week. I walked down there on Saturday to fill the feeders. The trail was in terrible shape with several cedar trees down. The LTFR had gone through and pushed all downed trees to the side to open up the HGB I and II. When I got to the bird blind there was still a lot of snow and ice around the blind. I realized all of the Braun feeders were gone. The only feeder left was the green barn and it was empty. I took a few pictures and also realized a large cedar tree next to the water tank had fallen into the ravine but it did not damage any of the blind structure. Yesterday, Bernie, Pat, Bill and I went down to see if we could find any of the feeders. Pat found one down the cliff behind the picnic table. It was badly damaged and had been thrown about 20 feet over the edge. We all looked around and didn’t find the other two feeders. This was definitely a vandal activity and I’m going to file a report with Lakeway police. I took the broken feeder into the Wildbird Center of Lakeway and Laura said she could repair it for us. These feeders are guaranteed and the manufacture will send her replacement parts. She said they may have enough parts to put 2 other feeders together. They have been so s upportive of FOP. And I hope you refer all of your neighbors to them. submitted by Carl Christensen	Heron wading in Hurst Creek. Photo by Ryan Dunn. Snowy Clubhouse Trail. Photo by Bob Schooler. View more photos taken in the Hamilton Greenbelt here.
February 2021 Workday on Sat. Feb. 13th is CANCELLED BUT FOP Board wishes to form small working groups on any day of the week to get together to do various activities at City Park and the Greenbelts within the guidelines of Travis County COVID-19 Stage 4. Carl Christensen is looking for volunteers for these small groups, please call him at 512-783-8304 or email him if you want to be on his CALL List. Upcoming small projects Mowing in City Park Loading cut brush piles into dump truck at City Park City Park garden trimming, weeding and mulching, Barnes, Butterfly, Retama and Kathryn's Corner HGB I entrance garden trimming, weeding and mulching Purple Martin bird house maintenance HGB bird blind maintenance Assisting Elmer cutting invasive trees/brush and hauling to dump truck in HGB The Wilderness Run for 2021 has been postponed, a new date has not been decided. Family membership dues for 2021, pay by mail, click here or contact our Treasurer Sondra Morton. FOP encourages you to purchase an annual family membership for the Lakeway Activity Center, it helps FOP retain access to the meeting rooms at LAC plus providing you with discounts at LAC events. Because the annual membership meeting scheduled for the end of January 2021 was cancelled the Board decided to email in the near future a newsletter covering some of the items normally highlighted during that meeting. The FOP Board is asking that members take a look at the City of Lakeway's Adoption of the Master Plan Proposal found in the Dunaway and Associate's Preliminary Parks and Open Space Master Plan pdf file. The Board is interested in your feedback on how this will impact the Friends of the Parks of Lakeway (FOP) organization.
Upcoming Events Mar. Board meeting scheduled for Monday, March 1st using Zoom. Mar. workday Sat. Mar. 13th TBD Feb. Board meeting was held Monday, Feb. 8th using Zoom. Feb. workday Sat. Feb. 13th has been cancelled We have a Facebook page being administered by Dan Moyer Lakeway Friends of the Parks For those who shop on Amazon, FOP is now a listed charitable organization and can receive 0.5% of your Amazon purchase. Navigate to smile.amazon.com, login, select "Change Your Charity" and search for "Friends of the Park" located in Lakeway, TX and click on the Select button. Family membership dues for 2021, pay by mail, click here or contact our Treasurer Sondra Morton. FOP encourages you to purchase an annual family membership for the Lakeway Activity Center, it helps FOP retain access to the meeting rooms at LAC plus providing you with discounts at LAC events.	Bill Freas spreading mulch at the bird blind in the Hamilton Greenbelt. Photo by Carl Christensen.

December 2020

Workday has been CANCELLED

Upcoming Events

Jan. Board meeting Monday, Jan. 4th.
Jan workday Sat. Jan. 9th, TBD.
The annual membership meeting in late January has been cancelled.
We have a Facebook page being administered by Dan Moyer
Lakeway Friends of the Parks
For those who shop on Amazon, FOP is now a listed charitable organization and can receive 0.5% of your Amazon purchase.
Navigate to smile.amazon.com, login, select "Change Your Charity" and search for "Friends of the Park" located in Lakeway, TX and click on the Select button.
Family membership dues for 2021, pay by mail, click here or pay in person at our workday, contact our Treasurer Sondra Morton.
FOP encourages you to purchase an annual family membership for the Lakeway Activity Center, it helps FOP retain access to the meeting rooms at LAC plus providing you with discounts at LAC events.
View photos taken in December here.

cardinal feeding at bird blind (click to enlarge)

Female cardinal feeding at bird blind. Photo by Jim Dunn.

Dear Friends of the Parks of Lakeway (FOP) Volunteers

On behalf of the FOP Board of Directors, we would like to wish all of you the happiest and healthiest of Holidays. We hope this finds you and your families in good health. This has been an unusual year for all of us and unfortunately, we have not been able to get together on a regular basis. That said, the parks and trails in Lakeway have seen very high usage by fellow citizens of Lakeway as well as from the surrounding neighbors and cites of Texas that are hundreds of miles from Lakeway. I met a group of visitors in the Bird Blind who were from Fort Worth and they were thoroughly impressed with our trails and the Parks amenities. We have also been approached by other villages and cites in Texas as to why we have been so successful in our community activity. This is a tribute to all FOP volunteers and what you have accomplished over the years here in Lakeway as members of the FOP.

Because of the COVID pandemic, we must cancel our annual volunteer meeting in January 2021. And the Wilderness Walk Run that was postponed in April 2020 is still in doubt for 2021. We will resume these functions as soon as it is safe for us all to congregate again. With the new vaccines being close at hand, we are hoping to become more active in Spring 2021. We will keep you posted.

Better days are ahead of us and we want to thank each and every one of you who had worked with us over the years. Our efforts are greatly appreciated by the Parks and Recreation Department of Lakeway and by the people of Lakeway. You should be proud to call yourself a FOP Volunteer.

Until that time Stay safe and be well.

Sincerely,
Carl Christensen, PhD
FOP Chairperson

Carl,

A heartfelt 'Thank You' to you and each of the members of FOP for your tireless support of parks and recreation in Lakeway. We are grateful for your time and heart of service.

I know this past year has been challenging at times and in varied ways, but one of the positive things we have taken from this experience is that more people than ever before are out and enjoying our parks and trails. If there is one thing that the entire nation rediscovered this year, it is parks. For the first time, people openly acknowledged that what we do is essential to their health and wellness (physical, mental, spiritual, and social). This has been exciting, as more people discover all that Lakeway has to offer! I believe 2021 holds some great things for us.

In the meantime, I hope that you and yours have a safe and enjoyable holiday season. We look forward to working with you in the New Year!

With kindest regards,
Andra Bennett
Director of Parks & Recreation
City of Lakeway

12/8/2020

I have run into people from all over in the past year while in our greenbelts. I remember Bill talking with folks from Sweden. Yesterday, in Canyonlands, I ran into three young guys speaking German.

Dar Moneyhon
FOP Vice-Chair

Images courtesy of Free Christmas Animations

Christmas decorations along HGB I trail, photo by Carl Christensen

Bill Freas spreading mulch inside the bird blind, photo by Carl Christensen

November 2020 The trees are starting to change colors and the temperatures are moderate so get out and enjoy the parks and greenbelts in Lakeway!
Upcoming Events Dec Board meeting Monday, Dec. 7th. Dec workday Sat. Dec. 12 We have a Facebook page being administered by Dan Moyer Lakeway Friends of the Parks For those who shop on Amazon, FOP is now a listed charitable organization and can receive 0.5% of your Amazon purchase. Navigate to smile.amazon.com, login, select "Change Your Charity" and search for "Friends of the Park" located in Lakeway, TX and click on the Select button. Family membership dues for 2021, pay by mail, click here or pay in person at our workday, contact our Treasurer Sondra Morton. FOP encourages you to purchase an annual family membership for the Lakeway Activity Center, it helps FOP retain access to the meeting rooms at LAC plus providing you with discounts at LAC events. View photos taken in November here.
Our November workday Sat. 11/14 has been CANCELLED by our FOP Chair Carl Christensen for health safety concerns. Please arrive at City Park upper parking lot by 8AM to sign-in. Be sure to wear appropriate personal protection equipment (face mask, safety glasses, gloves) and maintain social distancing. We will be breaking into work groups (of less than 10) and spreading out from there to work on the following projects. Some of the projects will require chain saw work so bring ear protection as well. Bring your own water bottles and leather work gloves are recommended for some projects. We plan on serving a lunch at 11:30-11:45. City Park project list. 1. Tree and shrub removal in several areas of City Park. All cut material will be loaded and hauled off to the Public Works Dumpster 2. Barnes Garden trimming rosemary and mulch spreading. 3. Extend the split rail fencing along concrete path below the Barnes Garden. 4. Fill in ditch along concrete pathway from the upper bathroom down to the Butterfly Garden with roadbase. 5. Clear out grass and weeds around the City Park shed. 6. Mow and trim tall grass sections at the south side of City Park. 7. Check sprinkler heads at the south side of City Park. Hamilton Greenbelt project list. 1. Tree and shrub removal from the walk way over Hurst Creek at the Sailmaster waterfall. All cut material will be loaded and hauled off to the Public Works Dumpster	Mike Light and Bernie Reding, using string trimmers, trimmed the tall grass in the Wildflower Meadow while being careful not to damage bluebonnets growing close to the ground. It appears we will have a decent showing of bluebonnets this coming Spring. Photo by Bernie Reding Dar Moneyhon and Carl Christensen installed a new sundial in the Butterfly Garden during the Thanksgiving week. Photo by Dar Moneyhon
We have had to cancel for 2020 our Wilderness Run event normally held in April. The FOP Board in March had postponed the event to the fall time frame but the COVID-19 situation forced us to cancel for 2020. However; a number of our loyal sponsors decided to contribute to FOP despite the cancellation, please thank them for supporting our organization. They are Fresh Dermatology PA Eaddy Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry, PLLC Fifield Dental Center Lakeway Dental Lakecountry Insurance Agency LLC Independent Bank

Trail Maps for the Parks of Lakeway

Friends of the Parks is a group of citizens who enjoy the rewards of volunteer service in the parks and greenbelts areas of Lakeway. Monthly Saturday morning work sessions provide opportunities for all levels of service, whether it is tree maintenance, general cleanup or tending memorial gardens at City Park. A few of the hardier members help build and maintain hiking/biking trails in the Hamilton Greenbelts and the Canyonlands Natural Area. Still others provide food for our workday picnics. For information contact Sondra Morton 713-870-5462 or email Skmgran@gmail.com.

Friends of the Parks sponsors one annual community event which is the annual Wilderness Run/Walk event on the Hamilton Greenbelt trails on the third Saturday of April. The goal of this event is to encourage citizens to get out and enjoy the beauty of the greenbelts and parks of the City of Lakeway.

Friends of the Parks of Lakeway is a 501 (c) 3, Federal Tax Exempt Organization. Donations made to this organization may be tax deductible; check with your tax advisor.

News March Workday Sat. 3/13 details here. February Workday CANCELLED but details here. January Workday CANCELLED Dec. workday Sat. Dec. 12th @ 8AM CANCELLED Nov. workday Sat. Nov. 14th @ 8AM Details here CANCELLED. Renew your membership for 2021, click here !!! Contact FOP Treasurer Sondra Morton 713-870-5462 or email Skmgran@gmail.com Submit your photos and volunteer stories ! ! !

Lakeway Area Parks Map Lakeway City Park Map Lakeway City Park Map (older version) Lakeway City Park Map Interactive Version Hamilton Greenbelt Trails Map Updated 12/30/2010 Canyonland Trails Map (pdf) Updated 2016 Canyonlands Interactive Map Link. Mt Lakeway Trails Map Sep 2012 Rough Hollow Trails Map Apr 2018 (pdf). Lakeway Weather Forecast

Lakeway, Texas

March 2021

February Post Snow Storm 2021

February 2021

January 2021

December 2020

Dear Friends of the Parks of Lakeway (FOP) Volunteers

November 2020

Trail Maps for the Parks of Lakeway