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Adults with Disabilities Dance at Georgetown Community Center on Oct. 26
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a dance for adults age 18 and older with disabilities on Friday, Oct. 26, from 6-8 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St. The theme is Haunted Mansion and costumes are encouraged.
Admission is $5 for participants and includes a meal. Advanced registration is recommended. Only cash or check will be taken at the door. There is no charge for family members or caregivers, and they must remain present at all times.
For more information and to register, call (512) 930-3596 or visit parks.georgetown.org.
Upcoming dances:
Jan. 4, 2019
Lumber Jack Bash
May 24, 2019
Masquerade Ball
Oct. 25, 2019
Haunted Mansion
City hosts Halloween Festival on Oct. 25
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a Halloween Festival on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St.
The Halloween Festival, now in its 24th year, will feature a free Trick-or-Treat Village, as well as carnival-style games and food.
Attendees are encouraged to participate in the free costume contest, sponsored by Suddenlink. The contest will be held by age group: newborns-age 2 at 6 p.m.; ages 3-5 at 6:30 p.m.; ages 6-8 at 7 p.m.; and ages 9-10 at 7:30 p.m.
Carnival games are 25 cents per ticket, and one or more tickets are required for each game, activity or concession. Pumpkin painting tickets are $2. Only cash will be accepted, and quarters and small bills are appreciated.
Music will be provided by the Georgetown Project in partnership with the Assets After-school Alliance as part of the national Lights On Afterschool event, which calls attention to the importance of after-school programs for America’s children, families, and communities.
Father Daughter Dance returns to Georgetown on Oct. 27
Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation is hosting the annual Father Daughter Dance on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 7-9 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St.
Girls age 4 and older are invited to attend with their father or another acceptable escort. The theme is Halloween Costume Ball, and attendees are encouraged to wear a costume.
In addition to dancing, the event features refreshments and light snacks. To remember the special occasion, professional portrait packages will be available for purchase.
Tickets are $15 per person through Oct. 26, and $20 per person at the door. Advance tickets are now on sale at parks.georgetown.org or at the Georgetown Recreation Center, Georgetown Tennis Center or Parks and Recreation Administration Building. Tickets are nonrefundable.
All proceeds benefit Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization who supports the City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department in providing programs and facilities to promote the social, cultural and recreational well-being of all Georgetown residents.
For questions, contact Georgetown Parks and Recreation at (512) 930-3596.
City hosts Arbor Day Tree Giveaway on Nov. 3
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department will host the Arbor Day Tree Giveaway on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Georgetown residents can register in advance to receive one free 5-gallon tree per household. Trees are intended to be planted on private property. Four hundred trees across three varieties, including Shumard Oak, Cedar Elm and Tuscarora Crape Myrtle (20 foot tall hot pink variety), will be available. These trees are native or adapted to the Central Texas climate and soil. Tree species and quantities are limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
Trees can be picked up at the Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
K-9 Kerplunk postponed to Sept. 22
UPDATE: Due to the high chance of thunderstorms on Sept. 8, the K-9 Kerplunk event has been postponed until Saturday, Sept. 22.
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department presents K-9 Kerplunk on Saturday, Sept. 22. The event will take place from 10 a.m.-noon at the outdoor pool at the Georgetown Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.
The entry fee is $5 per dog, and pet owners get in free. Pet owners must provide a copy of each registered pet’s current vaccination records to gain entry. Only shot records will be accepted. All dogs must be accompanied by an adult, age 18 or older, at all times during the event.
For details, visit parks.georgetown.org/k-9-kerplunk.
Senior Dance at Georgetown Community Center on Sept. 14
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a Senior Adult Dance on Friday, Sept. 14, from 6-9 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St.
The event is designed for, but not limited to, adults age 55 and older. Dress is casual, and light refreshments will be served.
Advanced registration is encouraged. Tickets are $5 per person in advance, $7 per person the week of the dance and at the door. Register online, in person at the Georgetown Recreation Center, or by contacting Senior Program Coordinator Robert Staton at (512) 930-1367 or robert.staton@georgetown.org.
City celebrates San Gabriel Park Phase 1 completion, groundbreaking for Phase 2 on Sept. 6
The City will break ground on Phase 2 of improvements to San Gabriel Park at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 6 at the new playground at Chamber Way and Morrow Street while also celebrating the completion of the first phase of improvements.
Phase 2 of the San Gabriel Park improvements project includes a new basketball court, restrooms at the disc golf course, two new playgrounds and swings, additional pavilions, road improvements, restoration of two existing springs, and trail improvements—including the extension of the San Gabriel trail to Katy Crossing neighborhood.
During construction, the lower parking lot will be closed, and park guests are encouraged to park in the new lots on the west end of the park.
The $4.2 million Phase 2 project is expected to be completed next summer.
City Council approved a contract with Ritter-Botkin Prime Construction Company Inc. of Pflugerville to complete the construction of Phase 2.
Phase 1 of the project included a new playground with sensory walk, improved entry and directional signage, and the restoration of the spring habitat to its natural state through the re-establishment of the spring channel and native vegetation.
Other improvements completed in Phase 1 included parking, roadway, utility and drainage improvements; realignment of the Morrow Street and Chamber Way intersection; additional restrooms and pavilions; upgraded park furnishings throughout; and trail and accessibility improvements throughout the park.
Future phases of the San Gabriel Park project include improvements to the remaining areas of the park.
Funding for the improvements was approved by voters in a 2008 bond package.
Access to the park will not be affected; however, short-term road closures and detours are expected to happen throughout construction.
The San Gabriel Park Master Plan, which was completed in June 2015, identified improvements to be completed in phases to limit park disruptions.
City hosts ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ on Aug. 17
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department presents “A Wrinkle in Time” (PG) on Friday, Aug. 17 in San Gabriel Park. The event will take place on the soccer fields located behind the Georgetown Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.
This is a free community event. The event starts at sunset, around 8:30 p.m. Moviegoers are welcome to bring blankets, chairs and picnics, and are encouraged to arrive early for free popcorn and children’s activities and games beginning at 7:30 p.m.
For details, visit parks.georgetown.org/sunset-movie-series.
Urban forester hosts information session on tree ordinance
Georgetown Urban Forester Heather McFarling will present an information session about the City’s tree ordinance Tuesday, June 5, at 6 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Administration Building, 1101 N. College St.
The session will cover information about the City’s tree ordinance, which covers every new subdivision platted in the city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ. The ordinance also covers all new commercial development projects within the city limits and ETJ.
The session will also include some information about selecting tree species and tree planting.
To see a copy of the tree ordinance in the Unified Development Code, please visit library.municode.com/tx/Georgetown.
Garey Park Grand Opening Celebration planned for June 9
The City will celebrate the grand opening of Garey Park on June 9 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
“We are excited to celebrate the opening of this green oasis within our city that is sure to become a regional destination for outdoor recreation and special events,” Mayor Dale Ross said. “We hope many of you are able to join us for this historic event.”
Park gates will open at 9 a.m. for the event that will feature tours of Garey House, food trucks, pony rides, a petting zoo, fly fishing demos from the San Gabriel Fly Fishers, information from the Good Water Master Naturalists about wildlife viewing and the nature trail along the river, a temporary tattoo station from the Georgetown Public Library and more. The Georgetown Animal Shelter and Ride On Center for Kids will also be at the park for the opening event.
The ribbon cutting will be at 10 a.m., and other activities will be available throughout the event. The park will remain open to visitors until 8 p.m.
Amenities at the park include a playground, a splash pad, a dog park, an equestrian arena, the Garey House event space, pavilions, two fishing ponds, 4.7 miles of hiking trails, and 4.2 miles of equestrian trails.
At 525-acres, Garey Park is one of the largest city parks in the state and is roughly 1.5 times the size of Zilker Park in Austin. To maintain and plan programs for the City’s largest park, Garey Park will be staffed with six full-time and three part-time employees, including a park foreman, recreation coordinator, recreation specialist and group sales and servicing coordinator.
To help offset some of the operating and maintenance costs, there will be an entry fee for residents of $5 for two people, and for nonresidents of $10 for two people. Each additional person will be $2. The City is also offering annual park passes for $100 for residents and $150 nonresidents. These fees only cover a portion of the City’s annual operating costs and will allow the City to run this regional park in a manner in which Georgetown and the Garey family can be proud.
Park entrance fees will be waived for the first two weeks of operations. Park admission fees will begin on June 25. No admission fees will be collected on Tuesdays from Sept. 1-May 31. Park hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. from April 1-Sept. 30 and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. from Oct. 1-March 31.
The park, which is located along the South San Gabriel River at 6450 RM 2243, was donated by Jack and Camille Garey in 2004 along with $5 million for park development. In 2008 Georgetown voters approved a bond for an additional $10 million for the park’s construction. The total project cost of $15 million included $1.5 million for design and $13.5 million for construction.
For more information about the park, visit parks.georgetown.org/gareypark.
