— Mariana Espinoza
Our parks are important in establishing and maintaining the quality of life in our community. The Dripping Springs Parks and Community Services Department has over 271 acres of parkland and is home to the Hill Country’s Premier Special Event Venue, the 110 Acre Dripping Springs Ranch Park. Our Veterans Memorial Park is located at “The Triangle” and is where the popular Dripping Springs Farmers Market is held every Wednesday from 3-6 pm throughout the year. Visitors come from near and far to walk the Charro Ranch Park trails in hopes of sighting the 117 bird species that have been recorded there. Sports and Recreation Park lives up to its name, being home to a variety of sports courts and fields where families can play soccer, basketball, volleyball and more. Just bring a ball!
Now is a great time to explore our parks as Dripping Springs joins cities across the nation in celebrating their parks this month. In 2009, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution naming July as National Park and Recreation Month to recognize the importance of park and recreation facilities. The City of Dripping Springs will proclaim July as Parks and Recreation Month in Dripping Springs at the July 10th City Council meeting. The theme for the month is “Parks and Recreation: A Lifetime of Discovery”.
During the month of July, we encourage you to discover all that our parks have to offer. You can show your support of Dripping Springs Parks and Community Services by:
- Tagging your social media posts with #DiscoverJuly when you are out at a park
- Vote for the Farmers Market to be named one of the Best in Texas
- Take a swim at the Founders Memorial Park Pool or attend the Pool Movie Night July 19th
- Attend the Dripping Springs Fair and Rodeo at Dripping Springs Ranch Park July 27th– 29th
- Or take a look at this calendar of ideas!
This year the Dripping Springs Parks and Community Services Department was awarded the Lone Star Programming Award from the Texas Recreation and Park Society for implementing a Healthy Parks Healthy People Program. The Department led the city in participating in the “It’s Time Texas” Community Health Challenge, naming Dripping Springs as one of the top five fit cities in Texas. The Department was chosen by Lower Colorado River Authority and Pedernales Electric Co-op as a Steps Forward Project City and funding recipient. Parks Department staff assist with coordinating city-wide special events that not only serve Dripping Springs residents but also the 30,000 plus residents in the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction. We hope to see you out at a park or a special event soon!
HAPPY PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH!
About the Blogger
Mariana Espinoza is the Parks and Community Services Director for the City of Dripping Springs, TX. She has previously worked for two NRPA Gold Medal Cities: The City of Grand Prairie Parks, Arts and Recreation and The City of Austin.
The Dripping Post 