2009 Neighborhood Beautification Grant Recipients

Keep Austin Beautiful awards Dillo Dirt, Austin Energy native trees, and $10,000 to nine outstanding community improvement projects. Now in its fifth year, the KAB beautification grants program has supported 42 diverse projects, investing over $50,000 to support public space beautification and community involvement.

Special thanks to our panel of judges for donating their time and talents to the selection process.

2009 Recipients 

• Austin Child Guidance Center (810 West 45th Street – 78751) – Austin Child Guidance Center staff, clients, and community volunteers will transform an uninspiring lot of dying grass and sparse trees into a Children’s Healing Garden.  This space will beautify the neighborhood, create an inviting space for group therapy sessions and individual reflection, educate families about native plants and organic gardening, and provide clients access to the healing power of nature. 

• Barton Creek Greenbelt Guardians (Gus Fruh Trail, 2642 Barton Hills Drive – 78704 & Homedale Trail, 2010 Homedale Drive – 78704) – The Guardians will continue years of work along the Barton Creek Greenbelt to remove invasive plant species and encourage ecological restoration.  Funding will be used to assist with termination of larger invasive plant specimens that create a destructive seed source.

• Discover Green and Discover 4-H (various locations) – An energetic team of teenagers will continue their work planting native trees throughout Central Texas with a specific focus on creek restoration.  The group will host six tree planting days between October 2009 and March 2010. 

• East Side Fair Centerpiece (12th & Chicon – 78702) – A community collaboration between the East Austin Rotary, Central East Austin Weed & Seed Initiative, East Austin neighborhood associations, and other community partners has sprung up to create the Eastside Fair to draw attention to intersections that need special attention and have the potential to become cultural epicenters through beautification and increased community activity.  Funding will be used to beautify the intersection by planting shade trees and creating a permanent art installation that highlights the unique significance of the neighborhood.

• Friends of Zilker Preserve (302 Nature Center Drive – 78704) – Created by a dedicated group of individuals who have been working on invasive plant species issues throughout Austin, the newly formed Friends of Zilker Preserve are focusing efforts on the Zilker Preserve in Central Austin.  Funding will be used to create signage that will explain the work and educate the public about invasive plant species. 

• Quilombo Community Garden (5606 Harold Court – 78721) – Established in 2008 the Quilombo Community Garden has already grown into a beautiful space for neighbors to meet and work together.  With KAB grant funding was awarded to the group to create a rain water collection/storage system and plant an orchard with heritage fruit trees. Unfortunately, the group dissolved before the project could be completed.  They did return all funds to KAB to share with future groups.

• Robertson Hill Neighborhood Association (8 vacant houses on Juniper, Olive, Curve, & Myrtle Streets – 78702)- Using an innovative approach to the challenge of neglected vacant homes in their neighborhood, the Robertson Hill Neighborhood Association will create murals on panels attached to these homes.  Once restoration on the homes begins the panels will be re-located to Kenny Dorham’s Backyard, an outdoor cultural meeting space. 

• Southwood Neighborhood Association (Central Williamson Creek Greenbelt near 806 Ramble Lane – 78745) – Volunteers from the Southwood Neighborhood Association will focus restoration efforts on 1.5 acres of land sloping toward Williamson Creek.  Hundreds of native plants including turks cap, horse herb, Barbados cherry, and more will re-vegetate the slope and create a diverse riparian habitat.

• Travis Country Community Service Association (4504 Travis Country Circle – 78735) Responding to an expansion of oak wilt and invasive plant species in the community, the Travis Country Community Service Association’s Grounds Committee is focusing efforts on creating a diverse urban forest.  Work will focus on the Blue Valley area and within the next year the group will plant Cedar Elms, Chinkapin Oaks, Bur Oaks, Mexican White Oaks, Montezuma Cypress, Bigtooth Maple, Texas Redbud, Mexican Buckeye, and Anacacho Orchid trees.