Austin Parks Department gets grant to study health, climate change

AUSTIN

Parks Department to study

health and climate change

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department has received a $341,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study the physical and emotional health effects of worsening extreme heat due to climate change.

The department's Cities Connecting Children to Nature program will examine whether worsening heat decreases opportunities for physical activity and reduces the overall emotional well-being of young people.

The project will evaluate the impact of green infrastructure on heat index, physical activity of children and outcomes from park use. For the purposes of this study, green infrastructure will primarily include trees, but will also encompass nature trails and gardens. The department has identified three elementary school parks — Barrington, Cook and Odom — that are majority Latino and economically disadvantaged, to conduct this research. Latino children from low-income families have been found to live in areas characterized by urban heat islands and exhibit lower physical activity levels and higher risk of heat illness than other groups.

The research will assess the heat index in relation to physical activity of the students. The variables will include time exposed to shade from tree canopies and whether long periods of exposure increase children’s physical activity. The goal of the research is to determine whether there is a correlation between the presence of green infrastructure and physically and emotionally stronger children.

The two-year project is a collaboration between the Parks and Recreation Department, the Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, the Children and Nature Network and the Austin school district. The Parks Department expects to publish the results in the spring of 2021.

ROUND ROCK

Creekside Park cleanup

set for Saturday morning

A fall creek cleanup will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Creekside Park, 4300 Brushy Creek Road.

Parks Department staff will provide instructions and supplies including gloves, trash bags, sunscreen, bug spray and water. Volunteers are encouraged to wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. This is a come-and-go event.

Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or scout/campfire leader. Patches will be available for boy or girl scouts by request.

For more information: r.hagan@bcmud.org.

DOWNTOWN AUSTIN

Central Library hosts

seed swap Saturday

The Central Texas Seed Savers will host its second annual seed swap will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Austin Central Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez St.

Attendees can share seeds, plants and experience, and take home native seeds harvested from the library garden and other local gardens. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and other Austin gardening partners will share seeds from their collection. All experience levels are welcome at the free event.

ELGIN

Mural dedications set

in city's Public Art Plan

A mural dedication is set the first two murals sponsored by the Elgin Main Street Program from the Elgin Downtown Public Art Plan during the Sip, Shop and Stroll at 6:30 p.m. Thursday next to the Post Office, 21 N. Avenue C.

Live music will be provided by the Seth Montgomery Group.

The project is a collaboration from the Elgin Main Street and Elgin artist William Montgomery. Montgomery works at a smaller canvas scale, so Sarah J. Blankenship enlarged the original piece to mural size⁣⁣⁣. Montgomery highlighted the Texas horned lizard in the mural as a cautionary tale of extinction.

The second piece of public art, “Mrs. Jones,” is at 28 N. Main St. and was created by Melissa Ladd. The Elgin Downtown Public Art Plan is a finalist for the Downtown Spirit award by the Texas Downtown Association.

BASTROP

Viva Mexico dance

set for Saturday

Viva Mexico will take place from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Jerry Fay Wilhelm Center for the Performing Arts, 1401 Cedar St.

The dance performance will feature Alma Mexicana Ballet Folklórico of Round Rock and Stony Point High School, the Ballet Folklórico Orgullo Mexicano of Cedar Creek High School and the Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folklórico de Texas. Tickets cost $5 per person or free for children ages 5 and younger.

American-Statesman staff