AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Parks and Recreation Department held a ribbon cutting at Davis-White Park on Sunday, highlighting improvements made to the northeast Austin park.
The improvements to the park include upgraded basketball goals, the replacement of the playscape for children ages 5 to 12, replacement of swings, an additional arch swing with a saucer-style swing set, ADA benches and an interpretive marker.
Spanning almost 20 acres, Davis-White Northeast Neighborhood Park was renamed in 2007 after two revered Austinites – Capt. Willie Ray Davis and Capt. Louie White – who are credited with breaking racial barriers by becoming the first African Americans appointed to leadership positions with the Austin Fire Department and Austin Police Department, respectively.
Sunday’s dedication came in collaboration with the Austin Parks Foundation (APF) and San Antonio Spurs, with Spurs forward Harrison Barnes participating in the ribbon-cutting.
“We are thrilled by the transformation of Davis-White Park,” Jesús Aguirre, director of Austin Parks and Recreation, said. “This project demonstrates the power of collaboration with our community and other valued partners. High-quality parks and recreation spaces are critical to the vibrancy of our great city, and these renovations and new amenities provide a space for the community to gather, play and foster connections while also continuing to honor the contributions of local African American heroes.””Austin Parks Foundation, alongside Austin Parks and Recreation, is grateful to continue this partnership with Spurs Give with our first project completion of the year in Davis-White Park,” Colin Wallis, CEO of Austin Parks Foundation, said. “Partnerships like these help our team amplify the importance of community in our city’s parks and give more recreational options for kids to enjoy, whether that’s on the basketball court or the playscape.””Play ATX is our way of honoring and celebrating Spurs fans in Austin by creating safe, accessible spaces for play and connection,” Dr. Kara Allen, chief people, impact and belonging officer at Spurs Sports and Entertainment, said. “Thanks to the support of our partners, this space will allow multi-generational neighbors and athletes alike to develop their leadership skills and build their legacies on and beyond the court.”Despite the improvements, the park’s well-known pecan trees are still protected.
The improvements were made thanks to funding from municipal bonds for essential public projects, as well as funding from APF and Spurs Give, the official nonprofit of Spurs Sports and Entertainment, which owns both the San Antonio and Austin Spurs.