AUSTIN, TEXAS — The Confluence, a 13-acre section of the Waterloo Greenway park system in Austin, Texas, opens on Saturday. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The Confluence constitutes the second phase of the project, which aims to create a 1.5-mile network of connected green space along Waller Creek. Construction began in May 2023, and it extends from East 4th Street to Lady Bird Lake. Waterloo Park and the Moody Amphitheater opened in 2021 as the first phase.
Construction crews restored eroded Waller Creek banks, improved water quality, planted nearly 1,600 trees, and installed more than 200,000 native plants. Located between the Rainey Street Historic District, the Austin Convention Center, and the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, the section offers central access.
It contains more than a half-mile of new trails, three pedestrian bridges crossing Waller Creek, and an 800-foot boardwalk. Continuous bike and pedestrian pathways connect the Lance Armstrong Bikeway, Palm Park, Rainey Street, and the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. "The opportunity here is to connect people to these locations like Rainey Street, the convention center and downtown along this beautiful space of nature. It's just a really hard area to get around before," said John Rigdon, chief planning and design officer for Waterloo Greenway.
The system will encompass 35 acres. "I think people will experience nature that looks like something from outside of town, something out in the Hill Country. But they'll experience that as they walk around the heart of our city and connect to their favorite destinations," said John Rigdon. The event will include live music, art activities, games, and family programming.