The content used in this article originally appeared on atxgreenawards.org. Read the original article from Austin Green Awards here.

The Austin Green Awards recognize and promote sustainability and design innovation in Austin. They are Austin’s first recognition program that specifically highlights outstanding accomplishments in the broad arena of sustainable design and innovation. The Austin Green Awards focuses on buildings and sites, including landscapes and green infrastructure.

The six Awardees of the 2022 Austin Green Awards were recently announced at the Austin Green Awards Celebration. WGI provided services for two of these award-winning projects.

The Campsite at Shield Ranch

Submitted by: h+ou architects 
Owner: Foundation Communities

The Campsite at Shield Ranch is a 14-acre addition to the El Ranchito Campsite that serves children from low-income families.

The scope includes a 4,900 sf pavilion for community gatherings, 18 cabins totaling 5,900 sf, a mile of asphalt roadway, and several miles of gravel trails.

The campsite is totally self-sustainable with the inclusion of solar panels to power all of the electricity needed for the site. The site also includes an on-site water collection and filtration system. This project is one of the very first to receive a Texas SITES Gold Certification for sustainability and resilient land development.

Waterloo Park

Submitted by: Waterloo Greenway Conservancy & City of Austin
Owner: Waterloo Greenway Conservancy & City of Austin

Grown from a vision for a community-centered, environmentally restored, and activated Waller Creek in downtown Austin, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy was founded in 2010. The organization launched an international design competition to revitalize Waller Creek the following year.

In 2011, construction of the City of Austin’s Waller Creek Tunnel began. The mile-long tunnel is designed to remove more than 28 acres of downtown from the floodplain, keeping people safe from flash floods and making lasting creek and park restoration possible.

Twenty years later, construction on the revitalized Waterloo Park began in September 2017. The park opened to the public on August 14, 2021. The re-opening represents a homecoming of sorts, bringing music, multicultural community programming, local and international talent, and family-friendly festivals back to the park.

Waterloo Greenway seeks to preserve and honor history through not only park signage, but also by hosting a diverse collection of visual and multicultural performing arts. Programming is free to low-cost to the community to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience it.

Waterloo Park is a model for other communities in its approach to strategic partnerships. Every aspect of the design, construction, and operations of the project relies on critical partnerships, and the ability to rely on different partners’ strengths to optimize each process.

The Public-Private Partnership with the City provides the structure and funding, the partnership with the Downtown Austin Alliance provides consistent and high-quality daily operations, the partnership with LiveNation/C3 provides world-class concerts, and numerous local partnerships allow WGC to program the park with exciting and relevant programs for the community.

This model is increasingly critical as an example for other communities as park departments throughout the country face funding and resource limitations.

WGI provided Civil Engineering design and permitting services for the revitalization of Waterloo Park.

Restoring and revitalizing a historic greenspace is a big undertaking that comes with its own set of unique challenges. Our experienced team of local experts knows what it takes to bring your vision to reality.

Contact us today and let’s discuss how WGI’s knowledge and experience can be utilized on your next project!

The content used in this article originally appeared on atxgreenawards.org. Read the original article from Austin Green Awards here.