Bee Cave cancels Nature Fest event
April 5 update: The city of Bee Cave has canceled its planned Nature Fest on April 15 after receiving a lawsuit involving the Brown property. City officials said they need to evaluate the impact of the lawsuit before allowing the event to move forward.
Earlier:
The city of Bee Cave is hosting a communitywide event on April 15 to gather feedback on the construction of a nature center at 4000 Great Divide Drive.
The city plans to develop the facility on an undeveloped piece of land along Little Barton Creek. Officials said Lamar Brown sold the property, which had been in his family for six generations, to the city in 2017.
“(Brown) really felt strongly that he didn't want it to be developed, he didn’t want it to be an apartment complex, he didn't want it to be office space. He really wanted it preserved for the beautiful property that it is,” said Bee Cave Mayor Kara King.
The Nature Fest from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, will feature a guided walking tour and hayride through the property, live music and food trucks. The event at 13215 Bee Cave Parkway also will have educational opportunities, including a beekeeper and members from Bee Cave Friends of the Parks and the Hill Country Conservancy, said the city's parks director, Lanie Marcotte.
“The goal of the event is to introduce the property and get feedback from the community on what they would like to see on the property,” Marcotte said.
King, a former science teacher, said one of her goals for the nature center is to educate people about the natural environment of the Hill Country.
“I feel passionate about wanting to make it not just a nature center, but an educational nature center,” King said. “Something that we can use to not only educate adults, but children alike, about the ecology of Central Texas.”
King said creating a nature center on this property will ensure the city preserves Bee Cave’s natural beauty as the city grows. The population of Bee Cave has increased drastically, nearly tripling in size in the past 10 years to 9,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“We are growing rapidly in our area,” King said. “As the area continues to grow, it's going to be 44 acres that are going to showcase what the Hill Country used to look like before all the humans moved here and developed everything.”
The city is in the information-gathering phase of the master planning process, which could take about a year to completer, Marcotte said. After the master planning is complete, the city plans to develop the center in phases, beginning with basic infrastructure, including parking space and trails.
“There aren't any formed trails out there. We would be putting together a trail system within the property and connecting to the connectivity trail of the city,” Marcotte said. “Phase two or three may be a nature center.”
King said she aims to eventually have bee hives on the property to create Bee Cave honey.
“One of my personal goals that I would like to see worked into the property is not only to use it to educate young and old in our community, but give them an appreciation for the Hill Country,” King said. “Not only give them an appreciation for it, but why we have to take care of it, why it’s so important to take care of it.”
The future nature center will be largely passive and aims to emulate the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in South Austin.
“We would really like to invite schools out to do some science, nature programming in the park,” Marcotte said.
The city hopes the nature center attracts visitors from across the region to appreciate the natural features of the Hill Country, said Assistant City Manager Lindsey Oskoui.
“We hope it to be a regional destination that attracts people to Bee Cave, as well as something that local schools can use for an excursion for a science class,” Oskoui said.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Bee Cave cancels Nature Fest event on April 15