July declared Parks and Recreation Month

The Dripping Springs City Council has proclaimed July as Parks and Recreation Month, following its meeting last week.

The proclamation took place at the regular meeting on Wednesday, July 5, which had been rescheduled from its normal Tuesday date thanks to the Independence Day holiday. Members of the Hays County Master Naturalists and Gardeners were acknowledged in coordination with the parks recognition.

“Parks and recreation programs are an integral part of the Dripping Springs Community,” the proclamation stated. “Our parks and recreation services are vitally important to establishing and maintaining the quality of life in our communities, ensuring the health of all citizens and contributing to the economic and environmental well-being of a community and region. Parks, natural open space, and natural recreation areas improve water quality by protecting groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of the air we breathe, provide vegetative buffers to development and produce habitat for wildlife; our parks and natural recreation areas ensure the ecological beauty of our community and provide a place for children and adults to connect with nature and recreate outdoors.”

July was first nationally recognized as Parks and Recreation Month by the US House of Representatives in 2009.

The park system inventory in Dripping Springs includes the 110-acre Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Event Center and Charro Ranch Park — both popular locations to enjoy nature in an iconic Texas Hill Country setting with networks of trails for walking, biking, hiking and more. Founders Memorial Park and Sports and Recreation Park feature park amenities such as athletic fields, walking and jogging trails, volleyball and basketball and play structures and the Founders Memorial Park Pool, while the Veterans Memorial Park hosts a number of city festivals and festivities.

To learn more about Dripping Springs parks, visit cityofdrippingsprings.com.