City officials expect to see frisbees flying on a fully renovated disc golf course at the Zilker Metropolitan Park by this summer.
Charles Kaough, project manager with the city's Watershed Protection Department and project lead for the course improvements, said the park has been in need of improvements because of the weather and the course's popularity.
"They have heavy park use in that area, and the drainage and erosion needs repair," Kaough said. "We've been losing a lot of soil and vegetation due to the drought and the heavy use of the park there."
The construction process will comprise two parts, Kaough said, including erosion repair and upgrades to the disc golf infrastructure. Kaough said drought conditions have become compounded at the Zilker disc golf course because of the consistent use.
"It's just like anywhere in town, but in combination of the heavy use, the heavy foot traffic, it's particularly bad," Kaough said.
To help prevent erosion and improve drainage, improvements will include the installation of new berms to catch water running off the hillsides, fixes to existing erosion areas, replanted vegetation and other maintenance needs.
The course is the oldest disc golf course in Austin, Kaough said.
"Back in the day, there wasn't a lot of design to [creating a course]," Kaough said. "We know a lot more about disc golf than we did back then, so a lot of the new innovations are being used now."
Some of the upgrades include redoing the baskets on the tees and replacing some concrete tees. Kaough said the city does not intend to make any drastic changes to the course.
Construction started in January, with the south nine holes closed for repairs. The north nine holes are open until officials begin improvements on that section of the course.
The total budget for construction is $200,000. The course is expected to fully reopen in the summer, but that target date is dependent on the state of the replanted vegetation, he said.