The city is moving forward with an effort to make long-range improvement plans for Pease Park and an adjacent portion of the Shoal Creek Greenbelt that is north of the park.

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department announced in October that it selected Wallace, Roberts & Todd LLC as the landscape architects to prepare a master plan for the park and adjacent greenbelt.

The master plan, which will provide a long-range vision to guide the further restoration and preservation of the green space, should be started in the fall and be completed in less than a year, Pease Park Conservancy Chairman Richard Craig said. The Pease Park Conservancy since 2008 has worked to improve the area's landscape through efforts that have included planting 500 new trees and restoring historic features in the park, such as the Tudor Cottage and Memorial Entry Gates, according to a news release.

WRT spearheaded the Imagine Austin plan for the city in 2012 and was also responsible for the Memorial Park master plan in Houston.

"WRT is pleased to assist the Pease Park Conservancy to develop a vision for stabilizing the parkland's natural environment, improving its recreational use and enhancing its aesthetic appeal," said WRT principal Eric Tamulonis, who will lead the master plan effort, in a news release. "The conservancy has expressed a strong desire to make Pease Park and the Shoal Creek Greenbelt better public recreational areas, rather than radically remake them into something else."

The Austin Parks and Recreation Board must review and approve the master plan before its presentation to the City Council for final approval.