The Parks, Arts and Community Enrichment Advisory Board of Cedar Park met Monday to discuss a number of committee updates and art installations.

Residents Terre Fletcher and Holly Scudder told the PACE board about their involvement with Cedar Park’s Milburn Park and Veterans Memorial Park community gardens. They both have plots at Veterans Memorial garden and have been working together to create a monthly e-newsletter for gardeners at either location. These newsletters contain everything from recipes, to important notices to information about insects, according to the organization.

“It seems to be helping the gardeners whenever I talk to them,” Fletcher said. “They’ve read the newsletter and they’ve gotten a lot of encouragement out of that.”

Additionally, each garden has appointed a liaison. Scudder serves as the liaison for Veterans Memorial community garden. Liaisons will communicate with participants to keep track of any issues in the gardens, she said.

“We want to make sure we get the most out of [the community gardens] and that the gardens are maintained,” Scudder said.

Fletcher said the gardeners have designated a plot at Veterans Memorial Park to serve as a community plot for cutting flowers and herbs. The gardeners intend to donate herbs to a local food bank and to bring the flowers to a nursing home nearby.

“We’ve got a lot of projects that we’re starting to create and hopefully bring the rest of our plotters into,” Fletcher said.

After the information from Fletcher and Scudder, Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Shawn Cooper presented news about upcoming events, including a concert in the park on June 21. Country and rock band Junction will be performing at 7 p.m. at Milburn Park.

Cooper also provided an update from the Hike and Bike Trail Committee. One of the committee members has been doing trail research while in Arkansas, he said. Some trails there were created to link together popular businesses and restaurants, which Cooper said the Hike and Bike Trail Committee is interested in implementing in Cedar Park.

Assistant to the City Manager Kimberly Reese presented the board with the Art Selection Committee’s recommended artists for the Cedar Park Public Library and City Council Chambers art displays. Four out of seven PACE board members were present, and they approved the recommendations of the art selection committee.

They also saw options for selections of pieces for the 2017-2018 Cedar Park Sculpture Garden. The display will run from October 2017-September 2018. There are currently 12 sculpture locations, filled by 10 loaned pieces and two permanent pieces, Reese said.

The board reviewed a variety of sculptures submitted by artists, along with their material, price and history of display in the garden. Some artists have been featured years in the past, while others submitted sculptures for the first time.

Board members plan to consider the sculptures further and post a survey about the sculptures before making a decision about which to select for the upcoming garden exhibit.

During their last meeting, the board members selected the design for the Veterans Memorial Park Military Sculpture Project—a single soldier in a poncho. They requested a few adjustments to the proposed design, including a white/green patina finish, similar to the Korean War Veterans national memorial, and an altered poncho.

On Monday, the board approved the sculpture with the updated patina and fuller poncho.

For more information about the PACE board's projects and meetings, visit www.cedarparktexas.gov.