From handling phone calls about pavilion reservations to coordinating with park rangers and urban foresters, his role is as diverse as the parks themselves.
“Every day is different,” Donegan said.. “My day could be a smooth day with project meetings, or it could be a day where we're resolving something that happened from a storm. That’s what’s so fun about it.”
Ongoing and upcoming projects
Among the biggest ongoing projects is the Zipp Family Sports Park, which will soon serve as a hub for local youth baseball, softball and soccer leagues.
“Our three largest associations, New Braunfels Youth Soccer, New Braunfels Little League Baseball and New Braunfels Girls Youth Softball, will all be moving out to [the park],” Donegan said. “We have a lot of other local groups, and even some that are not New Braunfels based, ... asking for field allocations. Increasing our inventory is going to help us help kids stay active, which I think is just fantastic.”
Another example of the city’s commitment to recreation is the recently renovated Landa Park Aquatic Complex, a $2.75 million overhaul that reopened over Memorial Day weekend.
“That complex is really unique,” Donegan said. “The Springfed pool, which has spring water from Landa Lake, is adjacent to the Olympic chlorinated pool, both at the same complex. Guests arrive and pay their fee and can use both pools.”
Balancing recreational amenities with environmental stewardship is a top priority. The aquatic complex is adjacent to the protected Comal River, home to endangered species such as the tiny fountain darter fish.
“We work very closely with the city of New Braunfel's Watershed Manager, and we coordinate efforts with the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan team to protect water quality and the endangered species,” Donegan said.
The department also prides itself on engaging the community through popular programs such as youth camps. One standout is Camp Minnehaha, the city’s most popular summer camp, which sold out in just nine minutes this year.
“It’s a 12-week camp. We have 180 kids per week, and Fischer Park Nature Center has 30 kids per week,” Donegan said. “The kids get to spend a week in the park. They get to swim, be with nature, draw, paint and run around. They really have a great time.”
Of course, managing a rapidly growing city’s park system comes with its challenges. New sports interests, such as pickleball and badminton, have arisen, but the city faces the constraints of land and budget.
The upcoming system-wide park master plan will help guide future decisions on programming, staffing and budgeting.
Despite hurdles, the department’s impact has earned national recognition. In October, New Braunfels Parks was awarded the National Recreation and Park Association National Gold Medal, a prestigious honor recognizing outstanding park systems across the U.S.
“[That award] really highlights the impact that we have on our community through our park system, programming, customer service and facilities,” Donegan said. “It really shows that New Braunfels is on the forefront, which is a great win for us.”
The department also recently achieved Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies reaccreditation, a rigorous process requiring compliance with over 150 national standards for operational excellence.
“We just passed our reaccreditation with a perfect score,” Donegan said. “It was another testament to our staff. We have a great team.”
Looking ahead, he’s especially excited about the development of Northwest Park, a sprawling 130-acre future green space with diverse possibilities.
“That park will be our largest park acreage-wise,” Donegan said. “We have an incredible opportunity to create a wonderful park that will have a lasting legacy for our community. A master plan is in progress for what will be there. It's going to be a great park.”
The passion for parks and recreation runs deep throughout the department.
“Everyone works diligently in their own divisions every day, but if there's something that comes up, it’s all hands on deck,” Donegan said. “We want to make sure that we're taking care of our community and our parks. Everyone has a fingerprint on that.”
Thanks to visionary leadership and a dedicated team, New Braunfels’ parks system is more than just open space; it’s a thriving, cherished centerpiece of community life.
To learn more about the New Braunfels Parks and Recreation division, as well as upcoming projects, click here.
The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
