AUSTIN (KXAN) — Members of the Austin Archery Club (AAC) are urging the city of Austin not to terminate its agreement allowing the club to use a 59‑acre parcel of parkland for archery.
AAC is a nonprofit club located northwest of Austin in the Texas Hill Country and is managed entirely by unpaid volunteers, according to the organization. Although AAC operates the archery range, the city of Austin retains ownership of the land under a 2018 Use Agreement that granted the club access and management responsibilities.
Documents show that on Jan. 30, Austin Parks and Recreation (PARD) sent a letter notifying AAC that the city was “exercising its right to terminate the agreement” effective Feb. 27. PARD later extended the termination date to April 1.
In the extension letter, PARD stated AAC must remove all of its property from the park and will not be allowed to use any portion of the land for any purpose after April 1.
The letter also notes that “AAC has not — and cannot — dispute that under the agreement signed by both parties, [and] the City has the legal right to terminate without cause.”
Vivian Furgeson, a member of the Austin Archery Club, says the site holds deep meaning for the community and that losing access would be devastating.
“So many people come out here for all different reasons going on in their life, to have some peace, tranquility, and to get to practice shooting their bow,” Furgeson said, “[There’s] anger and frustration and a lot of disappointment.”
That sentiment is echoed by Jessica Garcia, a competitive archer who has represented Team USA at the Pan American Games. She says there is no comparable terrain in Central Texas.
“Outside of Austin, you have just flat lands everywhere,” Garcia said. “If you go to Bastrop, Liberty Hill or any of the other archery clubs, you will not get this kind of hill country trajectories.”
Forest Tischler, the property director at AAC and a member of the club’s board, says they still have not been told why the city is ending the agreement. He hopes the city will reconsider as the April 1 deadline approaches.
“Anyone who can make a difference—please just help us out. We’re just we’re just a couple archers,” Tischler said. “I know that we’re low on the totem pole—but to us—this is everything, and we don’t want to lose it.”
KXAN reached out to PARD asking for the reasoning behind terminating the agreement. In a statement, the department said:
There will be a City Memo expected to be released [on Wednesday] that will provide additional information to Mayor and Council and outline Austin Parks and Recreation’s decision-making process and next steps regarding the parkland
City of Austin Spokesperson
KXAN will update this article once when that memo is released.
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