Megan Navarro
WIMBERLEY — Plans for the Blue Hole Nature Center are moving along after Wimberley City Council unanimously voted to approve a firm and team for its design and project management at its Thursday, May 15, meeting.
The nature center is a new initiative by the city of Wimberley, which has been discussed by council since earlier this year, to create a hub for environmental education in the Texas Hill Country.
Designed to be a One Water facility, the center — which was allotted $3 million as part of the Hays County Parks and Open Space Bond — is planned to feature interactive classrooms, a sustainable greenhouse, nature-based exhibitsand restored prairie and wetland ecosystems. It will also be an expansion of the city’s Nature Camp, which serves hundreds of local youth annually, while also offering year-round programs for families, schools and organizations.
On May 15, based on staff’s recommendation, Wimberley City Council voted 4-0 to award the contract for the design and project management of the Blue Hole Nature Center to Lake Flato and Lionheart.
“We sent out a request for qualifications for architecture design firms to submit their ideas for our Blue Hole Nature Center. This is going to be partly funded by that Parks & Open Space Bond that Hays County passed. We’ve got $3 million in funding available,” explained Leah Cuddeback, chair of the Wimberley Parks & Recreation Board.
The request for qualifications (RFQ) is special because it called out specific water conservation practices and it led to high caliber applications, Cuddeback said: “We had two great tiers of applicants and the applicant that rose to the top was Lake Flato … That was a really incredible application. They have a lot of great pieces to it that really tie into Wimberley’s existing character and the way that our park is already designed. Blue Hole is a treasure and we want it to be a seamless addition that has a low water footprint.”
According to agenda documents, Lake Flato has been in business for 41 years, is incorporated in Texas and licensed in 28 states in the U.S. The firm was founded with a goal to pursue regionally inspired architecture and environmental stewardship; Lake Flato collaborates closely with landscape architects, ecologists and a variety of engineers, systems specialists and exhibit designers.
Garrett Jones of Lake Flato shared with council that he is excited not only for the project, but also continuing the legacy of conservation and sustainability at Blue Hole.
“This is a project that is real special [that] really aligned with our ethos and our whole vibe at Lake Flato. We’ve assembled a really phenomenal team with Lionheart, our landscape architects, and we really are just incredibly excited to move forward with this project,” he said.
Currently, the city of Wimberley only has the $3 million in the county’s bond allotment for the project. City administrator Tim Patek explained that director of Parks and Recreation Richard Shaver is in the process of looking for grants and funding opportunities.
“In the RFQ process, we specifically asked for grant proposal support, so that is another thing that Lake Flato brings to the table,” Cuddeback said.
Next, the city will negotiate a contract for services; however, if the city and Lake Flato/Lionheart are unable to reach an agreement on the price, then council will need to approve and authorize staff to initiate negotiations with the next most qualified proposer.
Additionally, after the item was postponed from the May 1 meeting due to council’s request for more information, Wimberley City Council also voted 4-0 to approve the issuance of a horse-drawn carriage permit.
According to Nathan Glaiser, director of development services, the applicants operate the carriage on a route around the Wimberley Square and down Old Kyle Road, but they will also attend market days upon request. They also primarily operate on the weekends and never at night, unless it’s a special event, or in bad weather.
“Our real goal here was to make sure that anyone doing this kind of operation on the square would have insurance and they provided proof of that,” Glaiser said. “We think it’s appropriate to go ahead and approve the permit.”
Lloyd Bishop, applicant and Wimberley resident, shared that people young and young at heart are always excited to see the carriage pull up.
“Equine therapy is one of the biggest things in this state that we have to offer and riding in that carriage and hearing that horse and his feet on that pavement is like being in a rocking chair. The only thing that I have to pay attention to is people get hurt doing something stupid, but other than that, I’ve been doing it for eight years,” he explained. “In the last year or so, it’s gotten where it’s busy and it’s more recognized.”
To listen to the full meeting, visit www.cityofwimberley.com/292/Public-Meetings. Wimberley City Council meets next at 6 p.m. June 5.
