Austin's Parks and Recreation Department has put the first construction phase of John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park out to bid, with a city estimate of $6.5 million and a Nov. 19 deadline. The 330-acre park sits off FM 969 in Austin, Texas (ZIP 78725), and according to ATX Things' reading of the city's own bid documents, Phase 1 means a wildflower meadow, picnic shelters, a nature-play area, trails, parking and a restroom. The city's project page projects a construction start in spring 2027.

What exactly did the city put out to bid?

The city posted Invitation for Bids IFB 6100 CLMC1141, "John Trevino Jr. Metro Park – Phase I Development," on Oct. 19, 2026. The solicitation lists a $6,500,000 estimated amount and a status of "Open." Responses are due before 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, with the opening at 3:00 p.m. that day.

The scope, in the city's words: a wildflower meadow, invasive species removal, picnic shelters and pavilions, playground amenities including nature play, trail and sidewalk connections, a formalized entry point, an access road, parking, rain gardens, shade and ornamental trees, utility improvements, and a restroom.

John Treviño Jr. Metro Park, 9501 FM 969 Rd., Austin, TX 78725

A wildflower meadow beside a gravel trail with a wooden nature-play structure in soft focus (AI-generated illustration, not the actual park)

The image above is an AI-generated illustration of what the listed features could look like. It is not a rendering from the city's plans.

How long would the work take, and who is waiting on it?

The bid packet says the winning contractor has 300 calendar days after the city's notice to proceed to substantially finish the work, and 60 more calendar days for final completion. Liquidated damages, the city's penalty for running late, are $950 per day past substantial completion and $600 per day past final completion.

A pre-bid conference for contractors is set for Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m., by webinar and phone. The packet calls it non-mandatory. A city compliance plan is required with every bid, and the packet lists subcontracting goals for minority- and women-owned firms.

Note

A posted bid is not an award. The city has not picked a contractor, and we have not seen who plans to bid. The estimate is the city's figure before bids come in; the final price will be whatever the low qualified bid says, if the city moves ahead.

Where did this park come from?

Austin Parks and Recreation bought the property in 2003. In 2006 City Council named it for John Treviño Jr., the city's first Latino Council member and Mayor Pro Tem. The city's page says he was the first Mexican-American elected to the Council and served 14 years. Council adopted the park's vision plan on Oct. 15, 2020.

The land has been farm and ranch ground; the city says those operations ran until 2016. Today it has a paved entry drive, two-track dirt roads, a farmhouse and several outbuildings. FM 969 bounds it on the north and the Colorado River on the south, and about two-thirds of the property is in the 100-year floodplain, per the city.

Phase 1 is paid for by the voter-approved 2018 parks bond, according to the city. The project page lists the Council districts as 1 and 2 and gives this schedule: permitting finished in spring 2026, bidding in fall 2026, construction start in spring 2027. It adds that dates can shift with weather and the nature of construction.

Can you see the site before a shovel goes in?

A city Parks listing puts a Wood Reclamation session at the park on Friday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon. Per the listing, foresters will be on site, everyone signs a city liability waiver, no chainsaws are allowed, and participants load and haul their own wood. The listing gives no price. We have not confirmed details with the city, so check the events page before you drive out.

Pro Tip

If you want the first look, that listing is the only public, dated visit we found. The park is not an open, developed park yet, and we have not been out there.

What locals should know

  • Deadline: bids due before 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19; opening at 3 p.m.
  • Estimate: $6.5 million, the city's figure, not a contract price.
  • Schedule: the city's projected construction start is spring 2027, not a promise.
  • What it is not: this phase is a meadow-and-shelters build. The solicitation does not describe the full 330 acres being finished.
  • Where it sits: between FM 969 and the Colorado River, in ZIP 78725.

We are watching Nov. 19. When the city opens the bids, the list of bidders and the low number become public, and that is when this story gets its next real fact. Follow @austintexasthings for it.

For other East Austin parkland news, see our report on the RBI youth complex groundbreaking on Loyola Lane and the Country Club Creek greenbelt item at Council. To see what else the city has filed near you, use our neighborhood guides and development records on Zabalist.

FAQ

Is John Treviño Jr. Metro Park open now?

The city describes the site as farmland with a paved entry drive, dirt roads, a farmhouse and outbuildings. Phase 1 construction has not started. We found no public opening date.

How much will Phase 1 cost?

The city's estimate is $6.5 million, funded by the 2018 parks bond. The final number depends on the bids due Nov. 19.

When does construction start?

The city's project page says spring 2027, and notes the schedule can change.

Who can bid?

Any contractor that meets the packet's requirements, including the required compliance plan. A pre-bid call is Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.; it is not mandatory.

Where do I read the documents?

The solicitation is on the city's Austin Finance Online site as IFB 6100 CLMC1141. The project page is on austintexas.gov/parks.

Sources: City of Austin Finance Online solicitation IFB 6100 CLMC1141 (published Oct. 19, 2026; read Oct. 26, 2026); the bid packet, Vol. 1; Austin Parks and Recreation, "John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park Phase 1 Implementation" and the Wood Reclamation event page (read Oct. 26, 2026).

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