Northeast Metropolitan Park Closed After Storm Damage

NORTH AUSTIN, TX — Parts of Northeast Metropolitan Park have been closed after sustaining extensive damage following early Monday morning's powerful storms, officials said.

Brief but powerful in the early morning hours Monday, the storms descending in the region split trees, downed a tarp-like playscape structure and took out electrical power at the park, Travis County Parks officials wrote on the government website.

The upshot: Most of the 349-acre park is closed until further notice, and all field play has been suspended.

According to the county notice, the basketball pavilion, skate park and splash pad will remain open during hte day. Resuming nightly operations are contingent on how quickly power can be restored, officials added.

For updates, county officials direct residents to visit https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/northeast-metro for updates. Residents also can call (512) 854-9489 for a recorded message listing which sports fields are open or closed. This message is updated daily, officials said, including weekends.

The closures is sure to be a disappointment for fans, which are legion. The Travis County Parks’ BMX Racetrack there opened in 2015 and ranks among the top tracks in the nation. It is one of few to meet new UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) specifications as well as all USA BMX requirements, according to information found on the county website. The 5M start hill propels riders down the first 30 foot wide straight to the first asphalt turn, officials noted. In all, the track has three turns and runs 1000 feet.

Track operation times can be found at centraltexasbmx.com.

But the park offers much more than BMX racetrack area. Northeast Metropolitan Park is a multiple-use recreational area with soccer fields, multi-use fields, baseball fields, a cricket field, basketball court, tennis court, and a skate park. Amenities include restrooms, playgrounds, group shelters, picnic tables with grills, concession building for rent, and a water play area (splash-pad), according to information found on the website. Moreover, a two-mile concrete sidewalk follows along Gilleland Creek in the park, making it ideal for biking, jogging, or walking while observing nature.

The Northeast Metro Skate Park opened in 2012, and boasts 41,450 square feet of concrete space — ample room for BMX aficionados to learn or hone street and bowl skills.

Park amenities:

• soccer field (18)
• playscape
• restrooms
• skate park
• group shelters
• water play area
• picnic tables with grills
• basketball court
• tennis court
• cricket field

>>> Photos of Northeast Metropolitan Park via Travis County Parks website