Austin has been named a Tree City USA City for the 33rd year.

This is a national honor from the Arbor Day Foundation which is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees.

Austin has met the four standards required which are: Having a tree board, a tree ordinance, a community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. It helps to have a partner such as Spruce Up Austin which has helped plant trees in our parks and public green spaces.

They are also promoters hosting spring or fall seminars educating our community on the benefits that trees hold. Austin can be proud they are committed to being a Tree City USA.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture sent out a notice on the Emerald Ash Borer’s flight season change due to the mild winter we had. They are posting April 18 as the final day that untreated regulated articles will be allowed to be removed from the quarantine areas through Sept. 30.

We are not in a quarantined area, to find out more information you may visit www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.

Adult team letters have been mailed out. Deadline for adult softball will be April 19 and 20; adult kickball and square bag/round hole on April 23 and 24. Revived this year is the adult sand volleyball league. Play is at Todd Park on Thursday nights. Deadline is May 1.

Team entry is $20 plus your $8 player fee. If you are interested please call the office and we will mail you the information.

We have our summer brochure back from the printer. We have taken them to the schools to send home with your child.

If you did not receive one you can stop in or pull it up on the city website at www.ci.austin.mn.us, click on departments, click on park and recreation and click on summer brochure. You will find information on parks, youth recreation, municipal pool and Jay C. Hormel Nature Center programs. The Nature Center also has a website: www.hormelnaturecenter.org.

On Tuesday you may be interested in carpooling to Oxbow Park near Byron to watch the dance of the American Woodcock; departure is set for 6:30 p.m. Please RSVP to the Nature Center by April 16 at 437-7519. Join this free program at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, as the Austin Audubon presents “ Dr. Mark Seeley, Climatologist/Meteorologist in the Ruby Rupner Auditorium.

Start saving now for your pool tag. By saving $2.75 each week from now until the pool opens you will have your $30 to purchase your tag. It only takes 7.5 times paying the daily fee price of $4 to add up to your tag price. The pool will open on June 11 with a tentative closing date of Aug. 19. Sign up for a session of swim lessons and the purchase a pool tag at the same time you will save $10.

Austin’s “ Community Pride Day” will be here before we know it. This event falls on the last Saturday in April annually. This year’s date is April 28 and will mark the sixth year of picking up our community green spaces.

You may come as a group or just one. We meet at the Municipal Swimming Pool parking lot at 9 a.m. to get your green space assignment, gloves, bags and a donut, coffee or hot cocoa and away you go to conquer the garbage. All bags are left in your area and will be picked up. We also partner with ACES and recycle the plastic and aluminum that is picked up. If you are interested in a certain area call our office to reserve your spot at 433-1881.

Check us out on Facebook. Look for Austin Park Recreation.