The 525-acre ranch that comprises Garey Park was donated by Jack and Camille Garey in 2004 along with $5 million for park development. The park is positioned between Georgetown and Cedar Park and borders the South San Gabriel River.
In 2008 voters approved a bond for an additional $10 million for the park’s construction. Upon completion, Garey Park will become the Georgetown’s largest park at roughly 1.5 times the size of Zilker Park in Austin.
The ground breaking ceremony occurred on March 31, 2017 and construction of the park is ongoing. The Garey Park Grand Opening took place on June 9, 2018 with a host of festivities.
Garey Park: A Family’s Legacy
Gareys & City Work Together
Amenities at the park include a playscape, a splash pad, a dog park, an equestrian arena, the Garey House event space, pavilions, four miles of hiking trails and six miles of equestrian trails. Other facilities include include the park standards, an entry gate, restrooms and a maintenance facility.
“The City is thankful for this tremendous gift from the Gareys that has become a public park for all of us to enjoy,” Mayor Dale Ross said. “Garey Park will be a regional destination for outdoor recreation as well as a beautiful Hill Country setting for special events.
With features similar to those found in state parks, this park is surely a gem for the City of Georgetown, and one that our residents and visitors will enjoy for many years to come.”
Garey Park: A Work in Progress
Georgetown City Council approved a $10.7 million contract on February 14, 2017, with Ritter-Botkin Prime Construction Co. of Pflugerville for the Garey House renovation and park construction.
Austin-based Halff Associates completed the design of Garey Park, which looks to be quite the venue for the City of Georgetown. The total budget for the Garey Park project was $13.5 million.
Though much of the initial work took place before the park opened in June of 2018, the city plans to do much, much more with the ample space the park provides. Garey Park looks great now, but new elements will be developed in the upcoming years. Visitors can expect even more!
Garey Park’s First Year
It’s Georgetown’s biggest city park and the only one that charges an entrance fee. In December, 2019, the city released data from the park’s first full fiscal year of operations. Some of the information was eye-opening.
Despite higher entrance fees for non-resident visitors, about 70 percent of the park visitors were not from Georgetown. The park cost $777,412 to operate and brought in $379,813 in revenue.
The park will continue to offer free admission on Tuesdays from Oct. 1-March 31 each year.