Say goodbye to the dust and dirt. The 2009 ACL Festival will usher in a new, greener era for Zilker Park . C3 Presents (the Festival producer) is putting up $2.5 million over the next several years to help the Austin Parks and Recreation Department completely overhaul Zilker Park and create a grassy oasis for all to enjoy. The process is getting underway this week.

Section by section, crews will till up the earth, grade it out nice and smooth, and install a state-of-the-art irrigation system. A new pump center will pump water from Lady Bird Lake and use it to irrigate the park with non-potable water, supporting the Austin City Council resolution to save potable water. While new drinking fountains and sprinkler heads go up, soft new grass will go down. By June 2009, the park should have more grass than the Armadillo World Headquarters during a Willie Nelson concert.

Plenty of music fans will enjoy the tunes of ACL without all the dust. But it goes beyond that. From the serious soccer players to the care-free folks flying kites at the Kite Festival, everyone who sets foot in Zilker Park will enjoy a healthier environment for decades to come.

Wanna check the progress on your favorite ultimate Frisbee spot? We’ll be covering the Zilker makeover with live updates right here. We’ll have real-time photos and videos as well as reports from the field. Yeah, we’re a little bit geeked-out over all of this, but hey – it’s the best city in the world and we’re excited about the having the greatest park as well.

Check back regularly for updates.