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Bexar County commissioners this week reallocated $15 million in park funds for improvements to Raymond Russell Park, MacArthur Park, and North Park.
Funding was also allocated for new sports fields at the Northwest Education and Training Center operated by the Alamo Community College District.
Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody pushed for the reallocations for those park improvements from funding already set aside for other park projects, all within Precinct 3.
"The bottom line is this is just an internal Precinct 3 reallocation. I know there are a lot of projects here, but we wanted to get this all cleaned up at once," Moody told commissioners court before they approved the reallocations."
Raymond Russell Park will receive the lion's share of the reallocated funds of more than $7 million for improvements.
Those improvements include an additional dog park area, sports courts, better parking, more shade trees, and renovations to an outdoor pavilion and kitchen.
County Parks and Recreation Director Ken McGlamery told commissioners improvements are also planned for a troublesome low-water crossing in the middle of the park.
"With any type of rain we get, it cuts the park in half." he said. So, we have a back entrance and a front entrance. It's critical for emergency response and access and traffic flow and a greenway connection."
Nearly $4 million in improvements are planned for North Park, which sits between the Gunn Family Dog Park and the Rock at La Cantera, the Spurs headquarters. The dog park is owned by the county and operated by the Spurs.
North Park will see expanded parking, a playground, and restrooms, which will help with crowd flow associated with the dog park.
Around $2 million will lead to the addition of at least four baseball fields and four soccer fields at ACCD's Northwest Education and Training Center, likely to be expanded into a new college campus in the future.
Around $2 million will also be spent for pavilion and kitchen improvements at MacArthur Park.
