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Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

 While Winnie the Pooh’s 100 Acre Woods may exist only in animated reality, Laredo’s North Central Park will soon boast its very own, very real 100 Acre Woods, filled with 100 trees, thanks to the volunteer efforts of Laredo’s very own citizens.

 As part of Council Member Gene Belmares’ commitment to make Laredo’s own North Central Park a park comparable to New York’s Central Park and such famous parks, he is inviting the community to come out and help him plant 100 trees at the park.  However, he’s not undertaking this project alone; he has a team of individuals who are helping to make this project a reality.  Sheriff Martin Cuellar, Keep Laredo, Beautiful, the City of Laredo Parks & Leisure Services Department, District VI Advisory Committee, Trautmann Middle School I-Planet Club, KLDO-Univision, have all joined forces with Belmares to help plant 100 trees in the park on Saturday, November 21, 2009, starting at 8:00 a.m..

 “This will truly be a great tree-hugging experience,” stated Belmares.

 The 100 trees that will be planted will be trees whose foliage will change color in the fall, creating a true “Central Park” feel to the hundreds of walkers, runners, bikers and everyone in between who takes advantage of the park’s approximate 2.7 miles of pathway.  However, in order to plant 100 trees, Belmares needs the assistance of volunteers willing to help make Laredo even more beautiful.  Any Laredo citizen age 12 and over is invited to sign up.  Simply contact Keep Laredo Beautiful for registration and liability forms at 794-1650 or via e-mail at keeplaredobeautiful@gmail.com to sign up oneself, family, school, church or place of business.

 Volunteers will start bright and early on that day; however, breakfast, refreshments and lunch will be provided, courtesy of the District VI Advisory Board and countless sponsors.  All safety tips, such as appropriate work shoes and clothing should be strictly followed.  Equipment and tools will be handled by City staff and other responsible individuals; however, there will be plenty of other clean-up and beautification side projects that even someone who doesn’t possess a green thumb can help out. 

 In 2004, Council Member Belmares and then Webb County Commissioner Felix Velasquez, Precinct III, came together to announce not just an inter-local agreement for the creation of the park, but also, a promise to create a park that would be a park unlike any ever seen before in Laredo, one that would highlight the natural landscape of the environment, as well as provide amenities that would appeal to children, adults and everyone in between.

 North Central Park will boast both passive and active recreation space, including fitness trails, facilities for sports activities, and a unique nature conservancy area, as well as playground equipment for the young, or young at heart.  The development will highlight the natural water features of the area, including the babbling brook feeding a nice-sized pond. 

 The park will be a continual work in progress that is currently at 210 acres with an additional 25 acres and connectivity coming in the future.  Efforts by the City of Laredo to acquire the land began in 2002.  While some of the acreage was donated to the City of Laredo, the rest was acquired with bond monies sold in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.  In 2004, Webb County also provided $625,000 for the purchase of property, as well.  Additional federal earmarks from Congressman Henry Cuellar will also improve the park amenities, as well.

 Future amenities of the park will include an additional 1.4 mile of trails and improvements, park benches, additional lighting, exercise station, playground, shades, drinking fountains, restrooms, landscape irrigation and a nature area for bird watching.  Other features include basketball courts, a baseball complex, tennis courts, and an amphitheater. The project will also focus on Green Space restoration and the Manadas Creek Regional Detention Pond.  Total estimated cost for North Central Park is $12.5 million, not including the potential federal earmarks.