LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

 (Laredo, TX)- As the air grows crisper and the leaves begin to turn colors, there is no doubt that the fall season has arrived.  However, as far south as Laredo finds itself, it has never been able to really see leaves change from green to deep reds, golds, and orange.  But that is slowly changing.  As part of District VI Council Member Gene Belmares’ commitment to make Laredo’s own North Central Park a park comparable to New York’s Central Park, he is once again inviting the community to come out and help him plant another 100-plus leaf-changing trees at the park.  However, he’s not undertaking this project alone; he already has a team of individuals who are helping to make this project a reality, but he still needs you.  Joining Belmares will be Sheriff Martin Cuellar, Constable Rudy Rodriguez, Keep Laredo Beautiful, the City of Laredo Parks & Leisure Services Department, District VI Advisory Committee, Guerra Communications Z93 and Big Buck and the Laredo Bicycling Community, who have all joined forces with Belmares to help plant over 100 trees in the park on Saturday, October 16, 2010, starting at 8:00 a.m..

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

 The trees that will be planted will be those whose foliage changes color in the fall, including: red oaks, pistachio, big tooth maples, live oaks, cypress, crepe myrtles, sweet gum and Texas pecan and walnut trees, enhancing that “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 120 trees, Belmares needs the assistance of volunteers willing to help make Laredo even more beautiful.  Any Laredoan 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. The forms are also available at the City of Laredo website, under www.cityoflaredo.com, click on the Departments, then Environmental Services link.

 Aside from tree planting, the Laredo Bicycling Association will be building a mountain bike trail at the park that day.  This trail be utilized and maintained by the mountain bikers themselves, and will be used for daily practice and training, and potentially, a future mountain bike race.  Anyone wanting to help with this project is invited to come out, as well.

 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. 

 Parking for volunteers will be available in the southeast parking lot of Convergys Corporation, located at 2451 Monarch Drive, off of Loop 20.   The registration and processing area, as well as some of the project work will be held in the drainage improvement area of the park that is directly behind the call center.

 This third tree planning is the third phase of five for the first wave of improvements to the park, which has already seen two tree planting events and a playground added since its official groundbreaking in 2009. 

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 boasts 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 highlights 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 federal earmarks.