What's next for future projects in Brackenridge Park
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The sun sets at Brackenridge Park. Photo: Megan Stringer/Axios
Brackenridge Park has always changed in small ways, says Blanquita Sullivan, who grew up living in its shade. The stables are long gone, with the Eight Forty apartments built in their place.
- "It was just these little things that I felt shift. I don't think there was ever a big moment, and in a lot of ways I feel like the park is still the same," Sullivan tells Axios.
Why it matters: The park won't be the same forever. But in future chapters, it's expected that proposed development that could alter the landscape will be examined more rigorously, with more public input.
Catch up quick: The Brackenridge Park Stakeholder Advisory Committee created a new evaluation tool that's meant to act as a rubric to inform decisions on future projects that will alter the park's landscape.
- The guidelines focus on respect for people and nature, history and culture, and compromise.
- They include points on promoting inclusivity and free use of the park, and they mention that projects should take into consideration the entire history of the park, including Indigenous use.
The latest: Sullivan says the new tool is one of the few good things to stem from all of the unease over the park.
- "I hope that because of how difficult some of those public meetings were, I hope that it's going to change how planning and how some of these projects go moving forward," she says.
The other side: Gary Perez, a member of the Native American Church and the Pakahua Peoples of Northeastern Mexico and Texas, tells Axios he's not confident the guidelines will lead to better representation for Native American people.
- "It isn't going to meet the standards of … Indigenous people practicing their religion on this land. That's my big concern," Perez says. "Under-representation or misinterpretation is further insult to injury."
What they're saying: Shanon Shea Miller, director of the city's Office of Historic Preservation, tells Axios the city is focused on preserving public access to the park.
- Crumbling river walls, falling tree limbs and sanitary issues created by too many migratory birds in one location can all jeopardize that public access, Miller says.
- "It's really a sense of urgency to try to arrest this deterioration so that we can preserve as much of the historic fabric as possible and really, ultimately, safely allow people back into that area of the park," Miller says.
State of play: The major projects that have stirred pushback at Brackenridge in recent years are either delayed or dead.
- The 2017 city bond project to restore the Pump House at Lambert Beach and historic river walls remains on hold while the city awaits environmental and historic permits.
- A multimillion-dollar remake of the Sunken Garden Theater is not moving forward as proposed.
What's next: A unique new play area for children at the park is in the works and will be the first to use the new evaluation tool. The Brackenridge Park Conservancy has already hosted public input meetings.
Chris Maitre, the new CEO of the conservancy, says he has already seen how much people are invested in the park in his short time in San Antonio.
- "The amount of what I would call informal activation, not a planned thing, just you and a couple family members going out to picnic Monday through Friday and then Saturday and Sunday," Maitre says. "It's amazing to me."
- "I'm really happy to see that because it tells me how much people care."
The bottom line: On a sticky summer morning this year, Sullivan encountered a man carrying a large camera who asked her if there were usually warblers nearby.
- Those are the park moments Sullivan and others want to preserve.
Editor's note: This article is the last part of a series about the challenges facing Brackenridge Park.
- Read the previous article: Brackenridge Park Sunken Garden Theater renovation isn't moving forward