Frio County greenlights March 31 start for park renovation; water-well still unfunded

Frio County officials were presented with final designs and a compressed construction schedule for a multi-element park renovation project that the county expects to begin March 31 and substantially complete by late June, with official closeout projected around July 3.

Gabriela Piero, presenting for the project team (McKinstry and partners), outlined the scope: mobilization, LED site lighting, a new entry gate and pipe fencing, a medium-duty concrete drive, a new pavilion with ADA-compliant walkways, a decomposed-granite running trail, pond aeration replacement, security fencing and cameras, and an electrical service upgrade sized to support a future water well and additional facilities.

Piero said the contractor completed 99% construction drawings in early February and performed a site walk on March 28. Permitting is mostly in place — electrical, gate and pavilion permits are issued — and the team expects full civil permits by April 8. To avoid schedule delay where possible, material deliveries have already begun and the contractor will start work on permitted components beginning March 31. The project timeline in the presentation showed staged work items through a July closeout, with trail work, well decommissioning and ADA walkway upgrades early in the schedule and pond aerator replacement and lighting later in May.

Commissioners and staff pressed project leaders on water supply for future facilities. County staff said the new electrical upgrade is intended to carry capacity for a future well, but the well itself was not included in the current construction phase because funding is still undecided. County officials said they are pursuing grants — including Texas Parks & Wildlife and other sources — and may use certificates of obligation if necessary. Project staff said they had accounted for partial contribution from certificates of obligation previously approved for other facilities, but that a full-capacity well could exceed $1 million and remains contingent on grant approval or bond funding.

Piero said the team preserved existing fence lines where possible, furnished future-use conduits in the drive for potential road-and-bridge connections and planned ADA access between parking and restrooms. She also described the pond aeration system replacement to improve dissolved-oxygen levels for fish and the intent to bring existing pavilions up to LED lighting.

No vote was required on the presentation item; commissioners thanked the team and asked staff to proceed with permitting coordination and community communications about park access and construction notices.