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Council approves RFQ to plan Concho River Legacy Trail sculptures and parks master plan
Summary
Council authorized staff to issue a request for qualifications to hire landscape architects and planners to integrate a privately funded Concho River Legacy Trail sculpture collection into Santa Fe Park and adjacent river parks and to develop a multi‑park master plan and landscape plans.
The City Council on July 15 authorized staff to develop and issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) to solicit professional services for a master plan and landscape plans to integrate the Concho River Legacy Trail sculpture project into Santa Fe Park, Santa Fe‑adjacent parks and the broader Concho River park corridor.
Parks and Recreation Director Carl White told council the privately initiated sculpture project could approach $30 million in private funding and include up to 110–120 sculptures organized in a series of vignettes that tell the region’s prehistory and settlement history. White said the RFQ will seek a landscape architecture firm to provide conceptual master plans, detailed landscape/site work plans (lighting, irrigation, topography, accessibility) and community engagement to coordinate with stakeholders including the Santa Fe Park Commission, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Public Art Commission, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, local schools, neighborhood associations and foundations.
Why it matters: The RFQ aims to create a cohesive plan for placing a large, privately funded public art collection across multiple city parks and to provide the site plans and maintenance guidance necessary to integrate the sculptures without haphazard placement. White said the RFQ is intended to produce conceptual plans and a funding strategy; the master plan costs will be city‑funded, while the construction and sculpture fabrication are proposed to be privately funded by the project sponsors.
Timeline and community engagement: White estimated the RFQ and consultant selection process could take two to three months to return to council with a recommended award and that the subsequent planning and community engagement work would take about a year. Council members emphasized broad stakeholder outreach and asked staff to coordinate the RFQ distribution and community input; staff said they will return recommendations and a funding plan for the master plan after consultant selection.
Council action: Motion to authorize issuing the RFQ was made by Harry and seconded by Karen; the motion passed 7‑0.
