San Angelo parks staff lay out 2025 projects, events and maintenance priorities

San Angelo Parks and Recreation staff presented a yearlong work plan and program calendar for 2025 to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, outlining facility repairs, new installations, and seasonal programming that will affect sports complexes, neighborhood parks and riverfront trails.

The plan emphasizes maintenance and infrastructure work — including a storage building and shade structure at the Texas Bank Sports Complex, replacement of three aging irrigation controllers that manage roughly 96 zones at the sports complex, and phased resurfacing and repairs at several park sites — alongside a calendar of recreation programs such as youth basketball, summer track and senior activities.

The board heard the highlights at length. Roger, a parks staff member, described the Texas Bank Sports Complex project: “we're going to be working on constructing a storage building that's already been purchased,” and said staff will contract for a shade structure near the playground. He also called 2025 “the year of the garden,” noting an expanded effort to mulch and plant native garden beds across city parks.

Al Torres, the city’s construction manager, updated the board on the youth sports practice area work tied to the East 29th Sports Complex. “We signed contracts with the contractor in December,” Torres said, and explained that the site permit issues were resolved with development staff; the restroom building requires an engineer seal that the manufacturer issues later in the build process.

Major park and facility items identified by staff include:

- Texas Bank Sports Complex: build an in‑house storage building (equipment already purchased) and contract for a nearby shade structure; staff cited long-standing need for equipment storage.

- Skate park (downtown): phased refurbishment of existing concrete features in coordination with a local skate group led by Kevin Little; a grass center area will be filled with concrete to improve line-of-travel between features.

- Civic League Park entry sign: stone materials are on hand but staff continue to seek a masonry contractor to erect the sign following a conceptual design by Al Torres.

- Irrigation upgrades: replacement of three outdated irrigation controllers that serve about 96 zones at the sports complex, with work to begin immediately and aim for completion by the end of March when irrigation resumes.

- Brown Park tennis/pickleball: one-court resurfacing planned, proceeding court-by-court to address concrete damage.

- Lone Wolf Bridge: graffiti abatement and repainting, with municipal court funds allocated for paint through the court’s graffiti program.

- UNIDAD Park splash pad: near-complete irrigation work with one or two remaining zones; staff expect additional rerouting of a main line near a shade structure as a future winter project.

- Large dog park: staff tested a local turf variety, TIFTUF, in salty soil conditions and plan to sod an empty area this spring with that variety as a pilot before fully concluding results by next fall.

- Santa Rita Park and other renovations: staff listed potential scope and stressed that work depends on available funds and the completion schedule of the East 29th Sports Complex.

The board also received updates on projects outside routine maintenance: Twin Buttes reservoir trail work funded by prior grants; fundraising and contractor review for the World War II Veterans Memorial; and continued work on a riverbank stabilization design from below Johnson Dam toward Bell Street, which staff said is roughly 60–75% complete and will return to city council for funding decisions when design and cost estimates finalize.

Staff flagged a number of leases and agreements coming up for renewal, including the Texas Bank Sports Complex naming rights contract, several youth‑league leases, and a lease or agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers related to the soccer complex area near 29th Street. Staff said a policy review of parks procedures is planned for the year and the board will revisit a draft parkland dedication ordinance when the final draft is ready for review.

On recreation programming, Jesse, a recreation staff member, provided the seasonal calendar: a youth basketball preseason tournament this weekend with 51 teams; a regular season with about 95 teams; summer track and flag football; senior dances and nutrition programming (meals for seniors at $3 and $6 for a guest); community events such as movie nights at UNIDAD tied to the splash pad soft opening; adult leagues and tournaments; and an annual July 3 pool event with a $10 admission and a 400-person cap for safety.

Staff emphasized several operational points with the board: the need for additional ADA sidewalk connections to courts and courtside ramps at Civic League Park if funds permit; coordination on the upcoming Kirby Park splash pad irrigation when that site reaches construction; and the foundation committee effort to establish a parks foundation account for donations and fundraising ahead of the San Angelo Gives fundraising event.

Board members offered minor program suggestions (for example, including fragrant or edible plantings in new garden beds) and asked clarifying questions about funding streams, vendor procurement for masonry work, and schedules for permitting and contractor start dates. Al Torres noted contractor work would not begin immediately because of weather and equipment lead times but that field grading and nonbuilding site work can start once permits are in hand.

Votes at a glance

The board handled routine motions by voice vote: the Dec. 4, 2024 meeting minutes were approved (motion moved and seconded; approved by voice vote; individual roll-call counts were not recorded in the transcript). A motion to adjourn was also seconded and approved by voice vote.

Next steps and meeting schedule

The board set its next meeting for Feb. 5 at 3:30 p.m. at the east mezzanine of City Hall. Items expected on the next or a near-term agenda include a final draft of the parkland dedication ordinance, an update on Santa Rita Park, elections for chair and vice chair, and an annual review of the Mountain View skate park. Staff said they will return to city council for funding discussion once the riverbank stabilization design and cost estimates are complete.

The presentation and discussion combined capital maintenance, volunteer and partnership work, contracted repairs and resurfacing, and seasonal program planning into a single calendar-year work plan staff said will guide maintenance and programming priorities for 2025.