San Antonio parks department proposes $111 million budget with emphasis on trails, trees and operations

Homero García, director of the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, presented the departmentoperations and proposed fiscal 2026 budget to the San Antonio City Council on Sept. 9. The proposed parks budget totals about $111,000,000 and includes funding for capital projects, maintenance and restricted funds for tree programs and other environmental work.

The budget reflects funding for more than 270 parks and an extensive trail network, García said, and allocates money for projects that include additional trails in Districts 5 and 9, pool and roof maintenance at several centers, and continued investment in the city—s tree-planting programs. He told council the department is reorganizing some operations to improve response time, including reopening an administrative/reporting location on the east side near Wheatley Heights so crews can reach parks faster.

Why it matters: The plan would fund both core maintenance and multi-year capital work that councilmembers said affects public safety, heat-mitigation and recreational access across multiple districts. Councilmembers pressed department leaders on program participation,…