Pharr Parks outlines Tree City USA award, Arbor Day events, Paint the Park and youth tree plantings

PHARR, Texas — Parks and Recreation staff told the Keep Pharr Beautiful advisory board on March 18 that the city earned Tree City USA recognition for the eighth consecutive year and outlined multiple spring events and youth activities.

Remy Vargas and Cindy Castro reported that the department will hold a paint-the-park parking-spot art program (registration open through April 4; painting April 5–20) followed by judging and an Arbor Day celebration. Vargas described the April 26 Arbor Day celebration as the planned time for judging winners and a seedling giveaway; staff said the date coordination depends on TxDOT sign installation for an Adopt-a-Highway campaign and on other city event schedules.

Marisa Oliva and Youth Eco Alliance volunteers summarized recent EcoFest activities and said they will hold a tree-planting at Jones Box Park on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to noon in a small area of the park. Oliva said graduate landscape-design students from the University of Texas are producing concept designs for Jones Box Park; those designs would inform park plans if an EPA grant proposal proceeds.

Parks staff also said they are coordinating an unveiling of a Pharr Memorial Seed Library on April 17 in partnership with the public library, and they plan outreach on pollinator gardens, after-school programming at 12 schools and a proposed native-seed giveaway tied to Arbor Day.

Ending: Staff asked board members to help promote registration and to coordinate early media requests so communications staff can provide timely coverage of events.