Woodlawn Lake Park, a long-standing green space in San Antonio which has been considered underfunded, finds respite in the form of a $3.25 million federal grant. In an announcement detailed by KSAT, District 7 Councilmember Marina Alderete Gavito underscored the grant's role in the park's revitalization efforts. "This significant investment marks a pivotal step in revitalizing one of our community’s most utilized yet underfunded parks," Gavito said, ensuring the park will remain a vibrant hub for families and nature enthusiasts.
This influx of funds is slated to support the addition of a year-round splashpad, the introduction of 475 trees in alignment with the Tree Master Plan, and the creation of terraced seating along the lakeshore. Running with the delight of having achieved federal backing, the community anticipates that this funding will also bolster existing resources from the city’s 2022 fiscal year bond, forging the total new investment in the park to an impressive $6.5 million.
Joining forces within local and federal spheres, Gavito successfully collaborated with the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, the San Antonio River Authority, the National Park Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and various leaders to secure the grant, as revealed by KSAT. This strategic partnership paid off, as the city’s application was one of 54 nationwide grants awarded, and it stands as the largest grant ever allocated to a single city park.
Enthusiasm for the park’s future was also echoed by District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito who told FOX San Antonio, "We are so excited because, with these federal funds, we are going to get a splash pad, we are going to get a terrace sitting along the shoreline." She stressed the park’s standing as a daily gem for the district, and how it is poised to gain more trees and seating, bringing the tally to 500 new plantings, enriching one of the city’s most utilized parks. It seems clear that, with strategic funding and collaborative effort, Woodlawn Lake Park is set to emerge more lush and community-friendly than ever before.
