BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Tex Amestoy said when he first moved to the northwest side of Bexar County, Talley Road was just two lanes.
“There was nothing out here,” Amestoy said. “This was all country out here.”
Nearly 20 years later, Amestoy said this area, near Alamo Ranch, has exploded. He said he’s worried that crime and noise will only increase if the county goes through with its proposed park for the neighborhood.
“People are gonna be camping out there,” Amestoy said. “They’re going to be sleeping out there. They’re going to be doing drugs and alcohol. They’re going to be playing music real loud and all that. We want it quiet.”
In its budget, Bexar County allotted just under $3 million to start this park project. The county would use the 50 acres off Talley Road near Medio Drive for the park. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores says will be the first in the northwest region of the county.
“We want this to be a community park,” Clay-Flores said. “We want this community to take ownership.”
She planned two community input meetings to discuss what residents wanted out of the park. The first meeting was on Wednesday night, and the community was divided over the county park conversation.
“We just don’t want the activity in our neighborhood,” Wyndon Alford said. “It just doesn’t seem like a great place for a park.”
Among a wave of frustration from dozens of neighbors against the park were a few supporters. Mandy Skogebo said a county park is long overdue.
“We need a place for our kids to go,” Skogebo said. “A lot of the people who aren’t here in support, they’re not here because they’re home with their kids helping with homework and putting their kids to bed early.”
The next community input meeting was set for Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. but it was postponed indefinitely.