Grassroots group campaigns for a new Stone Oak park

The photo captures the proposed park trail area not far from a San Antonio River Authority dam. Wilderness Oak Alliance is campaigning for the development of Panther Springs Bank, which would receive funding if a San Antonio city bond proposal wins voter approval in May. less The photo captures the proposed park trail area not far from a San Antonio River Authority dam. Wilderness Oak Alliance is campaigning for the development of Panther Springs Bank, which would receive funding if ... more Photo: Courtesy Photo Photo: Courtesy Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Grassroots group campaigns for a new Stone Oak park 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Editor's note: This week's issue is the first of three North Central News editions to include information about the May 12 general elections. A voters' guide to candidates in contested races in Hollywood Park, Castle Hills, Shavano Park and North East ISD will appear just prior to the start of early voting.

After several successful initiatives to improve one of the fastest-growing parts of San Antonio, a citizen-led group in the Stone Oak area is campaigning to add a park to the neighborhood.

The Wilderness Oak Alliance, a group of nine communities in Stone Oak's second phase of development, is encouraging residents to head to the polls May 12 for a bond issue that includes $2.5 million to open and develop Panther Springs Park. Early voting begins in late April.

Park planners envision a natural setting of almost 300 acres that connects to the new Parman Library at Stone Oak and the Mays Family YMCA on Blanco Road. The park would have trails for walking, jogging and biking and a dog park.

Long-term plans would connect hike-and-bike trails with those at Salado and Leon creeks, said alliance President David Walsworth.

While the first phase of Stone Oak has a public park, census numbers show a major growth spurt in the entire area over the last 10 years. About 65,000 people live in the two ZIP codes.

“It is interesting that, to serve the population equivalent of a small city, we have only one small city park,” said John Kent, a resident and alliance member.

“There are no city swimming pools, no city tennis courts, no city baseball fields, no city basketball courts, no city skateboard parks, no city soccer fields, no city mountain bike trails in this district north of Loop 1604. That's why passing Proposition 3 is so important to the residents of District 9 that live north of Loop 1604.”

Bill Bailey, another resident and alliance member, said a bond victory could lead to money being obtained in October.

“Hopefully by this time in 2013 or 2014, we'll have the park open for all the folks over here,” he said.

Sharon Garcia of The Wood Agency, a local public relations firm hired to help with the park campaign, said several community meetings have been held to educate voters.

She said direct mail pieces are being sent to residents, posters are being installed at local businesses and a rally is tentatively planned for the week before Election Day.

“The idea is to let people know when the election is and to give them some motivation to go out and actually vote,” she said. “Historically, bond elections have low turnout unless it's an issue that directly affects people.”

It's not the first initiative the Wilderness Oak Alliance has worked on since the group was formed in 2007.

WOA represents almost 2,100 homes, most on Wilderness Oak Boulevard between Blanco and Hardy Oak Boulevard. The Panther Creek community, north of Wilderness Oak, is also included.

“We formed basically in response to recognition that our area, Stone Oak 2, had no master plan like Stone Oak does,” said Walsworth, who moved to the area in 1997.

“Also, there were a lot of continuing needs in the form of infrastructure, or lack thereof, (and) no zoning restrictions. Commercial growth was beginning to form in the area and there was nobody to speak for us downtown.”

“Everybody knew what Stone Oak was, but nobody knew what Stone Oak 2 was,” he said.

Since then, the alliance has worked with the city and Bexar County to widen Blanco and to rebuild Wilderness Oak. WOA also began a relationship with the San Antonio Police Department that resulted in a citizen-patrol program to watch the area and report suspicious activity.

Park plans included input from city and county leaders, local business owners and Dan Parman, the library namesake who developed the master plan for Stone Oak.

After approaching a citizens' parks bond committee, the alliance won support to include funding for Panther Springs Park on the May ballot.

Future goals include pursuing more public services, such as a fire station and additional police presence, Walsworth said. The group also wants to work with developers interested in bringing more commercial growth to the community.

“We're seeing more of that in the vacant land, and since we don't have the master plan like Stone Oak does, and we don't have prohibitions, we're trying to work to assure that anything constructed is compatible with the architecture here,” he said.

Visit www.pantherspringspark.org for more information on the park and the WOA's campaign.

North Central San Antonians face a wide variety of proposed infrastructure additions and upgrades in the city's May 12 bond election

Funding recommendations for area streets, bridges and sidewalks under Proposition 1 include: Phase II of Blanco Road upgrades (Edison Drive to El Monte Boulevard, and Olmos Creek to Jackson Keller Road); Bulverde Road and Classen Road realignment; Hardy Oak Boulevard connection from Stone Oak Parkway to Knights Cross Drive; Redland Road from Loop 1604 to Jones Maltsberger and back over to Ridgewood Parkway; the U.S. 281/Loop 1604 northern non-tolled interchange.

Funding recommendations for area drainage improvements under Proposition 2 include McCullough Avenue, Redland Road between 1604 and Ridgewood, the Belfast and Janda Susan drainage near Broadway and U.S. 281, and the West Avenue low-water crossing near Walker Ranch Park.

Funding recommendations for improving or developing area parks, recreational facilities and open spaces under Proposition 3 include Beacon Hill, the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, Brackenridge Park, Dellview Park, the District 10 senior center, Gold Canyon Park, Hardberger Park, the Japanese Tea Gardens, Kenwood Park, Lady Bird Johnson Park, Los Angeles Heights Park, McAllister Park, Olmos Basin Park, San Pedro Springs Park, Stone Oak Park and Woodlawn Lake Park.

Funding recommendations for enhancing area libraries, museums and cultural arts facilities under Proposition 4 include the Witte Museum, the San Antonio Museum of Art and a new standalone District 9 public library branch.

The city is neither proposing a property tax rate increase nor bond money for VIA Metropolitan Transit's streetcar program.

San Antonio District 9 City Councilwoman Elisa Chan hosts town hall meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Parkhills Baptist Church, 17747 San Pedro Ave., about the bond proposals.

“I believe that this bond program will go a long way towards helping to meet San Antonio's growing infrastructure needs and is crucial to improving the quality of life of our city,” Chan said in an email to constituents.

A pro-bond campaign has been established. Visit www.buildsanow.com for details.

nchandler@primetimenewspapers.com. Managing editor Edmond Ortiz (eortiz@primetimenewspapers.com) contributed to this story.