More than a few Conservancy board members commented on the seemingly miraculous work of Xavier Urrutia’s Parks and Recreation Department staff to prepare the park for the grand opening despite the torrential rain the day before. More than 100 city employees worked in the rain all day Friday preparing the park for the big weekend.
They swept mud from the trails with push brooms, mulched low lying areas and hauled away brush. They also finished installing agility equipment in the dog park and the fence separating the large and small dog areas. By the time the clouds parted Saturday morning, those same staffers were decked out in matching green shirts, smiling brightly and welcoming visitors to the park.
“I’ve never been more impressed by city staff,” said Conservancy Director Betty Sutherland. “Whatever needed to be done, they did it.”
In addition to Urrutia, Assistant City Manager Sharon De La Garza, Assistant Director Edward Benavides, Special Project Manager Sandy Jenkins, Assistant Parks Manager Eric Lautzenheiser, Nature Preserve Officer Gail Gallegos, Parks Operations Manager Krystal Strong and Parks Operations Manager Victor Valdez deserve a special thank you.