NOWCastSA received a sneak-peak tour of San Antonio's newest public park. Located at 8400 NW Military Highway, Phil Hardberger Park West is a natural area with modern amenities. Employees are working around the clock to prepare for the park's grand opening, scheduled for Saturday, May 21. See the video tour below, or scroll down for more information about the grand opening.
A unique feature of the park is the public art exhibit, Makin' Hay. Park officials say the traveling exhibit of 17-foot tall figures by artist Tom Otterness pays tribute to the property's history as a working dairy farm.
Hardberger West includes a playground with equipment and activities for children of all ages, as well as an off-leash dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs. The park highlights the natural plant and wildlife of South Texas, including a restored oak savannah, one of the rarest plant communities on earth. The entire area was designed with the environment in mind, so while the park is nestled between the busy Wurzbach Parkway and Military Highway, even standing beside the new basketball court and picnic area, the area has a very rural atmosphere.
Another highlight of the park is the Oak Loop walking trail. The natural surface trail is about a mile long, and weaves throughout the 200-acre park.
The park opens for the public at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 21. Grand opening activities are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. While there is parking on site, visitors are asked to park across the street at the Alon Shopping Center or next door at the Barshop Jewish Community Center for Saturday's grand opening. There will be free shuttles available at the Alon Shopping Center.
Regular park hours are 8 a.m. to sunset, Sunday through Saturday.