As summer heats up, Concepcion and Confluence parks in San Antonio are seeing a surge in visitors. Longtime South Side neighbor Lucia Saenz loves to visit these parks, enjoying the beautiful scenery that attracts many people from beyond the South Side.

Park Safety Concerns

Saenz recently expressed concerns about park safety to KSAT, wondering if the San Antonio Police Department would increase patrols during the summer. According to a department spokesperson, park police maintain high visibility through a combination of vehicle, bicycle, foot, and ATV patrols, but do not use drones.

The Park Police’s Community Operations Resource Education Unit assists with park patrols at community centers at city parks, especially during the summer, Spring Break, and holiday camps when more people use the parks.

Vegetation Maintenance

Saenz also raised concerns about overgrown vegetation at the parks. The San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department handles landscaping for Concepcion Park, which is mowed every 21 days. However, recent rain made the ground too wet for their equipment.

The San Antonio River Authority handles vegetation maintenance for Confluence Park. Tommy Mitchell, the river authority’s watershed and parks operations manager, explained that some of the overgrowth is part of the park’s design, featuring a restoration landscape of vegetation from different ecosystems native to regions across Texas.

Mitchell noted that the vegetation needs to go through its natural life cycle, including its growth pattern, and that these areas are considered no-mow zones. River authority crews mow the short grass buffer to provide a four-foot buffer adjacent to the trail for visibility and safety.

Park visitors who have questions can visit the San Antonio River Authority website or call (210) 227-1773 for more information.

Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.