LOCAL: Hollywood Park, Hill Country Village, 78247, 78232, 78216 April 2016

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COMMUNITY NEWS

HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE

ELECTIONS

Few North Side races are contested

by COLLETTE ORQUIZ

T

he race is on May 7 to claim seats on the North East Independent School District board, while elections likely will be canceled in Hill Country Village and Hollywood Park because of uncontested spots.

In Hill Country Village, Place 2 Councilwoman Jane Cronk will not seek reelection. Matthew T. Acock, an attorney, has filed to run for Place 2 and is unopposed.

Both incumbent Mayor Gabriel DurandHollis and Place 4 Councilman George “Rick” Evans face no challengers.

Hollywood Park’s Place 1 Councilman Steve Phillips is not seeking re-election, and Debra “Debbie” Trueman, a president of Manitzas Trueman Consulting Services Inc., is running unopposed for the slot.

Mayor Chris Fails and Place 4 Councilman Chris Murphy are running in uncontested races.

Both Hill Country Village and Hollywood Park will hold special elections for the reauthorization of a sales and use tax at one-fourth of 1 percent to continue providing revenue for the maintenance and repair of city streets.

In NEISD, incumbent District 1 trustee Sandy Hughey is seeking reelection, but faces challengers Melissa Martinez White, who is self-employed, and Chris Herring, a business owner.

Incumbent District 5 Trustee Shannon Grona also wants another term, vying against Roger Fisher, a retired teacher and administrator.

Letti Bresnahan opted not to run again for her District 6 seat. Anthony “Tony” Jasso, an investment banker, is seeking the spot and is not facing any challengers.

Early voting is April 25 through May 3.

HOLLYWOOD PARK

NORTH CENTRAL

78216 78232 78247

MARCH 28 - APRIL 25, 2016

New SPARK Park to encourage family fitness PG.12 Hidden Forest Elementary School is site of NEISD’s fourth facility

PG. 08 LOCAL LOWDOWN What's open and opening soon in your neck of the woods, plus the latest news

PG. 03 LOCAL COMMENTARY SUSAN YERKES

PG. 04 LOCAL EDITORIAL

Lone Star Rail goes off the tracks for now

Why aren't more people running for office?

2

MARCH 28 - APRIL 25, 2016

FROM THE EDITOR

THE CENTER OF ATTENTION

tedwards@localcommunitynews.com

President Harold J. Lees Publisher Gregg Rosenfield Director of Operations Jaselle Luna Assoc. Publisher Rick Upton EDITORIAL Executive Editor Thomas Edwards News Staff Collette Orquiz, Bain Serna and Will Wright Contributing Writers Olivier J. Bourgoin, Joyce Hotchkiss, Eric Moreno, Edmond Ortiz and Susan Yerkes

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ART Creative Director Florence D. Edwards Contributing Photographers Alejandra Casas and Rudy B. Ornelas Contributing Illustrator Jeremiah Teutsch ADVERTISING Zone Manager Marc Olson Controller Keith Sanders READER SERVICE Mailing Address 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 SA, TX 78229 Phone Fax (210) 338.8842 (210) 616.9677 Advertising Inquiries molson@localcommunitynews.com Story Ideas tips@localcommunitynews.com Website www.salocallowdown.com LOCAL Community News publications Zone 1: 78204, 78205, 78209, 78210, 78212, 78215 Zone 2: 78213, 78230, 78231, 78248, 78249 Zone 4/5: 78109, 78148, 78233, 78239 78108, 78132, 78154, 78266 Zone 6: 78258, 78259, 78260, 78261 Zone 7: 78015, 78023, 78255, 78256, 78257 For advertising, customer service or editorial, please call us at 210-338-8842 or write to us at: Local Community News 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 San Antonio, TX 78229

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Reproduction in whole or in part without our permission is prohibited, 2016 Helen Publishing, LLC and Local Community News, LLC, all rights reserved.

Fiesta memories

F

iesta is once again upon us, a time to join together in frolic, fun and frivolity.

The celebrations create a moment to briefly shelve our cares and instead enjoy parades, decorations, tradition and even remember a little history.

Some of my fondest memories of San Antonio involve Fiesta.

When I was a boy many, many moons ago (during one of dad’s tours of duty at Fort Sam Houston), I always looked forward to the Battle of Flowers Parade.

For one thing, I loved the colorful floats and the marching bands. But the fact schools were closed also had a lot to do with my enthusiasm.

Early in the morning on the day of the parade, our family packed the station wagon with folding chairs, a cooler, provisions and blankets and headed south on Broadway to Maverick Park.

We’d drive past Playland Park, the KFC and ButterKrust Bakery (to this day, I can still smell the delicious baking bread) until we arrived to stake our “claim” on the parade route.

Back then, a locomotive engine was still on display in Maverick Park, giving us kids something to play on while the parents set up camp. Sometimes other Army families joined us.

Then the parade would wind down Broadway. We quaffed enough Big Red to induce a sugar coma, stuffed ourselves with cotton candy and turkey legs, giggled at clowns, shouted at the musicians and waved at the pretty girls on the floats, until finally the spectacle ended.

The chairs and blankets would be folded with military precision, the ice dumped from the cooler and the car reloaded, then we’d go chugging back up Broadway to our quarters on the post. By the time dad wheeled the station wagon past Kiddie Park, the kids — myself included — were falling fast asleep, spent by the day’s excitement.

That’s my Fiesta memory. What’s yours?

THOMAS EDWARDS EXECUTIVE EDITOR ON THE COVER: A ribbon-cutting at Hidden Forest Elementary School for a new SPARK Park draws students, parents and public officials to celebrate the opening of the private-public venture. See story on page 12. Photo by Collette Orquiz

3

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

LOCAL COMMENTARY

Derailed or on track?

by SUSAN YERKES

T

he Lone Star Rail District plan for fast and frequent trains through the Interstate 35 corridor has had a derailment.

Early this year, Union Pacific railroad folks announced they no longer wanted to be a part of the ambitious plan, which would reroute their freight traffic and use the existing tracks along the highway for passenger service.

When I wrote about this effort in 2015, most readers responded positively. An alternative to the miserably congested San Antonio-to-Austin drive drew excitement.

It seemed like a great idea. Lone Star Rail, since its creation by the state a decade

ago, has studied the prospect. Cities up and down the corridor have bought in to the plan. Union Pacific was involved since 2010. Now, just as things really got rolling, the railroad company slammed on the brakes, nixing a move to new tracks and expressing concerns about how the change would affect its operations.

Though the train definitely has been delayed, that doesn’t mean it isn’t coming, according to District 9 Councilman Joe Krier, a strong advocate of the railway project. We haven’t begun to experience the nightmare I-35 traffic will be without such an option, he added.

“Under current conditions, by 2020 it will take longer to drive from San Antonio to Austin than it took before the interstate was built,” Krier said, “and we can’t pave our way to a solution.”

Krier said there are already alternate route plans on the drawing board should Lone Star have to switch tracks. There’s also a chance Union Pacific will return to the table.

“These projects never come without a thousand bumps and turns and starts and stops,” he said. “Austin, San Marcos, Round Rock, San Antonio and New Braunfels agree on this project, and that in itself is unheard of. We just have to keep calm and get back on track.”

So who knows? Maybe there’s still hope we can hop a train and skip the San Antonio-to-Austin traffic jam in the future. Maybe even in my lifetime ... but I’m not holding my breath.

While intercity commuter rail has strong support, incorporating trains into VIA Metropolitan Transit’s plans has historically been unpopular with San Antonio voters. After the recent streetcar debacle, just the word “rail” makes many politicians break out in hives.

On the other hand, if you’ve noticed local traffic seemingly getting more backed up every year, you’re right.

People keep moving here, bringing their cars, too. Demographers predict we’ll add at least a million residents by 2040. By then, without sweeping improvements in public transit, planners estimate our commute times will increase by a whopping 75 percent. That’s worse than Austin!

District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg, chairman of the city’s comprehensive planning committee, is deeply involved in local transportation challenges. He said a VIA survey last fall showed San Antonio drivers are sick of being stuck in traffic.

“They don’t want more buses on already congested streets, or widening

the roads so you’re paving over your neighbor’s property and waiting for the next construction project … or a trolley that sits in traffic in an area where they’d rather walk,” he said. “They do want fixed-route transit that moves people from one high-density place to another.”

An answer, which could include commuter-rail routes, VIA buses and shuttles, taxis, Uber and Lyft-style cars, B-Cycles, bike trails and more pedestrian connections are all part of an evolving Multimodal Transportation Plan for San Antonio’s next 25 years.

You have to give Nirenberg credit. He wants to air the facts in time to include the transportation plan in the May 2017 bond issue.

As our roads get more crowded, planning is not just prudent – it’s critical. However, Precinct 3 Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff makes a good point, too. He suggests local drivers may have to reach a higher “threshold of pain” before they’re willing to get on board with commuter rail.

Check out the planners’ ideas at satransportationplan.com. Then let me know if you’re along for the ride. syerkes@localcommunitynews.com

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MARCH 28 - APRIL 25, 2016

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-The Local Community News editorial board includes Harry Lees, Gregg Rosenfield and Thomas Edwards.

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MARCH 28 - APRIL 25, 2016

HAPPENING LOCAL

ABC’S OF TRAINING YOUR DOG Kevin Glowski, a professional 9 trainer with San Antonio Big Dawgs, spells out the basics of training a dog.

It’s a free, instructional session for adults or older children, and no dogs will be allowed.

The program is from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Urban Ecology Center at the western entrance to Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 N.W. Military Highway.

APRIL

Plan your month with our calendar of upcoming events in the community.

OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH

HAPPENING KEY

FITNESS

PERFORMING ARTS SAN Texas Light Opera 1-17 ANTONIO is joining in an artistic collaboration with internationally acclaimed director, choreographer and award-winning performer Jade Esteban Estrada as co-director for a spring production of “Make Me a Musical” at Performing Arts San Antonio. It is also directed by Vaughn Taylor.

Performances are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are at http://www.brownpapertickets. com/event/2501991. For more, call 5771187 or visit http://performingartssa. org/. PASA is at 15705 U.S. 281 North.

APRIL

SNAKES ALIVE The South APRIL Texas Herpetology Association’s 2 Blaine Eaton talks about native Texas snakes, both venomous and nonvenomous, at Phil Hardberger Park.

Changing Lives One Smile At A Time!

EVENT

OUTDOOR

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NEISD TRUSTEES North East Independent School 11 District trustees are scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. in the NEISD board room, 8961 Tesoro Drive.

APRIL

NEISD PTA USED BOOK SALE APRIL on just about any 8-10 Books subject imaginable, along with DVDs and CDs, are available at this fundraising sale at Littleton Gym in Blossom Athletic Center. All kinds of children’s books will be on sale, too, and proceeds benefit North East Independent School District PTAs. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 8 and 9, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

April 10. Softcover books are 50 cents, and hardcover books, CDs and DVDs are $1.

Cash and MasterCard or Visa credit cards will be accepted. Blossom Athletic Center is at 12002 Jones Maltsberger Road.

DIY FIESTA MEDALS Thousand Oaks Branch Library is offering 16 arts and crafts for grownups: a chance to make their own Fiesta medals.

Supplies – laser-cut, etched and 3-D printed materials – will be available, along with suggestions and ideas. The session runs from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Meeting Room of the library, 4618 Thousand Oaks Drive.

APRIL

HOLLYWOOD PARK The regular City Council 19 meeting is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. at City Hall, 2 Mecca Drive.

APRIL

HAPPENING continues on pg. 07

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RETIRED TEACHERS MEETING APRIL North San Antonio Retired 20 Teachers Association holds its monthly meeting at San Pedro Presbyterian Church, 14900 San Pedro Ave. A 9:45 a.m. “meet and greet” will precede the program, which begins at 10:15 a.m.

Members are encouraged to bring friends.

SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The San 20 Antonio Chapter of the national organization holds its monthly luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels Ave. Lunch costs $25. RSVPs are required.

Call David Brooks at 740-296-8782 or email reservations@sarsat.org by the Monday before the meeting. The chapter meets on the third Wednesday of each month, except July and August.

APRIL

CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP Meetings are 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month at Baptist HealthLink, 288 W. Bitters Road. One main topic per hour. A syllabus and more information are available at http:// chronicpainsupportsa.wix.com/cpsgsa.

APRIL

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22

CITY HOLIDAY Hollywood Park city offices will be closed for Battle of Flowers Day.

Are you ready to smile again?

LIBRARIES CLOSED All San Antonio Public 22 Library locations will be closed for Battle of Flowers Day.

APRIL

SCHOOL HOLIDAY North East Independent School 22 District campuses will be closed for Battle of Flowers Day.

APRIL

FLAME OF HOPE GOLF TOURNAMENT This fundraiser 28 for Special Olympics Texas will help support more than 10,000 local athletes. Shotgun start is at 8 a.m. at Silverhorn Golf Club of Texas, 1100 Bitters Road. Check-in and registration begins at 7 a.m., and the cost is $125 per player or $450 per foursome. For more, or to register, go to www.specialolympicstexas.org and find the link under Fundraising Events.

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MARCH 28 - APRIL 25, 2016

LOCAL LOWDOWN Take a quick look at what’s new in the community from opening and closings to news tidbits.

APPLY ONLINE and call the number: www.NEISD.net 210-356-9229

Open and Opening Soon 1. WOW CAFE KITCHEN AND TAP,

819 N. Loop 1604 East, recently opened near the Drury Inn & Suites, offering Cajun-influenced dishes and a variety of craft beers on tap. Hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

For more, call 490-2256 or visit www. wowcafe.com. (See story on page 15)

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2. DS CONCEPTS, 555 W. Bitters Road, Suite 102, is a new shop in the Alley on Bitters offering a unique, all-around retail experience featuring kitchen and restaurant supplies including cookware, decor items and gadgets. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Mondays by appointment only. For more, call 776-7482 or visit facebook.com/ dsconceptsusa/. (See story on page 14) 3. WEST AVE AUTOMOTIVE AND TRANSMISSION, 12441 West Ave., offers repairs and service for air-conditioning

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systems, suspensions and transmissions, as well as engine diagnostics, tuneups, brakes, struts and shocks. “We also offer peace-of-mind pre-owned car check(s) for folks considering the purchase of a pre-owned vehicle,” owners Greg and Desi Snell said in a prepared release. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and closed Sundays. For more, call 530-1103 or visit www.westaveautomotive.com.

IN OTHER NEWS

HIDDEN FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL held its first Leaders in History Fair on March 11. Students presented individual, group and class projects focusing on historical figures who have exemplified the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” in their words and actions. Projects included a wax museum, displays, recitations and technology presentations.

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 09

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM LOWDOWN continues from pg. 08 CHURCHILL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS qualified for state at the Regional Technology Student Association meet at Reagan High School in February. Winning first place in various video, animation, computer art and photography categories were Alan Florencia, Kasra Emmamjomeh, Victoria Burns, Matt McAllister, Derek Winfield, Dillon Akins, Corey Morse, Mauro Alonzo, Kayley McGannon, Tyler Ford, Juan Martinez and Oscar Martinez.

Winning second place were Marshall Lane, Derek Winfield, Juan Martinez, Max Zawacki, Jared Miller, Morgan Valdez, Emerald Wells, Holden Ramirez and Russell Overman.

Third place went to Ben Bremner, Tyler Ford, Juan Martinez and Gabby Martinez.

All will advance to the state meet in Waco.

NORTH EAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT elementary, middle and high school students unveiled a massive periodic table at Northside ISD’s Gustafson Stadium on March 2. About a hundred San Antonioarea schools took part, officials said. The NEISD students painted and designed individual displays of their assigned elements, which were added to others created by students from other schools. Using all 118 elements, the students created a table that exceeded 22,000 square feet. Assisting

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organizations included San Antonio Science, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s Graduate Student Association and Science Fiesta.

Local participants hailed from Bradley, Driscoll and Eisenhower middle schools, and Churchill and MacArthur high schools.

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THE MACARTHUR AND MADISON DANCE teams recently competed at the National Dance Alliance’s National Competition and beat out squads from across the United States.

MacArthur dance teams earned awards in the medium varsity pom division. The Lassies ranked third in junior varsity, pom and fourth in JV hip hop. The Madison Dollies placed fifth in varsity high kick, 10th in large varsity pom, and 15th in large varsity hip hop. The Fillies placed third in JV high kick.

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MADISON HIGH SCHOOL’S GUIDE DOG TRAINING PROGRAM WELCOMED SIX PUPPIES IN MARCH. Students will raise the puppies until they are 16-19 months old, and then the dogs will head back to California with the Guide Dogs for the Blind to continue their training. Dogs are then matched with a person who is blind or has low vision. The first class started last year in June. Janelle McMullan, a

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LOWDOWN continues from pg. 09 veterinary science teacher at Madison and program supervisor, said 15 students have applied for a new class, and six were chosen after an exam and selection process.

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THE HILLS OF PARK NORTH NEIGHBORHOOD recently unveiled a new sign at the Perrin Beitel Road entrance to show their support for the San Antonio Police Department and the neighborhood San Antonio Fear Free Environment officers program.

THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR BUSINESS ALLIANCE recently gathered at the triangle formed by Perrin Beitel and Nacogdoches roads, and Thousand Oaks Drive, to pick up trash, rake, mow, trim weeds, pull “bandit” signs and return abandoned shopping carts to neighboring stores. District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher said he was impressed with the number of volunteers who showed up and how quickly they were able to clean the area. The councilman noted it was the fastest such event to date. The alliance is committed to keeping the area clean as a part of its goal to beautify the corridor, officials said.

SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAS tied for third place in the Best Airport

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SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT POLICE OFFICER Michael Ploch and his partner, canine officer Rrevae, received first-place overall in the Battle of the Bayou Explosives Detection Competition in New Orleans.

The contest focused on using canine teams to detect explosives used by terrorists.

A RIBBON-CUTTING MARCH 4 IN COMANCHE LOOKOUT PARK formally recognized the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail. The park’s signature hill once acted as a marker on the original El Camino Real route during the days of the Spanish empire. The Rev. Rogelio Martinez, Order of the Friars Minor, blessed the trail and the sign, and Bishop Arthur Barrymore gave the opening invocation. Hosted by District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher, attendees heard speeches from the National Park Service, San Antonio Conservation Society and the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Trails Association.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM OPEN CARRY continues from pg. 01

Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park differ on rules

by EDMOND ORTIZ

T

hough Texas now allows licensed residents to openly carry a handgun, North Side governments and schools are grappling with how to adapt when it comes to public meetings and public workplaces.

The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, allows licensed handgun holders to carry their weapon in visible holsters on their shoulder or hip. Previously, residents had to obtain a concealed handgun license.

Senate Bill 273, which the Legislature passed last year, has had more of a direct impact on municipalities. Open and concealed carrying of firearms can be prohibited at any meeting that follows the Texas Open Meetings Act, including city council and school board sessions.

The city of San Antonio has modified existing rules for its facilities.

Licensed handgun owners can enter public areas of city properties, walk along city streets and sidewalks, or any area that is open to any other member of the public. For example, a licensed holder can enter a public lobby or customer service area of a city building.

“You can pull a permit, go to the library, go do something with the City Clerk’s Office,” said John Peterek, assistant to the city manager.

A licensed handgun holder can also be prohibited from bringing a handgun into secure or non-public areas of San Antonio city buildings, according to posted signage.

Also, anyone with a firearm, including handgun-license holders, is prohibited by state law from carrying the weapon into facilities where court proceedings, school activities and sporting events take place.

In the case of City Hall, the city set up a city clerk kiosk on the first floor.

Gun holders can do their business at the kiosk instead of going into the full City Clerk’s Office on a higher floor.

The entryways to City Hall and the annex across the street have metal detectors and security personnel during business hours.

“The state law was pretty clear about what we can and cannot do,” said Jeff Coyle, San Antonio’s intergovernmental relations director.

For some leaders of suburban cities, the issue of implementing an open-carry policy comes down to making residents feel safe in a small space in a public facility.

11 The municipal complexes in Hollywood Park and Hill Country Village are compact, and provide various functions for residents to come and do city business, such as pay a fee, obtain a permit or see a city official.

Council chambers often also serve as the municipal court.

Hollywood Park City Council voted 3-2 to continue allowing concealed and opencarried weapons, held by licensed owners, in council chambers during meetings.

All those entering Hollywood Park’s municipal complex for meetings or to conduct business must pass through a metal detector. A police officer or two are present during council meetings and court proceedings.

“Ever since the policy went into effect, I’ve gotten zero calls,” Mayor Chris Fails said. “Licensed handgun holders are going to carry guns safely wherever they can have them.”

The mayor said he feels more comfortable being in a public meeting place where the possibility of armed residents could deter an individual who may approach the venue with malicious intent.

“I don’t feel comfortable going into a place that doesn’t allow a licensed gun owner. I firmly believe it’s a public safety issue,” Fails said.

Hill Country Village City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting residents from concealing or openly carrying a handgun in the council chambers, or from other parts of the municipal complex when a public city meeting is taking place.

“When you come into the foyer of City Hall on a busy day, you can’t hold more than maybe 10 people,” Mayor Gabriel Durand-Hollis said. Several feet separate the city administrative counter from the council chambers/courtroom.

“It’s all kind of blended together.

We’re a small city and everything is rolled together,” Durand-Hollis said. The council got input from City Administrator/Police Chief Frank Morales before adopting a prohibition on handguns in the facility.

“We felt like it was a practical, reasonable thing to do,” the mayor added.

School districts, colleges and universities, also, are addressing open carry. The North East Independent School District is still developing a policy.

“The district wants to have absolute consistency when it comes to school activities at all campuses and lay out specific parameters about how we are going to follow the law,” said Superintendent Brian Gottardy. “Developing a policy to address open carry will help create a calm environment so that all schools know how to handle any situation should it arise.”

Richard Briscoe, legislative director for Open Carry Texas, said the gunrights advocacy organization has heard no problems concerning the overall implementation of open-carry policy.

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MARCH 28 - APRIL 25, 2016

HIDDEN FOREST continues from pg. 01

Program got its start in Houston

by COLLETTE ORQUIZ

T

he opening of a SPARK Park at Hidden Forest Elementary School heralds the latest private-public partnership that turns campus playgrounds into after-hours neighborhood recreation areas, officials said.

Hidden Forest debuted its SPARK Park Feb. 12, celebrating a new track with a multi-sport field and drainage improvements. A dash coordinated by Apex Fun Run allowed students to try out the track after the ribbon-cutting at the campus, 802 Silver Spruce St. “We are very proud to be a leader in the San Antonio area to offer the use of a school park for the families in our communities,�

Brian Gottardy, the superintendent of the North East Independent School District, said at the grand opening. “Health is a major priority for a school district and we believe

PHOTO, LEFT: During the official debut of the SPARK Park at Hidden Forest Elementary School, students broke in the new track during the Apex Fun Run. ABOVE: George Block is a founder of the nonprofit San Antonio Sports Foundation, which backs area SPARK parks. Photos by Collette Orquiz

this will give families in this neighborhood a safe place to play and exercise.�

NEISD has created four SPARK parks the last three years. Each is unique, and starts with existing resources and structures, building from there. “We are generally a parks-poor city and we are trying to remedy that as fast as we can with the resources we have,� District 9 Councilman Joe

Krier said at the ribbon-cutting.

Overall, the SPARK School Park Program has created 13 facilities around San Antonio. NEISD debuted its first SPARK Park at Camelot Elementary in 2013. Two parks opened at Larkspur and Serna elementaries last spring.

In most cases much of the funding comes from the city, with additional dollars from nonprofits, but the genesis of the

Hidden Forest SPARK Park owes a lot to the PTA, including members Mops Dayel and Andrea Sharp, Principal Cody Miller said.

The PTA raised $84,000 and created a vision for the redevelopment of the existing playground. Members wrote grants, conducted fundraising and received $55,000 from the Earl C.

HIDDEN FOREST continues on pg. 13

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM HIDDEN FOREST continues from pg. 12 Sams Foundation and $14,000 from the District 9 discretionary fund.

“I believed it was something that would make a difference, not just for these kids, but for hundreds and hundreds of kids in the years and decades ahead,” Krier said.

Construction started Nov. 2 and finished a month ahead of schedule on Feb. 5, according to Jorge Cabello with NEISD construction management. Work done in two phases included drainage improvements first and then the track and field.

The track measures an eighth of a mile and was built using maintenancefree materials. A multi-sport natural grass field in the middle of the track is 76 feet wide and 170 feet long. “(It’s) a quarter of a regulation-sized football field, and that’s OK; it was designed that way,” Cabello said at the grand opening. “As much as we like halfbacks, and much as we like fullbacks, this field was designed to produce future quarterbacks.”

Unlike Larkspur Elementary, where the playground was previously locked after school and on the weekend before becoming a SPARK Park, Miller said the gates at Hidden Forest had been unlocked, making it unofficially available after hours.

The existing playground at Hidden Forest Elementary School has been incorporated into the SPARK Park, which adds amenities such as a track to create a facility open to the public. Photo by Collette Orquiz

“I’ve seen kids riding bikes out there, running; families walking, jogging,” Miller said. “The area behind our school has really become a draw for the community, and that’s what we want.”

The public can enjoy the park starting at 6:30 p.m. until sundown on school days, and from dawn until dusk on the weekends.

There are two playground areas, one near the front of the school specifically for students in kindergarten, and one in the back for first through fifth grades.

Miller also hopes the track will give parents another way to enjoy the park while their children play, though during the school day students already seem to have plenty of fun on it, the principal said.

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“When the track opened, it was fun to watch the kids come out from lunch and (then) go walk and run around the track, which was surprising to me for elementary kids,” Miller said. “They seem really interested in getting out and being active, especially right after lunch.”

At Hidden Forest, students eat lunch and can immediately go outside for recess.

Miller said he thinks the activity after the meal helps pupils avoid the “lunch slump.”

Victor Castillo, whose daughter Evie attends Hidden Forest, said the park is a good way to raise awareness about fitness.

“It’s really good to see that we’re doing this, making it important and starting with kids when they’re at this age to get them out

there, playing and running,” Castillo said.

The SPARK School Park Program was founded in Houston by Councilwoman Eleanor Tinsley in 1983. SPARK stands for school park program.

At the time, officials determined the city needed an additional 5,000 acres of parkland to compete with other world-class metropolises, but that kind of space did not exist. It was decided instead to revamp playgrounds at public schools and turn them into open parks through partnerships involving campuses, neighborhoods, nonprofits and government.

Houston has created more than 200 SPARK parks using campus play areas.

San Antonio Sports, a nonprofit sports commission created in 1984, is a major backer of local SPARK parks.

The goal at San Antonio Sports is to have parks within walking distance of 90 percent of residents, said board member George Block. Because there is not enough funding for such a project, elementary schools work just as well because of their proximity to the public.

Block said San Antonio Sports’ partnership with the city began with former District 8 Councilman Reed Williams, who traveled to Houston to see the SPARK park program.

14

MARCH 28 - APRIL 25, 2016

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Creating the ultimate kitchen at DS Concepts

by ERIC MORENO

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he kitchen is the literal and metaphorical heart of many homes.

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“We like to offer a lot of upscale kitchen products and brands that aren’t familiar to many U.S. customers,” he said. “We offer them to provide a better cooking and dining experience for our customers.”

The shop is at 555 W. Bitters Road, Suite 102, in the Alley on Bitters.

Many of the products are imported from Europe, particularly Italy and

Spain. The store’s line of porcelain tableware is proving popular, with many pieces new to the market such as Italesse, an Italian maker of glassware.

Other in-demand products include elegant tableware from Pordamsa and wine accessories from Pulltex. Both are based in Spain.

Small-size kitchen appliances are also part of DS Concepts’ inventory. The main goal for Scelza is to make his products not only accessible to high-end kitchens, such as restaurants, but also to family homes.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

EAT LOCAL Learn about the newest neighborhood places for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks

Wow restaurant promises bold tastes and treats

by OLIVIER J. BOURGOIN

C

hecking in at over 3,500 square feet, the recently opened Wow Cafe Kitchen and Tap, 819 N. Loop 1604 East, is the largest among the dozens of restaurants owned or operated by the Louisiana-based Ballard Brands wings chain.

The company took flight in the late 1990s, according to local manager Gabriel Orozco.

Near Drury Inn & Suites, the Alamo City eatery is a franchise owned by the hotel group.

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for other Drury Inn locations,” Orozco said.

“Out of 60-plus locations, the reason this one is the biggest one is because most of the others are (quick-service restaurants),” added Orozco, a native San Antonian who trained as a chef in Austin.

“Most of the others are located on college campuses, in hospitals or in airports.”

With 14 big-screen televisions, outdoor patio and full bar, Wow — standing for “World of Wings” — employs up to 30 employees serving assorted wings and ribs flavored with a Cajun influence.

“We call it a cafe, but this is bigger than a typical cafe. It’s more what I’d call an eatery,” Orozco said. “It’s not just wings.”

The restaurant has 52 beers on tap.

Currently also wowing patrons in Louisiana, California, Colorado, Ohio and New York, the eatery plans more expansion, partly due to some of its crowdpleasing specialties such as the Shanghai Po’boy — fried shrimp, lettuce, house rice, fries and sweet and spicy Shanghai sauce (one of 18 sauce recipes created by iconic Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme).

“Our wings are top sellers.

Our wings even won a contest in Louisiana,” Orozco said.

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