BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Cameron County held its State of the County Address in Harlingen last month and Precinct 2 Commissioner Joey Lopez spoke about La Esperanza Community Park’s all-inclusive renovations.
The park reopened in July 2025, with the addition of an inclusive splash pad for children. According to Lopez, the park has been utilized by several children and families that are wheelchair-bound.
“The area is well shaded,” Lopez said. “The renovations that have happened within this past year (are worth) about $2.3 million. We added a huge splash pad that was put in, we updated the walking trail and we have a butterfly garden there.”
The funding for the project was paid through the American Rescue Plan Act. Lopez said the support from the city’s park’s department helped get the park acknowledged by the state level.
“If you haven’t had a chance to come on by and take a look at it, please come on by,” Lopez said. “You’d be very impressed.”
Noble Texas Builders won an Eagle Award at the ABC South Texas 2025 Excellence in Construction Awards for the design and construction of La Esperanza Park. Rene Capistran, president of Noble, said the park has been reimagined with accessibility at its core.
“Working alongside the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the transformation of this beloved community space includes major upgrades that make it more inclusive and welcoming for all visitors. From ADA-compliant renovations in the Community and Technology Buildings to fully accessible outdoor features, every detail was designed with comfort, safety, and usability in mind,” he said.
Highlights include:
• A fully enclosed, ADA-accessible splash pad with nearby changing areas
• Reconfigured soccer field connected to a smooth, scenic walking trail
• New ADA-compliant restrooms, flooring, and interior finishes
• Shaded BBQ areas, butterfly garden, and improved landscaping
• Energy-efficient LED lighting for safety and sustainability
“It is a space where every neighbor, regardless of ability, can connect, play, and thrive,” Capistran added.
At the State of the County Address, Lopez also spoke about Olmito Nature Park. He said he was “blessed” to have been left with some funding from a previous bond issue when he first took office.
“We had $500,000 for the Olmito Park area. And as soon as I came in on 2019 I basically went back to looking who had property in the Olmito area, and visited with three separate families, basically showing them what I wanted to do, what money I had available during that time,” Lopez said.
“The McKinney family stepped up and basically donated to me six acres, which was awesome. Two weeks later, Mr. McKinney called me back. He says, we really like your idea, we need to give you the 40 acres that we have.”
Lopez then described the property.
“It is a beautiful piece of property. It's has 3,200 linear feet of resacas. We have several fishing piers that are going to be out there. Texas Parks and Wildlife right now is going to stock that for resaca for us. We also have a 2.2 mile walking trail through it. The chachalacas on that property are unbelievable, and the wildlife. We've seen bobcats out there and other animals.”
Lopez said the project is being completed in three phases, with the walking trail already complete.
“We're just finishing off with phase one. We're looking, hopefully, to maybe within a year and a half, to be able to go in and finish the whole project.”
Lopez said kayaking will be allowed on the resaca and 30 RV sites are going in which will be leased out.
“We're very, very excited about it. Texas Parks and Wildlife have been great partners. They have put up a lot of money to help us with the park. It’s a beautiful piece of property, and as I say, Texas Parks and Wildlife are very excited about it.
Editor's Note: Many thanks to Ron Whitlock of Ron Whitlock Reports for his help with the story.
Editor’s Note: Here is an audio recording of Commissioner Lopez’s remarks at the State of the County Address:
