Located on a former construction storage yard approximately two miles south of downtown, this three-acre park is situated along the Mission Reach segment of the River Walk on a bluff overlooking the San Antonio River and San Pedro Creek. Designed by Lake|Flato, Matsys Design, and Rialto Studio, the park officially opened in 2018.
Curving paved pathways lined with terraced planting beds connect five distinct areas representing different regional ecosystems. A small terraced hill of native grassland is central to the space, surrounded by San Antonio River Improvement Project ecosystem restoration habitat, Trans Pecos/Chihuahua Desert plants, a Texas Oak Conservatory, and a Texas Live Oak Savanna. The park’s most prominent feature is a paved terrace with a large open-air pavilion made up of 22 curved concrete “petals” that reach nearly 30 feet high and funnel rainwater into a site-wide water catchment system. The Estela Avery Education Center, a multi-purpose building topped with a green roof and powered by solar panels, is adjacent to the main pavilion. A small pedestrian bridge leads to the main pavilion over a sunken area where rainwater harvesting structures are buried. Three smaller pavilions, each comprising two concrete “petals” that extend nearly twenty feet high, create smaller gathering spaces across the site, which also features a permeable parking lot. Taking full advantage of the site, the park hosts a variety of educational programs led by the San Antonio River Foundation (SARF), which connects people to their surroundings while fostering environmental stewardship.
