New pocket park to be built in the Barrio neighborhood

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Amarillo City Council approved the purchase for the Barrio Neighborhood Planning Committee to build a pocket park.

The committee will renovate an empty lot at 918 S. Houston and turn it into a half-acre park for the entire community to enjoy.

“The Barrio Neighborhood Planning Committee really wanted an area where the Barrio neighborhood can have to call their own, so like a community event area that you could have festivals, you could have parties, we could have whatever just for the community to come together and kind of have a space to call their own,” said Quintin Marquez, board member, BNPC.

Some features include a playground, bike racks, a walking area, a place for food trucks and much more.

Board members say this project is more than just the physical space, it’s about showing the cultures and traditions of the Barrio.

“The Barrio has a major Hispanic influence in this area. There’s a lot of Hispanic folks and for those who have never celebrated Hispanic traditions or cultures, they come into the Barrio and really taste the food, see the sights. It’s a very colorful, vibrant part of our country and Amarillo,” said Marquez.

Beyond providing a space for the community, the committee believes the new pocket park will bring economic growth.

“The more areas that you have like this that are promoting businesses to come in here, the more other folks from other sides of town or neighborhoods are going to be like, ‘Hey, it might be a good idea to invest in the Barrio neighborhood,’” said Marquez.

Construction is expected to begin in November with an anticipated opening six months later.

The total cost to build the park is $300,000 and the committee says it is still in need of $250,000.

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