Pending council approval, the small park could become a 12-acre neighborhood staple

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A long-awaited transformation is on the horizon for Padre Island’s Commodores Park, as city leaders prepare to vote on a multimillion-dollar plan that would bring new amenities and make the site one of Corpus Christi’s signature outdoor destinations.

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“This is gonna be very big for the Island and big for the citizens of Corpus Christi,” said Robert Dodd, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

The City Council is expected to vote this week on awarding a $3.4 million construction contract to Weaver and Jacobs Constructors. The project will be funded through a mix of 2022 and 2024 bond dollars and money from the city’s Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, or TIRZ, which directs reinvested property tax revenues toward improvements in growing areas.

Dodd said his team worked closely with residents before finalizing the design.

“We’ve done public outreach with the citizens out at the Island and we’re going to give them what they want,” Dodd said. “And that’s something we strive to do here at Parks and Recreation.”

If approved, construction on Phase One is expected to begin later this fall and wrap up by next August. The first phase will include new playground areas, walking trails, shaded seating, and community green space — upgrades Dodd said will give the Island a park worthy of its growth.

“When it’s all said and done, this is going to be an amazing park,” he said. “It’s gonna be, you know, one of our gold jewels that we have to go up there with Cole Park and Salinas Park and things like that. So this is just putting a regional park in a different part of our city.”

The improvements come as the Island continues to expand rapidly beyond its traditional reputation as a beach destination.

“It’s going to continue to grow,” Dodd said. “You know, there’s so many good things going on out there besides the beach that Parks and Rec takes care of as well. Just our little niche into all the growth that’s going on out there is something we’re excited about.”

When complete, Commodores Park would become the Island’s largest city-owned recreational space, designed to serve both longtime residents and new families moving into the area.

And in true Island fashion, Dodd said even the parking lot will have a local twist.

“The parking lot out there, that’s going out there, will include some golf cart parking areas as well,” he said. “So that’s something new that we’ve done to accommodate the Island community.”

If approved, construction could be visible before the end of the year — marking another step in Corpus Christi’s ongoing effort to expand access to parks and recreation across every corner of the city.