{"id":60851,"date":"2025-11-22T16:25:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T16:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/60851\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T16:25:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T16:25:12","slug":"what-happened-to-los-rios-park-residents-want-answers-local-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/60851\/","title":{"rendered":"What Happened To Los Rios Park? Residents Want Answers – Local Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

Plano is consistently recognized for its high-quality parks \u2014 ranked<\/a> No. 1 in Texas and 17th in the nation \u2014 a reputation built on well-maintained green spaces, extensive trail networks and strong community investment in recreation. But in the Los Rios neighborhood, many say their experience doesn\u2019t reflect the city\u2019s celebrated standing.<\/p>\n

For years, families in Plano\u2019s Los Rios neighborhood have watched their once-manicured green space transform into what they now describe as \u201ca jungle.\u201d They say the land \u2014 formerly the Los Rios Golf Course and Country Club \u2014 has become overgrown, harder to navigate and increasingly home to wildlife that\u2019s creeping closer to their yards.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rather than accept the changes as inevitable, dozens of neighbors have organized, showing up at a recent parks and recreation board meeting to demand answers about delayed improvements, shrinking budgets and what they see as a clear divide between East Plano and the rest of the city.<\/p>\n

The push comes a decade after Plano purchased the 194-acre property for $3.5 million with the intent of turning it into parkland once the golf operations shut down. The course officially closed around 2019\u20132020, and its infrastructure was primarily removed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Since then, the site, nearly 200 acres in total, has been positioned as an open-space preserve intended for trails and passive recreation, eventually tying into Bob Woodruff Park, the Cottonwood Creek Greenbelt and the larger Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve system. But to many residents, the reality on the ground hasn\u2019t matched the vision they were told to expect. Los Rios is the park that Plano forgot. Nearby residents have not.<\/p>\n

Residents Demand Action<\/p>\n

East Plano resident Lisa Parelli moved to the city in 1978 and bought her home in the neighborhood in 1998. She was among nearly 70 residents who showed up at the Nov. 7 parks and recreation meeting, asking for action from the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"screen-shot-2025-11-21-at-114015-am\"
\nPark lake before and now. Photo: Michael Stanga <\/p>\n

\u201cWith all that money, they could have been doing the other stuff,\u201d Parelli told Local Profile before the meeting. \u201cWe are wondering what happened to all of our money. They’re pouring money and building new parks on the west side of Plano. We want action.\u201d<\/p>\n

For longtime resident Michael Stanga, who has lived in Plano for 49 years and in Los Rios for 42, the frustration runs deep. Stanga said parks staff told residents that Phase 1 of the Los Rios plan would be complete by the end of 2024. \u201cNow, it might start in 2027,\u201d he said, \u201cThis won\u2019t be complete in my lifetime. At this rate, my grandchildren won\u2019t see it done.\u201d<\/p>\n

He remembers what Los Rios used to be \u2014 a country club he called \u201cPlano\u2019s premier showcase.\u201d As the city grew west, he said, neighborhoods like his aged and stopped receiving the same level of investment. \u201cThere\u2019s always been sort of an unspoken rule,\u201d Stanga said. \u201cRealtors, they won’t admit to it, but they always advise against buying on the east side\u2026 It\u2019s the wrong side of the tracks. And to a large extent that\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plano\u2019s Perspective: Open Space, Not Golf Course<\/p>\n

According to the city, Los Rios Park is categorized as an open space preserve, similar to Oak Point, Arbor Hills and Bob Woodruff, meaning its purpose is passive recreation and its maintenance level is intentionally different from a neighborhood park or former golf course.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plano Park Planning Manager Ren\u00e9e Burke Jordan told Local Profile some residents may feel the space is under-maintained because they are used to its history as a meticulously groomed course. \u201cBecause Los Rios is maintained as a park rather than a golf course, some residents may perceive a difference in the level of care or attention,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"screen-shot-2025-11-21-at-113907-am\"
\nBefore and after city purchased park. Photo: Michael Stanga <\/p>\n

She noted that the city continues biweekly mowing in buffer areas near homes, maintains soft-surface paths, mows turf zones a few times per year and is deliberately allowing creek-adjacent areas to grow for erosion control.\u00a0The city also plans to add<\/a> elements of a wildflower and pollinator area beginning in 2025.<\/p>\n

Promises vs. Reality<\/p>\n

According to Stanga, residents worked closely with the city on the 2018 master plan, showing up at meetings and helping shape what the park could become. A massive park \u2014 featuring a pavoillion, splash pads, playgrounds, sports fields, disk golf, even water access for small boats \u2014 was meticulously planned by city staff and residnets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere must have been 50 or 60 residents of Los Rios that met with them on three or four occasions,\u201d he said. The plan was large and ambitious, and he acknowledged that full build-out would take tens of millions of dollars. But Phase 1, he said, was supposed to be manageable, simple: paved trails, connecting bridges and regular maintenance of the green space.<\/p>\n

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\nExposed wires and pipes cause safety concerns for residents. Photo: Michael Stanga <\/p>\n

Instead, he says, maintenance standards shifted this past summer. \u201cIt went from a well-maintained landscape to now they’re letting it become a natural wilderness area,\u201d he said. \u201cWe just want our neighborhood to look nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Safety, Wildlife And Neighborhood Concerns<\/p>\n

For residents like Stanga, the ecological benefits don\u2019t outweigh the problems they say have worsened. \u201cI’m picking up dead rats in my yard now,\u201d he said, describing a need for new pest control services. He says neighbors have dealt with fleas, ticks, missing pets and more coyotes and bobcats drifting closer to homes. \u201cThere\u2019s a place for wildlife everywhere,\u201d he said, \u201cbut now they’re just getting a little too close to home.\u201d<\/p>\n

The maintenance shift also affects how people use the space. Stanga said that while the city plans to build concrete trails, residents were told existing paths would be mowed in the meantime. \u201cThis is our paved trail,\u201d he said, pointing to a photo of a wide strip of grass.<\/p>\n

\"screen-shot-2025-11-21-at-112010-am\"
\nTemporary trail. Photo: Michael Stanga <\/p>\n

According to Stanga, one neighbor recently broke his collarbone after falling on the path that residents expected would be maintained as a temporary trail. Others say their dogs can no longer run or play safely in the open areas because the grass is too high, the terrain is inconsistent and wildlife has become more active. \u201cThere’s holes out there,\u201d said Stanga. \u201cWe can’t walk our dogs. We can’t run the dogs in the park because they’ll step in a hole and break their leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Burke Jordan, Los Rios Park is classified as an open space preserve in the Plano Parks Master Plan. The city\u2019s intention for these areas is to support passive recreation, including trails and opportunities to enjoy nature. \u201cIts level of maintenance is consistent with Plano\u2019s other three open space preserves: Bob Woodruff Park, Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve and Arbor Hills Nature Preserve,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Funding Confusion<\/p>\n

Some Los Rios residents have questioned what happened to the money originally set aside for the park, but city officials say the funding is still intact. What looks like budget cuts, they explain, is actually a shift in timing tied to new grant requirements.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Annual CIP documents show the project\u2019s near-term allocation dropping from $2.9 million in 2023\u201324 to just $100,000 in 2025\u201326, but the city says those dollars were moved into later years after Plano secured a $4.41 million TxDOT grant in April 2025. Because that grant comes with a federal review process, construction can\u2019t begin until required agreements are finalized.<\/p>\n

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\nResidents say erosion has caused more damage in park. Photo: Michael Stanga <\/p>\n

The trail project, first budgeted at $3 million in 2018, now has roughly $8 million identified for completion, including the TxDOT grant and $250,681 from Collin County. According to Burke Jordan, the city has spent $1.7 million so far on master planning, removing former golf course structures and designing the trail and its bridges.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another $298,826 is budgeted this year for design work, and $100,000 is planned next year for updates to meet TxDOT standards. The remaining funds \u2014 about $879,840 in 2026\u201327 and $5 million in 2027\u201328 \u2014 are scheduled for final design and full construction.<\/p>\n

Construction And The Road Ahead<\/p>\n

Burke Jordan emphasized that Phase 1 is moving forward, with plans for two miles of concrete trail and four bridge crossings. But she said regulatory reviews tied to FEMA floodplain requirements and TxDOT oversight have extended the design schedule. According to the city, design development is 90% complete. TxDOT is expected to issue a draft funding agreement in December, with council approval anticipated by mid-2026. After that will come TxDOT design approvals, an eight-month environmental compliance phase, bidding and finally construction, now expected to begin in spring 2027.<\/p>\n

Funding priorities, she said, follow citywide bond programs and must fit within staffing and vendor capacity. She pointed to more than $16 million in recently approved or completed park projects east of U.S. 75, including major improvements at Oak Point and Bob Woodruff.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Burke Jordan, city staff, including the assistant parks director and his team, have held multiple on-site meetings with Los Rios residents to walk through current and upcoming changes. The goal has been to address concerns while balancing public access, environmental protection and long-term maintenance needs. The department, she added, remains willing to meet with residents to review maintenance footprints and make reasonable adjustments.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe team is open to meeting with residents to review and, when practical, adjust mowing practices to ensure a balanced approach between ecological goals and neighborhood expectations,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Residents Keep Pressure On<\/p>\n

Despite assurances, many Los Rios homeowners feel the promises made when the golf course closed have not materialized. They worry about property values, neighborhood pride and equitable attention from the city as Plano continues to grow.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people moved into Los Rios, it was because of the open spaces and the park,\u201d Stanga said. \u201cTo see it go from a well-manicured open space to now, it’s unkempt, people are angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Residents say the debate isn\u2019t really about choosing between a natural park or a manicured one, it\u2019s about timelines, communication and follow-through. They aren\u2019t asking for a multi-million dollar destination park; they want safe trails and a community space they can take pride in.<\/p>\n

For now, they are determined to keep showing up, asking questions and pushing for the improvements they were told would come.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss anything Local. Sign up<\/a> for our free newsletter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Plano is consistently recognized for its high-quality parks \u2014 ranked No. 1 in Texas and 17th in the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":60852,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[32477,160,162,161],"class_list":{"0":"post-60851","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-plano","8":"tag-developmentparkslocal-newsparks-and-recreationnorth-texasplanocollin-countynewsletter_alllos-rios-park","9":"tag-plano","10":"tag-plano-headlines","11":"tag-plano-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60851"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60851\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}