OLMITO, Texas - One of the largest nature parks in Cameron County is now located in the small community of Olmito.
The town of more than 1,000 residents celebrated Valentine’s Day this Saturday, Feb. 14 with a red ribbon-cutting event for the county’s first park built in an area covered with thornscrubs and native trees.
Called Olmito Nature Center on Hayes Roads, the recreational facility is under construction on nearly 40 acres of land donated by former residents Frank Michael and Jane McKinney.
Frank Michael McKinney said they had thought about donating the land for some time and decided to do so for the benefit of the community.
“This land was never cleared for cultivation,” he said. “It had a lot of brush, wildlife, was impenetrable and had a lot of vicious thorns.”
McKinney said one of last jaguars was seen around there more than 50 years and a couple of jaguarundis lived there some time back.
But urban growth has been taking over the land where beavers and nutrias were plentiful.
He also wondered how rough settlers from the Wild West had it when they came down here to farm and to plant the citrus seedlings.
Now, the land they donated will be here for generations to come.
The multi-million-dollar park has a number of amenities, including nature trails, park benches, fishing piers, birdwatch overlooks, wildlife viewing areas, educational pavilions, nature scape playground, picnic shelters, green open space, comfort stations, and a constable-substation.
Just Phase 1 of the project, still under construction, will cost more than $6.5 million.
Phase 2 will follow soon and Phase 3 calls for an educational and interpretative center.
Joey Lopez, commissioner for the county’s Precinct 2, said the park has been on his radar since he was first elected in 2019.
“I have talked to a lot of people about this project,” he said. “I met the McKinneys and they generously agreed to donate the land.”
Lopez said many others are involved in making sure the project comes true.
He listed the funding sources: Texas Parks & Wildlife Non-Urban Outdoor Local Park Grant, Texas Parks & Wildlife State Funding, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Trail Grant, Valle, Baptist Legacy Foundation, American Rescue Plan Act and Cameron County Certificates.
The park is located along 3,240 linear feet of resaca, or waterfront, and has a kayak launching ramp.
Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., said a project like this one does not happen overnight as they are the result of a lot of work and the contributions of a lot of people.
“This is the newest,” Treviño said, “and the most unique in the county’s park system.”
The county has 17 parks and Olmito Nature Park certainly lives up to its name, he said.
