VFW Park in Chula Vista converted to used tire dump, poses health hazards
What once was a flourishing haven for children in Precinct 2 has been deteriorating for years now. Located in the Chula Vista area on Crane Street are now the ruins of what was once the proud and beautiful VFW Park. Now a dumping ground for old and used tires which have been accumulating for many years. Over 3,000 used tires litter the VFW Park creating a mosquito-infested health hazard for the community.
The entrance to the VFW Park is aligned by thousands of used tires and within the baseball field fence is a ten foot high wall that is hundreds of feet in length serving as a used tire graveyard.
Among those that have to deal with the growing problem are the residents of Chula Vista Subdivision as the park is less than 100 feet from a home and in close proximity to a neighborhood church.
“We have been dealing with this problem for years. Nobody has ever listened to us but yet they do take the time to raise our taxes on almost a yearly basis. While we have to live next to a dumping ground,” a concerned neighbor stated.
“We pay and pay taxes and are charged to get our trash picked up but yet the problem with all these tires is not addressed,” added the concerned citizen.
“What are our Commissioners doing as a collective unit to take care of the citizens of the county? To add insult to injury monies intended for our precinct were transferred to another precinct for their use and not ours,” another resident strongly said.
“At one point in October of 2011, we thought that we were finally going to have this problem go away as the Eagle Pass City Leaders and Maverick County Officials held a two day conference that dealt with situations such as these. They held a two day conference in conjunction with leaders from Piedras Negras, Coahuila and the surrounding areas under the Border Initiative 2020 to address environmental concerns with the trash, tires and many other things but that was as far as it went. It seems they let it go and completely forgot about it and we are still left with the health hazard problem,” a concerned resident said.
Maverick County taxpayer, Jose Reyna, a resident of Precinct 2 and Vice President of the Maverick County Environmental and Public Health Association, stated “We have raised our health and environmental concerns over and over again to Commissioners Court regarding these used tires at VFW Park. As you can see for yourself, these are the unhealthy conditions that our governing leaders have us living in. This is a community park dedicated to Maverick County Veterans that has become a dumping ground for used tires and is next to homes and a church. Thousands of people have to live with this health problem. It is just a reminder of how little importance our county leaders have for the health and safety of our citizens,” Reyna said.
The residents of Chula Vista Subdivision and Precinct 2 have been dealing with this problem and eyesore for years and are concerned with both the health and environmental risks posed by illegal used tire dumpsites such as the sacred VFW park in Chula Vista Subdivision in southern Maverick County. Maverick County taxpayers are clamoring for Maverick County Commissioners Court to take action and clean-up the VFW Park, removing the used tires, eliminate the health and environmental hazards, and return the park to its original use as a community park. Maverick County Commissioner for Precinct 2 Rudy Heredia is currently detained awaiting a trial in federal court facing money laundering charges sometime next year. Meanwhile, Chula Vista residents contend with health and environmental risks at VFW Park and have lost the use of a community park.
