Bronze statue honoring former Mayor Phil Hardberger unveiled at San Antonio park

SAN ANTONIO – Former San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger was honored with a permanent tribute at the park that bears his name.

The Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy unveiled a new bronze statue of the former mayor on Tuesday at the Urban Ecology Center inside Phil Hardberger Park.

The statue was commissioned by philanthropist Harvey Najim and created by artist Armando Hinojosa. It recognizes Hardberger’s role in preserving more than 330 acres of green space in the heart of San Antonio.

Once an old dairy farm, the land was transformed into an urban park with hiking, biking and a land bridge.

During the unveiling, Hardberger spoke about the challenges involved in creating the park and said it was always meant to benefit both people and wildlife.

“I wanted this park to be for the people, yes, but also for the animals,” Hardberger said. “That’s why we close at sunset and don’t open again until sunrise. We want to give the animals a chance to have a good night’s sleep.”

At 91 years old, Hardberger still visits the trails at the park.

The Urban Ecology Center is located at 8400 NW Military Hwy.

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