New park dedicated in Edinburg

EDINBURG -- The South Texas sun sank below the horizon moments before Will Looney's legacy to Edinburg was revealed.

The bronze sculpture memorializing the 29-year-old, who was killed in a car crash in 2003, and his late grandmother, Margaret Montgomery Looney, now sits in the Will Looney Legacy Park outside of the Museum of South Texas History, 200 N. Closner Blvd.

The sculpture, seen from the corner of Closner Boulevard and McIntyre Street, depicts Looney on a horse with a cowboy hat held over his heart as he takes a scroll from his grandmother standing below him.

The plaque reads: "Texas Legacy - Our ancestors have given us a unique legacy; what we do with it is the gift we leave our children."

Memorial contributions to the museum from friends and family three years ago began the process of acquiring the property - formerly a gas station - and converting it into the park, which officially opens to the public Oct. 5.

The park will eventually exhibit how ancestors of South Texas residents adapted to the land, including the weather, plant life, animals and hydrology, according to Shan Rankin, the museum's executive director.

Now, winding brick and cement pathways cut through newly laid mulch and planted trees leading to the bronze sculpture. A historic windmill is situated near the likeness, and plans are in the works to add hands-on educational exhibits, including an archeological excavation.

"Legacies are very important," said Cullen Looney, Will Looney's father and the museum board director. "There are a lot of strong legacies ... that have been passed on for generations."

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Jackie Leatherman covers Hidalgo County government and general assignments at The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4424.