McGregor Opens Bewley Park: Two Tennis, Six Pickleball Courts Honor Aviles Family

Two new tennis courts and six pickleball courts now stand at Bewley Park off West 8th Street in McGregor, the city dedicated at a ribbon-cutting Feb. 17, 2026 that officials say fulfills a long-held dream of the Aviles family. KWTX reported the project both memorializes family members lost to a 2022 mass shooting and expands local recreation offerings.

At the ceremony, McGregor Mayor Pro Tem Renee Flores spoke about her personal connection to the project and the family behind it. “Six years into my term, I’m so excited we were able to do this for the community, and it just makes it more special to me because it was Lori and Mike who wanted it and they’re no longer here,” Flores said, noting the courts were something Lori and Mike Aviles had long wanted for Bewley Park.

Flores also acknowledged the pain tied to the dedication and the family’s continued presence at the site. “I’m sad that they’re not here to see these courts open, but I know that they’re here shining down saying ‘hey great job McGregor. This is awesome,” she said at the ribbon-cutting, where KWTX reported Flores said she felt her family’s presence. Flores added, “These courts are beautiful and I’m super happy that the community has them and that for years to come, families, friends, neighbors and community can come together and enjoy our pickleball and tennis courts.”

The dedication foregrounded the Aviles family’s losses and local context: Lori Aviles and her daughter Natalie, 20, were among those killed in the 2022 shooting that KWTX said also left three neighbors dead. KWTX reported Lori and Natalie lived next door to the alleged shooter and were outside when he opened fire. Natalie was described in coverage as a 20-year-old aspiring nurse, a former Miss McGregor who loved tennis; Flores said Mike Aviles, her brother, had died of colon cancer years earlier.

City officials framed the project as both memorial and investment in recreation, saying the new courts replace old, deteriorated surfaces at Bewley Park and provide space for tennis and pickleball play in McGregor. Flores told KWTX she’s already heard from many neighbors near the new courts who are ecstatic about the upgrade and emphasized the courts will serve the entire community she represents.

Details about project funding, contractor, formal naming of the courts, and scheduled programs or reservations were not released at the ribbon-cutting. The new facilities now sit ready for use at Bewley Park, intended to honor Lori, Natalie and Mike Aviles while giving McGregor residents expanded outdoor courts for years to come.