Greenway trail funding may be on the line with city council

16 Nov 2021

It was a cool November night—16 Nov 2021. It was a nice night for approximately 80 cyclists to pedal to a city-held bond proposal hearing. $110 million has been proposed for the greenway trails; however, the city council may be looking at diverting some of the funds from the greenway trails to other projects such as flood control.

Representatives from various entities presented their case for funding. The city issued a "staff recommendations" table as follows:

Agency	Project Name	Council District	Total Request
ActivateSA	Linear Trails	Citywide	$26,824,204
Brackenridge Park Conservancy	Brackenridge Park Sunken Gardens Theater	Citywide Citywide	$2,500,000 $10,000,000
Botanical Garden Society	San Antonio Botanical Garden	Citywide	$2,500,000
SA Zoological Society	San Antonio Zoo	Citywide	$10,000,000
Hemisfair Park	Civic Park – Phase 2	Regional	$18,000,000
University of Texas at San Antonio	Basketball & Volleyball Practice Facility	Regional	$10,000,000
Palo Alto College	District 4 Multigenerational Facility at Palo Alto College	District 4	$10,000,000
SA Medical Center Alliance	New Medical Center Area Park	District 8	$3,250,000
Boys & Girls Club of San Antonio	Eastside Branch Calderon Branch	District 2 District 5	$3,750,000 $3,750,000

Source—City of San Antonio | 2022 Bond Program

In spite of the grandeur of the Mission Reach and Medina River trails, a handful of south side residents complained that their part of town had not received their fair share of recreational facilities including trails as compared to the affluent sectors of the city. Otherwise, it was an assortment of pleas including one that calls for protecting the birds and other wildlife.

One cyclist stated that the greenway trails help fight against ailments such as diabetes, mental issues, obesity, and other health issues. The trails also serve as a safe alternative to streets.

Maps from Parks and Recreation

Homer Garcia III, the director of Parks and Recreation, rolled out a map that depicts new trail development that would be dependent on the 2022 Bond.

Map shows 155 miles (240 km) planned for the greenway trails—Map: San Antonio Parks and Recreation

The map reflects points of interest including the extension of the Salado Creen Greenway all the way past I-410 for a direct connection to the Mission San Francisco De La Espada Catholic Church, a point where the Mission Reach and Medina River trails meet. The other development that stood out is the extension of Leon Creek via the Port San Antonio, the former Kelly AFB, as a way of continuing this greenway to Medina River. Leon Creek itself flows through Joint-base San Antonio Lackland AFB, which is off limits to any public trails.

As the map shows, these connections will put a ring around the city.

What's on the wishlist?

This is dependent on the outcome of funding decisions:

Leon Creek Greenway (Hwy 16 to Medina River Greenway)
Culebra-Helotes Connector
Leon Creek Greenway (via Port San Antonio - design stage)
Huebner Creek to Medical Center Trail (Floyd Curl to Eckert Rd)
Zarzamora Creek Greenway (Ingram Rd to Jane Dubel Park)
Beitel Creek Greenway (Thousand Oaks to LBJ Park)
French Creek Greenway (O.P. Schnabel to Loop 1604)
Hays Street Bridge Connection (S.A. River to Lockwood Park)
Citywide Greenway Connections and Enhancements
Maverick Creek Greenway (UTSA Blvd to Loop 1604)
Westside Creeks - Lightning Pilot Project
Leon Creek Greenway (Pedestrian Side Path Pilot Project)
Brooks Greenline Connection to Salado Creek Greenway (design stage)
The Flyway (Salado to Olmos Basin - design stage)
West College Link - St. Mary's University and Memorial High School to Zaramora Creek
Westside Creeks - neighborhood connectivity improvements

City's Timeline

27 Oct 2021—16 Dec: Bond committee meetings
12 Jan 2022: Bond Committee Recommended Project List
10 Feb 2022: City Council Approval of Project List
7 May 2022: Public vote on Proposed Bond

—SRR Features