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Resident walkway proposal prompts debate; board leans to public-works partnership, no EDC action
Summary
A resident suggested a walkway linking Gardens of Hollywood Park to the Howard Peak Greenway. Board members raised concerns about cost, maintenance and jurisdiction, and recommended coordination with the city and resident volunteer groups rather than sole EDC funding.
A resident's email proposing a walkway that would link Gardens of Hollywood Park to Howard Peak Greenway prompted a lengthy discussion Nov. 4 about scope, cost and which body should lead the effort.
The resident proposed a path following the floodplain downstream from a Gardens trailhead to join the Howard Peak Greenway at Walker Ranch Historic Park. Multiple board members responded that such trails can require substantial capital and maintenance funding and are often built as part of housing developments or city park projects, not from EDC operating funds.
"I think the maintenance alone ... that's a cost that stacks up real quick," one resident said, noting that an initial installation can be followed by repeated rebuilding after a major rain event. Board members suggested alternatives: work with San Antonio parks and public works on design and jurisdiction; ask the Garden Club or community volunteers to lead small improvements; and consider limited EDC material support rather than funding an entire trail.
Why this matters: Large trail projects can produce long‑term recreational and economic benefits but also create ongoing maintenance liabilities. For Hollywood Park, members viewed a full trail connection to Walker Ranch as outside the EDC's typical project scope unless it is part of a city or development partnership.
What happens next: The board did not take action. Several members recommended staff follow up with city public works to explore partnerships and that residents interested in the trail consider volunteer‑led initial work or a targeted materials grant.
