Residents near Rodriguez County Park and Wolff Stadium can now jump on their bikes or hike along a new two-mile trail called the South Leon Creek Greenway.
District 6 City Councilman Ray Lopez said the $2.6 million addition the city’s greenway system is another way for San Antonians to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
"It’s going to give our folks an opportunity to come out here and exercise," Lopez said. "As you know, San Antonio has been notorious for making a very bad list about being unhealthy."
In addition to the walking trails, the system serves as a way to alleviate flooding problems in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The city has spent about $110 million to create the existing greenway segments like the one along Salado Creek. Each to those were funded through a one-eighth cent sales tax approved three times by voters.
The master plan for the 41 mile greenway system is for each of the trails to connect in a loop around the city.
"We have still have some acquisitions – some things to work out – as far as trying to make those connections," said Brandon Ross, a special projects manager with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. "That’s the grand scheme: to try to connect this piece up with projects north of here and south."
The connected system was the idea of former mayor Howard Peak, for which the which the system is named.
"We are slowly but surely making the connections between this park, to the next park, to the one down here making that circle around San Antonio," Peak said.
In order to complete the circle, another two temporary one-eighth cent sales tax increases need to be approved by voters.
