November 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 49

and fitness opportunities for the area's
residents, but will also become a destination location. The first phase of the
project, for which ground was broken
in August of this year, is expected to be
completed in the fall of 2017. Brooks
City-Base will be solely in charge of the
park when it opens.
According to Bexar County Judge
Nelson Wolff, " The Greenline leverages
Bexar County's more than $200 million
investment in the Mission Reach of the
San Antonio River by further connecting
the South Side community to the river,
recreation and hike-and-bike trails. This
incredible investment by Brooks CityBase, the city of San Antonio and Bexar
County furthers the 'Golden Age' of development for the southern sector of the
city - an area that had been neglected
for far too long. "
Funded with $3 million in city bonds
and $7.6 million from a Brooks Infrastructure Bond, The Greenline promises
to be a state-of-the-art green space that
will feature a mile of illuminated hiking
and biking trails and 1.5 miles of jogging
trails. Fitness stations, play structures,
outdoor pavilions, terracing lakes and 10
acres each of grasslands and native vegetation will combine to make this a truly
unique San Antonio park.
" The best feature of the park is that it
will connect all the residences and businesses at City-Base with the Mission
Reach of the River Walk, " Gomez says.
" Everything from free Wi-Fi and public art, to the trails, pavilions and lakes
will all give this community something
that it has never had, and it will all tie
together with the history of the base
and with the history of San Antonio
[through the river]. "
Where History, Family and
the Culture of Health Meet
Mission Reach, which extends from
the tourist hub of downtown to the San
Antonio Missions National Historical
Park, was completed slightly less than

them recruit a great workforce? Time
and again, we hear that companies
want to be able to offer amenities such
as parks, eateries, entertainment venues
and attractive housing near the workplace. This is the kind of community
we are building at Brooks. We could not
be more thrilled about the opportunities
[The Greenline] will offer. "

The Greenline trails and amenities will
ultimately connect to the very popular
Mission Reach Trails.

five years ago and connects the historic San Antonio River virtually its entire
length by the famed River Walk. Under
the auspices of the San Antonio River
Authority (SARA), The Greenline will
now connect this portion of the city to
its icons of culture and entertainment.
The project also has very real-world,
economic implications for the city and
the area as it will help Brooks City-Base
attract employers and fuel job creation
on the South Side. More and more businesses are flocking to the area, including
the first full-service hotel south of downtown San Antonio.
" The River Authority is excited by
the addition of The Greenline trails and
amenities and its plans to ultimately connect to the very popular Mission Reach
Trails that SARA manages, " says Steve
Graham, SARA assistant general manager. " We see this sort of trail connection as a way to improve and extend recreation and quality-of-life options right
into neighborhoods and communities
along the San Antonio River. "
" Major employers aren't just looking
for tax breaks, they are looking for quality of life, " Gomez said at the groundbreaking ceremony. " What will help

Something Special
What is a park? Is it simply the open
area where people gather in nature for
fun and frolic? Is it a reminder of a time
or an event from the distant past? Is it
indeed a commercial generator? Can it
be all of that? Ultimately, the vision for
The Greenline does ask for it to be all of
that and more.
" For our community here at Brooks
and on the South Side, The Greenline is
a dream come true, " said Manuel Villa,
chairman of the Brooks Board of Directors, who was also at the groundbreaking. " It will be the new weekend hotspot,
an essential part of the community, as
we build the live, work, learn and play
atmosphere. We can't wait for this beautiful park. "
The Greenline promises to be more
than a place for people to come and ride
their bikes, barbecue with friends and
family, or just enjoy the pleasant weather
of the city. It will also be more than a
way to remember the glorious past where
this part of the world was the funnel for
the country's burgeoning Air Force or
to bring new businesses to the area. The
possibilities for The Greenline are limited only by imagination.
" I think ultimately, it will be another destination park for our community,
building on the miles and miles of linear parks we have in San Antonio, " Gomez says. " It will also add to the quality
of life that the people in this part of the
city have. Parks like this are something
special. "
Eric Moreno is a freelance writer based in San
Antonio, Texas (ericmoreno6477@gmail.com).

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November 2016 - Parks & Recreation

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