SAN ANTONIO – A new walking trail on the city’s Southside is what developers call the first step at connecting the city’s green spaces.
The Madla Greenway, a one-mile loop, is located right next to Texas A&M San Antonio off of University Way. It’s open to the public from dusk to dawn.
A&M San Antonio student Destiny Guerrera grew up on the Southside. She said the closest trail is several miles away, near the missions.
“We’ve never had a trail way on the south side of San Antonio,” Guerrera said. “But now we have it here where I can just step out of my classroom and go, Hey, I want to go take a walk and, you know, get a breath of fresh air.”
The trail was developed by VIDA, a developer building a subdivision that also connects to the trail. Gretchen Howell with VIDA community development said today’s opening is the first step in introducing more people to the surrounding nature.
“We’re so excited to be a part of connecting Southside to the larger city trail system. This is a first important step in what we think is a critical journey,” Howell said.
The path is made out of recycled asphalt, which is sustainable and porous allowing rain water to flow through it. It is also soft for runners.
Howell said the greenspace was designed to have a low impact on the environment, which is an educational opportunity for A&M students.
“Some of the soil samples they found have potentially antimicrobial microbes in it. So that kills bacteria. Just really good to have around a trail,” A&M San Antonio student Lindsay Stacey said.
Guerrera said the greenway is a way for people on the Southside to connect to nature and be healthier.
“It’s great, having the opportunity to have others, generationally wise, be in here and kind of keep continuing to be healthy and be a part of nature,” Guerrera said.