SAN ANTONIO – A massive green space filled with trees on the city’s Southeast Side is catching the attention of locals.
“I’m a teacher at South San High School. I teach environmental science and to bring the kids out here, this is amazing to have in our neighborhood,” said David Perez, San Antonio resident.
An arboretum project is underway at the Former Republic Golf Club, located along Southeast Military Drive.
“It will have a nice curated-manicured areas, but it will be largely that peaceful contemplative restorative walk in the woods. You will be in nature and you will have time to celebrate that and learn about it,” Thomas Corser, CEO of Arboretum San Antonio said.
The team at Arboretum San Antonio has been engaging with the community and is hosting its first input workshop next month.
The workshop is taking place on Aug. 19 at Mission Library. One session is happening at 3:30 p.m. and the other is at 5:30 p.m.
“That will be a big event where people can come and give their input. (They can) show their passion about an arboretum and what it can do for San Antonio and what they would like to see,” Corser said.
A survey is also out where residents can share their vision for what Arboretum San Antonio should look like. Click here for more information.
In May, the design firm Sasaki was chosen as the Master Planning Firm responsible for developing the foundational plan for San Antonio’s first arboretum.
“Some of the Sasaki leadership is coming in town to give us a read out of the phase one of their work, which is much of the baselining to understand what trees we have. What soils we have. What the water situation is,” Corser said.
Locals are eager to explore the area.
“I’m very excited about what’s going to happen here,” Nelson Verdeja, a San Antonio resident said.