A VIEW FROM THE COUNCIL TABLE
Wimberley City Council
Here in Wimberley, we value our parks and understand how crucial this community green space is to our quality of life. Interacting with nature and connecting through water is vital to our well-being. Our parks provide environmental, economic, health and social benefits that are immeasurable.
Environmental benefits of parks include storm water control, flood mitigation, habitat for wildlife, improved air quality, improved water quality and the reduction of heat island effect. Take a walk through Blue Hole Regional Park (BHRP) and you will notice several bio-swales and wetland areas with tall grasses. To some, these may look unkempt, but they are indicative of a healthy ecosystem that acts like a sponge to slow and filter storm water run off. Have you walked past downed trees while enjoying the shady paths of the Cypress Creek Nature Trail and wondered why this debris wasn’t cleaned up? Fallen trees provide protection to seedlings, habitat for wildlife and slows and disperses flood water.
Far from being the “albatross” that some have claimed, the economic benefits of our parks are undoubtedly immense. Apart from sales tax revenue, Blue Hole Regional Park is the largest net revenue source for our city. The Park attracts thousands of visitors each year. It has been featured in countless magazines (most recently in the June edition of Smithsonian Magazine). Park visitors stay in our lodging facilities, eat in our restaurants and shop at our stores. So the parks also play a significant role in increasing our city’s sales tax revenue.
Whether you walk up Old Baldy, stroll through the CCNT or run the trails of BHRP with your dog, being close to nature and staying physical decreases stress levels, lowers blood pressure and improves mental health.
Finally, parks are a gathering place for community. Whether we are bird watching at the Patsy Glenn Refuge with a group of friends, watching our kids dance on the lawn at Blue Hole during a concert or gazing up at the stars at one of the Star Party events, our parks bring us together.
Wimberley Valley’s parks are a true treasure and enrich the lives of every member of our community. For more information, visit www.cityofwimberley.com.
Want to volunteer? Contact Christine Byrne at [email protected].
Editor’s Note: The views expressed by the writer are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the city they serve.