Mission Reach: Historic, Residential, Environmentally Unique

The story of San Antonio begins with the river – the life-giving heart of our heritage and culture. The San Antonio River meanders past four Spanish missions built in the founding years of our city nearly three centuries ago.

That riverside setting brought vital water to those thriving communities at the core of our city. Today, that eight mile section of the river, which extends south of downtown from Lone Star Boulevard to Mission Espada, is called the Mission Reach.

While much of the river’s beauty was sacrificed for utilitarian flood control in the 1950s, a major aim of the River Improvements Project is to restore a more natural setting and environment for the southern portion of the river, including returning the unnaturally straightened river to near its original meandering course with improved flood control and reduced erosion.

The San Antonio River Foundation’s goal is to raise funds to transform the Mission Reach by adding educational and recreational opportunities and artistic strokes to the environmental restoration underway by the River Improvements Project.

The River Foundation is involving the area’s rich multi-generational community to develop gathering places for learning, recreational park space, quiet spots, rest stops and river access points – all artistically accented to inspire a connection with the beauty of the river. Initiatives include:

• Pocket parks that connect neighborhoods to the river
• Larger parks that feature play areas, waterscapes, butterfly gardens, and community gardens that promote ecology and conservation
• Sustainable demonstration projects that feature solar energy and water harvesting techniques
• Beautiful and inspiring public art, pedestrian bridges, art benches, and pavilions to add attractive new appeal to the entire area 

(Watercolors by Joey Fauerso)