Expansion plan includes extra safety features following trail death
SAN ANTONIO - Safety was a big topic of discussion at Monday's public input meeting for the Leon Creek Trail Project that will expand miles of greenway walking trails.
Earlier in September, the body of 63-year-old Stacey Dramiga was found on the Salado Creek Greenway Trail. Since that alarming discovery, there's been some additional safety concerns surrounding trail safety.
We spoke to neighbors who live close to trailheads and some of the parks that will be expanded through the project. The city of San Antonio says those concerns are being addressed.
"I've seen some that are aggressive, I've seen a dog attack with another dog that was a little violent and I would hate for a child or someone to go through that," said a homeowner who doesn't want to be identified.
That homeowner lives near Spicewood Park. He told us he fears loose dogs will attack someone on the park's trails. Trails that will eventually be expanded through the Leon Creek Trail Project.
He's not alone. Sylvia Espinoza also lives nearby and has safety concerns following Dramiga's death.
"It's a lonely area back there since there's no houses on the other side and I would say that we need some kind of emergency phone," said Espinoza.
We spoke to the city of San Antonio who is leading the project. The Parks and Recreation Department said additional safety measures are being implemented in the planning stages.
"This particular project is going to have an emergency call tower, which is something that you know, people can use in case they are in an emergency," said Brandon Ross, Capital Programs Manager for the City of San Antonio's Parks and Recreation Department.
Ross admits some of the additional safety features come as a result of Dramiga's death.
"The focus on ensuring that those go at two more locations is basically as a result of that issue, and, you know, just an awareness, I think that we have, that we want people to be as safe as possible," said Ross.
Ross also tells us as trails are expanded, more park police officers are assigned to patrolling those trails on ATVs and bikes.
