The Shavano Park City Hall Grounds Are Collecting Names This Year
Shavano Park's own events page says it plainly: "All City Events are held at City Hall," at 900 Saddletree Court. The calendar has worked that way for a while. What changed in 2026 is how much the grounds now hold between events. Since spring, the grounds have gained a trail named for a resident and a mosaic made from tiles residents painted, with a row of banners for local veterans planned for November. Council also approved two city honey bee hives this year. Most of these additions carry a specific person's name or a neighbor's handiwork.
| Addition | When it arrived | Who it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Lisa Starr Memorial Trail, 1.1 miles | Dedication announced August 2026 | Named for Lisa Starr, supported by her parents David and Arlene Starr |
| Liberty Tree Mosaic Mural | Unveiled June 27, 2026 at the Pavilion | Tiles painted by more than 300 residents and friends |
| Two city honey bee hives | Approved earlier in 2026, site not announced | City Council, with a new Ad Hoc Bee Committee |
| De Zavala Road rebuild | Substantially complete July 30, 2026 | $4M federal earmark, built by J3 Company |
| Avenue of Heroes banners | Unveiling set for Veterans Day 2026 | Eight Shavano Park veterans |
The city's 1.1-mile municipal tract trail system is now dedicated to Lisa Starr. In the August Roadrunner, the mayor says Lisa came to Shavano Park as a child and grew up as Bexar County expanded northward. He adds that she and her father shared a passion for outdoor running, and he thanks David and Arlene Starr for their support of the trail.
For anyone who walks the tract regularly, the loop itself is the same. The name is what changed, and the name is what newer neighbors will learn from now on. The Pavilion beside it dates from 2019 and 2020 and has been open to the public since summer 2020. Pavilion reservations include the surrounding grounds, the outdoor grill behind City Hall, and the restrooms.
The June 27 Independence Day celebration had the usual big draws. There were waterslides, 25,000 water balloons, a children's parade, a talent show, penny ice cream, and fajitas served by Republic Services. The longest-lasting part of the day was quieter. To mark the nation's 250th birthday, the city unveiled the Shavano Park Liberty Tree Mosaic Mural at the Pavilion. More than 300 residents and friends each painted a 4-inch tile. Those tiles join almost 350 others to form the tree.
The newsletter says the tiles "will be assembled," so the finished mosaic may still be in progress. If you painted a tile in June, check the Pavilion wall on your next visit to the grounds to see how far it has come.
The same day honored other neighbors too. The newsletter recognized Laurel Montfort, Megan Lovell, the Clark Family and the Cowart Family for parade entries. In the baking contest, Susan Willing won with a Patriotic Cake and Christian Clark won the 12-and-under category with American Flag Sugar Cookies. Cub Scout Pack 2003 ran the flag retirement ceremony.
The next names are already chosen in part. In August, City Council authorized the Avenue of Heroes Military Service Recognition Program. The idea came from Lawrence "Otter" Obst, USN Retired, who will lead the first round with help from city staff. The plan is to unveil a banner on Veterans Day 2026 recognizing eight veterans, hung on the light poles of the City Hall traffic circle. The city says later rounds may include first responders and other locations.
Nominations close October 12, about a week from today. Applications are at City Hall. A nominee must:
Getting to these grounds also changed this year. On July 30, 2026, the city declared the De Zavala Road project substantially complete. The temporary 25 mph construction limit ended at noon that day, and the stretch between Lockhill-Selma and NW Military went back to 35 mph. Work started July 14, 2025, paid for with $4M in federal funding that Congress awarded with support from U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales, and J3 Company did the construction.
Much of the project was about the Municipal Tract itself. The biggest piece is a 54-inch culvert under De Zavala that carries runoff from the tract to the Olmos basin near the De Zavala bridge. The city projects this will sharply reduce stormwater runoff for homes on Ripple Creek and Painted Post. The road also gained raised curbs, sidewalks, and safer shoulder parking on the north side along the tract. The final striping plan uses a 12-foot driving lane and a 5-foot bike lane separated by a single white stripe.
The city also took 1½ feet off the hill just west of the Bikeway intersection. That gives drivers at Bikeway and De Zavala an extra 62 feet of view to the west. For anyone parking on the shoulder for National Night Out or walking in from the neighborhoods, this fall's events will be the first big ones on the finished road.
Earlier this year, City Council approved a resolution that earned Shavano Park recognition as a Bee City USA. Council then approved two small honey bee hives and created an Ad Hoc City of Shavano Park Bee Committee to keep the hives healthy and run educational outreach. The newsletter does not say where the hives will sit or whether they are in place yet. In the September Roadrunner, City Manager Bill Hill describes what the city found once it started asking around:
"Shavano Park is home to a small but steadily growing number of residents who keep honeybee hives on their property."
He invites people to serve on the committee, help with outreach, or simply connect with other backyard beekeepers at [email protected]. He also asks all residents to use insecticides with care. In the same issue, Assistant City Manager Curtis Leeth notes that National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat certifications never expire. He suggests fall planting season as a good time to review and update a habitat yard, and reminds residents that a new home needs its own certification.
Two fall dates have already passed. The Fall Clean Up shred and chip day was October 3. The 8th annual 5K benefiting the Veronica Nicole Finnie endowment at CCAOSA was September 27. The race listing named the Shavano Park Pavilion as its venue and scheduled a Kids Fun Run at 7:50 a.m. and the 5K at 8:25 a.m., and it supports Veronica's Boutique at GCC. One runner's write-up credits Chrissie and Mitch Finnie with founding the race. It places the start and finish across NW Military Highway from the city offices, with runners crossing the highway to reach it, and describes a paved out-and-back course through the neighborhood on that side.
Here is what's still ahead:
The mayor calls Shavano Park Women the community's "life blood and sustainer" over the city's 70-year history, so the November poinsettia pickup fits naturally between the city's own events. The 2027 dates are already posted too. Arbor and Earth Day is April 17 and the Independence Day celebration is June 26, both on the City Hall grounds.
At M. Stagers Realty Partners, we pay attention to the details that make a community feel like home, like a trail named for a neighbor and a banner honoring a veteran down the street. If you know a Shavano Park veteran who belongs on that traffic circle, the nomination deadline is October 12. And if you'd like to talk through what's changing near you, we're glad to help.
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