What's Changing Along Cibolo Creek in Boerne This Fall
The July flood knocked down the fence between River Road Park and the City-owned property next door, and the City decided not to rebuild it. According to My Boerne News, Boerne bought the land in fall 2024, and the City was still planning its future use when the flood came through. Parks and Recreation chose to leave the property open to the public.
That choice explains most of what is happening on Cibolo Creek this fall. The City is treating the July 15 flood as a reason to change the corridor, and much of it won't go back to how it was. You can see it in the parcel that opened, in the trees coming down along the creek downtown, and in how the City plans to replant.
The new parcel is almost 1.25 acres on the creek, in the 600 block of River Road. The same report says that after the flood took out much of the fence, staff spent several weeks making and installing new rails and gates along the dam so the whole area would be safe to use.
You can use the creekside part of the property for fishing, relaxing, or just spending time by the water. The house and the back of the lot are still closed while the City decides what to do with them. For now, the property looks the way it has for decades.
In the same article, Mayor Frank Ritchie said the purchase was about protecting creek frontage in the middle of town:
"Opportunities to preserve property along Cibolo Creek don't come along very often, especially in the heart of our community."
According to the City, preserving more open space was one of the top issues people raised in the 2024 Citizen Survey. Parks and Recreation Director Lissette Jimenez told My Boerne News that the City will ask for community input on the property's long-term use "when the time is right."
The River Road parcel is the clearest gain from the flood, but most of the creek's recovery is slower. In mid-September, My Boerne News reported that Parks and Recreation crews had finished the urgent work to reopen parks, trails and green spaces and had moved on to longer-term cleanup and restoration.
Jimenez described the two phases in that report:
"Now we can turn our attention to the longer-term work, which will take place over several months, and requires caring for the creek corridor, removing trees that cannot be saved, and planning how we restore the areas that were most heavily impacted."
The trees are what you'll notice on a walk. The City reported that the flood uprooted or badly damaged many large cypress trees and other species along the creek. Parks staff and the City's environmental program manager went through the corridor to find trees too damaged to save or that could become a safety concern. Next, staff will assess the areas that lost the most trees, remove the damaged ones, fill in soil disturbed by the flood or the cleanup, and set a replanting schedule for the creek in downtown Boerne.
The City says it is taking its time with replanting and will weigh which species to use, the conditions at each site, and the long-term health of the area. Assistant City Manager Kristy Stark told My Boerne News the recovery requires planning for "what will be needed months and even years from now." So some parts of the creek will look thinner for a while before new trees fill them in.
The Cibolo Trail stayed open during the September debris removal downtown. The City asked pedestrians to be careful near active work and to give crews and equipment plenty of room. Before the late-September rain, the City said crews would cut power to the lights and restrooms at River Road Park and along the trail starting Sept. 30 to protect infrastructure they had just repaired. If you're counting on restrooms or evening lights on a walk, check the City's news page before you go.
While the City works out a replanting plan downtown, new trees are part of the construction at Boerne Heritage Volkspark, near Adler and Toepperwein roads. Councilman Ty Wolosin told My Boerne News that the $17.25 million project is "the single largest parks investment the City has ever made." The City reported that construction has kept more than 96% of the site's existing trees and will add almost 100 new ones.
The park's stormwater system includes underground drains, bioretention areas and a 5,500-gallon rainwater tank. That fits the larger pattern, with the City building new parks to handle heavy rain from the start. The park was formerly called Northside Community Park and was renamed in June 2026. It's scheduled to open in spring 2027 with a splashpad, an all-abilities playscape, two multi-use fields, two covered basketball courts, 12 pickleball courts, a dog park and a paved walking trail.
The City Parks Calendar also lists an Arbor Day tree-planting ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The listing doesn't give a location yet, so check the Parks Calendar as the date gets closer.
| Place | Status this fall | What's next |
|---|---|---|
| River Road parcel, 600 block of River Road | Creekside section open for fishing and relaxing; house and back of lot closed | Community input on long-term use, timing not yet set |
| Cibolo Trail, downtown | Stayed open during September debris removal | Several months of tree removal, soil repair and replanting |
| Old No. 9 Trail behind Patrick Heath Public Library | Narrow wooden bridge still in place | New steel bridge in 2027, funded in part by a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant |
| Boerne City Lake Park | Reopened Aug. 1 after flood cleanup | Precautionary closures possible during heavy rain |
| Boerne Heritage Volkspark | Under construction | Opening spring 2027 |
City Lake Park was set to reopen Saturday, Aug. 1, open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., with its trails, dock, fishing pier and playground available. During the late-September rain, the City planned a short precautionary closure of the park and closed some common low-water crossings. On wet weeks, check My Boerne News for current closures before you head to the lake.
Upstream of downtown, the Cibolo Nature Center at 140 City Park Road keeps its usual hours. Its trails are open every day from dawn to dusk, and the visitor center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The nature center's page lists more than six miles of trails, including the Marsh Loop boardwalk and Cooper's Crossing.
Herff Farm, at 33 Herff Road, opens to the public only during the Saturday farmers market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The gardens and trails are open during those hours. Its market schedule shows three closures before the end of the year, which affects your Saturday plans as the holidays get closer.
Here's what's on the calendar from now through December:
Dickens on Main is set for Thanksgiving weekend, but its event page hasn't posted a 2026 schedule yet.
Next year's projects build on the same idea of improving the connections between the creek, the trails and downtown. The new FY2027 budget took effect Oct. 1. It includes a steel bridge to replace the narrow wooden one on the Old No. 9 Trail behind the library, funded in part by a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant.
The budget also funds sidewalks where there are none or where they have gaps. That includes East and West Hosack, West Theissen and Schweppe streets, Herff and City Park roads, and a short extension of the Old No. 9 Trail. A grant from the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization covers 80% of the cost, and the City pays the other 20%. City Park Road is the street the Cibolo Nature Center sits on.
Downtown, Waterworks Terrace is the lawn across from Main Plaza where the public pool used to be. The City is redesigning it and may add interactive features, seating and more lawn space, with better connections to Main Plaza. The City plans to collect public feedback over the coming year before finalizing the design.
The Patrick Heath Public Library will get new carpet on both floors and a redesigned second floor with a new information desk. The City says it will announce any closure dates well in advance.
At our team, we follow changes like the River Road parcel, the creek replanting and the Old No. 9 bridge because they shape the parts of Boerne our clients use every day. If you'd like help understanding what these projects mean for your part of town, or where to look first, M. Stagers Realty Partners can walk you through it. Start Your Journey with a conversation.
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