SUBSCRIBE NOW

Enjoy all your local news and sports for less than 6¢ per day.

Subscribe Now or Log In

Horseshoe Bay named Texas Scenic City of the Year

Horseshoe Bay, Texas

Horseshoe Bay was named the 2023 Texas Scenic City of the Year by the Texas Municipal League at the league’s recent conference in Dallas. Staff photo by Nathan Bush

Horseshoe Bay was named 2023 Texas Scenic City of the Year at the Texas Municipal League Conference in Dallas on Oct. 6. Over 40 competing municipalities entered the league’s annual contest.

Horseshoe Bay was selected among a final group of 13 cities.

“It was a special surprise moment when they called out our city and the crowd cheered for the efforts they knew it takes to receive that recognition,” Mayor Cynthia Clinesmith said.

Evaluators for the award studied each applicant’s streetscapes, trail systems, lighting standards, litter prohibition, and other quality-of-life amenities to determine the award winner.

“A Texas Scenic Cities panel said that Horseshoe Bay excelled on all points — beyond expectations,” Clinesmith said.

The mayor contributed the recent award to the efforts displayed by the city’s staff.

“This was not so much for some plaque but to have an external validation of internal efforts,” she said.

Clinesmith pointed to specific examples of attempts to beautify the city such as individual donations for parks, resolutions to protect butterfly weed blooms, and daily efforts by the city’s public works crew to keep the city litter-free.

“We live this every day, and while we don’t take it for granted, we do consider it an expected life experience,” she said. “But the announcement was a celebratory reminder of the result of our hometown efforts to preserve our Hill Country lifestyle as other cities from across the state stood and applauded our recognition.”

Horseshoe Bay joins 91 other Texas cities that have been named scenic cities over the years.

“I was especially proud, knowing that all aspects of the city were to be thanked,” Clinesmith said.

Celina, a town north of Dallas that straddles Collin and Denton counties, was last year’s recipient.

nathan@thepicayune.com