Horseshoe Bay unveils new additions at City Center
Andy Thurman (left), former Mayor Elsie Thurman, and current Mayor Jeff Jones cut the ribbon at the dedication for the Elsie Thurman Walking Trail at the new City Center. Staff photo by Maci Cottingham.
Horseshoe Bay officials dedicated multiple additions at the City Center during a ceremony on Monday, April 13.
The additions, part of the $12.2 million, 16,000-square-foot City Center that opened in February at 9101 W. FM 2147, includes the Elsie Thurman Walking Trail, Berkeley’s Bridge, the Cynthia Clinesmith benches and a new Bob Lambert monument.
The new monument at the City Center recognizes Bob Lambert, the city’s first mayor, who served eight years. A separate monument remains at the former City Hall.
“To volunteer in the city of Horseshoe Bay is the most significant time that I ever did,” Lambert said in the ceremony, noting he had spent years volunteering in other areas but Horseshoe Bay held a special place in his heart.
The half-mile Elsie Thurman Walking Trail, named for and designed by the city’s fourth mayor, opened with plans for expansion around the City Center.
“It’s more than a trail. It’s a network of paths that converge and intersect with each other, just like a community should do,” Mayor Jeff Jones said.
Berkeley’s Bridge, a memorial pedestrian bridge within the trail system, honors pets and allows collars and tags to be placed along its railings. The bridge was donated by residents Gail and Scott Matthews.
“Berkeley, like all of our pets, is a symbol of love and devotion,” Jones said.
The Cynthia Clinesmith benches, located outside the entrance, honor the city’s third mayor and feature mosaic designs of dark skies and bluebonnets created by an artist she selected in North Carolina.
“The Cynthia Klein Smith benches are designed so that people can communicate with each other. There may be a space in between the two areas of ideas but Cynthia has a way of bridging that space,” Jones said.
Those interested in sponsoring the expansion of the trail can visit the city’s website or contact Communications Director Cindee Sharp at csharp@horseshoe-bay-tx.gov.