Hidalgo EDC wants to build River Walk, 7-mile hike and bike trail to McAllen
HIDALGO, Texas - Hidalgo Economic Development Corporation wants to develop a seven-mile hike and bike trail that extends to an existing trail in McAllen and a river walk similar to that in San Antonio.
The ambitious plans were outlined during a recent webinar by Priciliano (J.R.) Trevi\xf1o, executive director of Hidalgo EDC. The virtual Commercial and Investment Tour of Hidalgo was hosted by the Rio Grande Valley Partnership.\xa0
During the webinar, Trevi\xf1o listed the land and properties available for development in his city. Some are privately owned, some are city owned. With regard to the EDC\u2019s big quality of life project, Trevi\xf1o said:
\u201cThis is a great development property. This is a property owned by the City of Hidalgo behind the historic Pump House Museum. This is one of the prime locations where the irrigation systems started. It is surrounded by our historic district, by our 1880 Hidalgo County Courthouse - the original courthouse for the county, the original jail house and the original post office. It is in a nice tourist type of development attraction.\u201d
Trevi\xf1o said the property covers 30 acres of land and water, with approximately 14.5 acres of land that can be developed adjacent to the old pump house and historic district.
\u201cIt even has some 4.7 acres along the river,\u201d Trevi\xf1o explained. \u201cThis has great potential for a boardwalk, some restaurants, some shops, do some paddle boarding there, bike trails. We already have a bike trail that runs from the pump house all the way to Military.\u201d
Trevi\xf1o said Hidalgo EDC is currently working with Hidalgo County Commissioner Eddie Cantu to extend the city\u2019s bike trail from Military Highway all the way to 2nd Street in McAllen. He said he hoped the City of McAllen would get involved in the project.
\u201cIt would be a seven mile run or seven mile bike ride all the way to the pump house. It would be a great potential opportunity for a developer that wants a good\u2026 maybe even a 100-year lease or 50 year lease on the property if they come in and develop this whole property into a boardwalk, or river walk. We can have our own River Walk down here, you would not have to go all the way to San Antonio,\u201d Trevi\xf1o chuckled. \u201cIt is a great piece of property.\u201d
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