ABILENE, TX – This holiday season members of the Abilene community will hear something they are not used to, the calm sound of flowing waterfalls in the Cedar Creek Waterway hiking trail.
“It’s something that people aren’t used to seeing in West Texas, and without this recycled water we wouldn’t be seeing it at all,” said Cedar Creek Waterway non-profit Board Member Randy Barnett.
With help from the City of Abilene’s Water Department, for the next week Cedar Creek will have recycled water from the Water Waste Treatment Plant running through it.
“We want Abileneians to have an opportunity to get out and recreate during this holiday season, and be thankful for nature and be able to decompress,” said Barnett.
“With everything going on in this crazy time, and I didn’t know if things were going to get shut down again, if I was going to be able to come back home to see my mom during the holidays, and so something like this is just really bringing some peace to such a nervous and scary time for so many,” said Abilene native Wyatt Martinez.
Fixing up this trail gives people in Abilene the opportunity to work on their physical health as well.
“It’s been kind of a health journey year for me anyway, so I’ve been trying to get out and walk more. So I think this is great. A great thing to bring to Abilene,” said Abilene resident Tammy Martinez.
Barnett says the small waterfalls along the trail, and this holiday hiking event are just small parts of his dream for what the trail can become.
“A 14-15 mile stretch that we can turn into trails that people can go exercise, ride bikes on, horseback riding, hiking, kayaking. We hope to add more days of the year when this recycled water is flowing,” said Barnett.
One of the waterfalls can be found along the Cedar Creek trail under the bridge on East South 7th Street. The recycled water will be running from Christmas Eve until January 2nd.
