The Comal River is one of Texans’ favorite spots to soak up some summer sun. As people float down the river, the New Braunfels Tube Chute is often one of the highlights for tubers everywhere. Yet a recent change is limiting the amount of time tubers can splash through the chute.
In February, New Braunfels City Council approved a proposal from the River Advisory Committee to close the tube chute park at 7 p.m. on summer weekends. This change will also apply to city property around the tube chute at Prince Solms Park.
When passed, officials who pushed for the new ordinance said the new rule would help deter the “free-for-all” criminal activity reported and not just help clear the river of liter. New Braunfels Police Department Operations Captain Mike Penshorn defined the crime category as a “variety” of different crimes.
“You have everything from people drinking to some drug activity to some gang activity, theft,” Penshorn said to MySA. “It’s more just the entire spectrum of offenses. It isn’t just one type of thing.”
Penshorn went on to recount his personal experience responding to crimes in the area. He explained that there are “literally thousands and thousands of people that come in visit, and with that, you will have some type of crime that does occur. It is something that all of [NBPD] officers do experience.”
To further understand the “free-for-all” context, MySA obtained call records of the crimes from the past three years for the June, July and August months. The records showed a spike in crimes at the park from 2021 to 2022, with a jump of 72 calls to 103, but a dip in 2023 with 87 calls.
Some criminal offenses included intoxicated individuals, burglaries, drugs, and assault. Below are some of the notable reports collected from the scene.
Penshorn credited last year’s dip to a temporary time hour change implemented at the tube chute park. He also clarified that New Braunfels itself isn’t a crime-ridden town but one that takes the appropriate actions to prevent it.
“There isn’t a huge amount of crime in that area or even really in New Braunfels, but whenever crime does occur, it’s our job to make sure we do whatever we can to not only take care of it but also prevent it in the future,” Penshorn said. “I think that just gives citizens and visitors a real peace of mind.”
This will be the first time the city has permanently implemented the hour change for the summer season. The new hours will be applied to Saturdays, Sundays, and Independence Day (July 4) during the peak river season, which runs from Memorial Day weekend (May 27) until Labor Day (September 2).
“I am really confident that this change in hours being a permanent change is definitely going to make a big impact on that and will be looking at having a much safer summer… not only for citizens by our officers,” Penshorn said.
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