Residents are encouraged to volunteer to remove heavy debris from the area ponds.
SAN ANTONIO — With the sun dipping behind dark, tattered clouds over a quiet pond, Jonathan Britten flicked his wrist and cast his line into the water, settling into what he calls his happy place.
“I caught bass. I caught carp. I caught a catfish. I caught bream,” Britten said. “Yeah, there’s absolutely some fish in here. I just come out here, have a good time and catch and release.”
Britten recently moved to the area from Killeen and said finding a peaceful fishing spot was high on his list.
“I was looking for a spot to fish and I seen this and I said wow, so I gave it a shot,” he said.
But what should feel like an urban oasis has been marred by illegal dumping.
Trash has built up around the Martinez Creek area near a series of ponds off Old Seguin and Walzem roads, something Britten says is hard to ignore.
That’s why he plans to roll up his sleeves this weekend.
“Oh, absolutely. I’ll help clean up, help pick up, and be a part of the team here. How about that?,” he said.
A large-scale volunteer cleanup is set for Saturday, organized by River Aid San Antonio and supported by Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert, the Urban League, and community volunteers.
Calvert says this is just one of several cleanup efforts planned across Precinct 4, with more improvements on the way.
After the work is done, volunteers can stick around for a thank-you cookout featuring beef and vegan hot dogs at the Live Oak Lake parking lot.
Those interested in helping can sign up here.