SWNP Programs are back!  Since 2018, the city of Kennedale has been working on a plan to highlight and enhance the creek systems that run through the city. The plan is important to the Friends of Southwest Nature Preserve, and includes a proposed wildlife crossing to connect SWNP with Village Creek and Winding Creek wildlife travel corridors. The Friends of SWNP have been represented in the stakeholder meetings by Lynn Healy and Jan Miller. Melissa Dailey, Director of Planning and Economic Development, described the plan and answered questions about how the plans impact the Southwest Nature Preserve.

Before there were cities, there were waterways. The Greenways creek system in Kennedale provides a unique opportunity for the creation of gathering places alongside nature and a citywide network of pathways. Those pathways could connect people by uniting many Kennedale neighborhoods, parks, schools, churches, and local businesses. People have gathered near waterways since the beginning of time. The Greenways creeks are prime to gather the people of Kennedale.

The City of Kennedale has partnered with the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program and The University of Texas at Arlington College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs to develop a sustainable plan for pathways, amenities, erosion prevention, and natural conservation for the Kennedale Greenways. Through surveys, public meetings, and conversations with community members, the plan identifies improvements for Village, Kennedale, and Winding Creeks and the surrounding areas.

To see the presentation developed by the City of Kennedale, go to https://www.cityofkennedale.com/780/Greenways-Project