VICTORIA
Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com
Jesus Villegas, 2, plays in the children’s park at Riverside Park.
RIVERSIDE PARK OFFERS A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE BY CIARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy@vicad.com
Evan Lewis/elewis@vicad.com
O.C. Garza, public relations director for the city of Victoria, talks about the paddling opportunities on the Guadalupe River through Riverside Park. 16
DISCOVER 2018
By day, O.C. Garza is spokesman for the city of Victoria, helping to inform the public about how the city works and what government officials are doing. But by earlier in the day, Garza is an avid cyclist. He starts most of his days cycling in one of the city’s crown jewels — Riverside Park. As a frequent visitor to the park, Garza serves as one of its best guides and recently took the Advocate on a tour of the park’s best features. Garza starts the tour near the PumpHouse Riverside Restaurant and Bar, the historic location of the original pumping station for Victoria’s water. The privately owned restaurant stands on the banks of the Guadalupe River, which provides a steady stream on most days that’s perfect for kayaking.
Aspiring kayakers can enjoy the river by renting a kayak from Gerry’s Kayaks, which provides the gear and the instructions necessary for a leisurely paddle on the river. Kayakers usually enter the river at the public boat ramp and meander down the river’s turns before stopping their ride at the dock near the PumpHouse. If you’re looking to jump into the river sans boat, the park includes multiple access points to the river, the most popular of which is Pebble Beach. Pebble Beach has a clear bank that allows access to the water and is shallow enough for swimmers of all ages to cool off. For the water-averse, Riverside offers plenty of other sporting options. One of the most popular, Garza said, is Riverside’s 18-hole disc golf course. The Frisbee-based course allows for a relaxing, stress-free tour of the park.
