About this partner
Access to the Guadalupe River is one of the most sought after and requested resources in Kendall County.
The James Kiehl River Bend Park in Comfort, Texas encompasses 25 acres along the Guadalupe River, but access to the riverbank was once nonexistent, or at best treacherous. Its steep grade and unstable soil prevented families with small children and adults with mobility concerns from enjoying this area of the park.
In 2025, Kronkosky grant dollars were utilized for the construction of a stairway to the Guadalupe River at James Kiehl Riverbend Park.
The new concrete stairway with handrails was dedicated on June 3, 2025. The outcome was simple – there was now a safe way to access the Guadalupe River.
This helpful addition quickly transformed into something even more profound. Thirty days after the dedication, it started to rain, and the stairway and upper parking lot were underwater. As the water receded, the staircase miraculously held and became a critical access point for first responders during the Central Texas flooding.
These stairs made it possible to access the Guadalupe River for search, rescue, and recovery efforts every day for weeks.
We are reminded that we may never know the full extent of a gift when first given, and only later do we see the ripples of impact as they continue to spread.