Forward Lampasas will unveil its progress in revitalizing Sulphur Creek at a community-wide fish fry on June 27.
The event will take place from 6-8 p.m. at the House of Forgiveness, located at 908 E. Fourth St.
Since the beginning of the year, Forward Lampasas has been working to rid Sulphur Creek of invasive species and restore its natural beauty. Forward Lampasas organizer Eddie Bowden said the creek cleanup efforts are going according to plan.
“To us it seems like a lot [of progress]. I hope it looks like that to the general public,” Bowden said. “It is a lot of work. It is a slow-go, but I feel like we have gotten a lot done. We are at a point kind of where everything slows down in the heat of the summer, but we are wanting to have this event to showcase that area.”
Bowden, owner of Coming Home Furniture & Gifts and a former Lampasas City Council member, helped organize Forward Lampasas in the spring of 2024. The nonprofit’s biggest goal has been to establish a walking trail along Sulphur Creek that extends to the Fourth Street bridge.
Forward Lampasas member Mike Irvin of Irvin Steel Construction was one of the first to spearhead creek cleanup after he purchased property near the Fourth Street bridge that overlooks the creek. Irvin, along with help from Lampasas County Precinct 1 road hands, has helped remove significant debris that littered the creekbank.
Forward Lampasas also has conducted controlled burns to clear out giant cane along the creek from the Western Avenue bridge to the Fourth Street bridge. With approval from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Forward Lampasas has utilized herbicides to eliminate the cane.
Bowden admitted the project to remove invasive species, led by Joe Abel, has been a difficult task. He believes it could be three years before the creek returns to its original look.
“It is like we have given it a severe headache,” Bowden said of the cane. “It is going to come back in places. It takes a long time [to eradicate]. It is very evasive.
“When we first sprayed it and went to pay for that bill, we thought, ‘Oh no, it didn’t work.’ And it took about month, and you could tell it was slowly starting to die,” he said.
As for the walking trail along Sulphur Creek, Bowden hopes the future walkway will be a bit more “manicured” and “finished-out” than the present trail at Cooper Spring Nature Park – a favorite area of his. However, Bowden noted he is just one voice among many who are part of Forward Lampasas.
“I don’t want to see us pour a bunch of concrete down there for sidewalks and everything,” Bowden said. “I want it to be a more natural walkway, but I may be ruled out. We’re probably three years away from making those hard and fast decisions.”
So far, Bowden said all the comments he has received about Forward Lampasas’ progress on the creek has been music to the ears.
“It has been all positive,” he said. “I have not had one negative complaint about the creek or anything for that matter.”
Although Forward Lampasas has discussed other possible projects to tackle around town, Bowden said the sole focus now is the revitalization along Sulphur Creek.
“We have things in the back of our minds, but this is requiring pretty much all of our resources right now,” he said. “Honestly, for us to be successful in future endeavors, we have to make sure this creek is a success.”
The fish fry event scheduled for June 27 will allow community members to take walking tours of the creek area that reveal Forward Lampasas’ progress thus far. Also, a free fish dinner provided by the Knights of Columbus will be available to all who attend.
For those unable to walk along the creek, Bowden said Forward Lampasas is looking to have off-road vehicles available for the evening.
Bowden emphasized that a key focus of Forward Lampasas is bringing attention to other local non-profit groups. Vision Lampasas, Lampasas Association for the Arts and others will have a table at the event to provide information on their groups.
Bowden also has extended an invitation to a wildlife biologist who can inform residents on what lives and breathes along the creek.
The public is invited to come view the progress along Sulphur Creek and enjoy a community dinner with area residents.
