Seniors
- Commander's House
- Gill Community Center
- Granados Adult and Senior Center
- Lion's Field Adult & Senior Citizens Center
Lion's Field
| Address: | 2809 Broadway, 78209 |
| Phone: | 210-207-5380 |
| Hours: | Monday - Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. |
| Fee: | $5 annual fee for participants 60 and older; $10 for participants 18 to 59 |
| Center Director : | Mary Runner |
| Newsletter: | Newsletter - May/June 2013 PDF 266kb |
Information
Lion's Field is truly a multipurpose center, offering a variety of classes and programs. Classes are small enough to provide social opportunities and individual attention from instructors. Special events and holiday celebrations occur frequently.
Programs and Activities
This center offers an assortment of great programs and activities:
Coming up: Lion's Field and Nix Healthcare System will present a Health and Information Fair for adults and seniors on Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 9 a.m. to noon. This free event will include a variety of free testing, educational information and presentations from physicians. Numerous health vendors and other service providers will participate. Door prizes and refreshments are included. For more information, call 207-5380.
- Book Club
- Bunco, Bridge, Scrabble, Dominoes & Mah Jongg
- Ukulele, Guitar, Percussion, Keyboard and Saxophone Lessons
- Low Impact, Easy Movement and Arthritis Exercise Classes
- Oil and Water Color Painting
- Pottery and Sculpting
- Crafts
- Hula
- Jewelry Making
- Ceramics
- Rediscover SA Field Trips
- Art shows
- Printmaking
- Photography
- Chess Club
- Holiday Events
- AARP Safety Driving Classes
- Weight Room
Park History
The land that includes Lion's Field, 2908 Broadway, was once a pasture for George W. Brackenridge's collection of animals, including buffalo and elk. The property belonged to Brackenridge's San Antonio Water Supply Company, which he sold in 1906 to owners who kept the land until 1916. Guided by Parks Commissioner Ray Lambert, the City purchased the property for $30,000 so that ". . . the natural beauty of the park will not be spoiled. . . . "
The land remained undeveloped until 1923 when the Lions Club of San Antonio, the largest Lions Club in the world, selected the site for a supervised playground to be built by the club as a gift to the City. The club pledged $10,000 to construct the playground and also committed to build a clubhouse with rest rooms, showers, lockers and an auditorium. The City committed $15,000 to the project.
When it was opened on October 1, 1925, the playground was hailed as "one of the best in the United States." Over 10,000 people attended the opening, including 1,000 children who took part in a huge game of tag. Lion's Field has remained an active recreation center, now geared toward Senior Citizens, for 72 years. It is guarded by a proud marble lion designed by San Antonio's master sculptor and Lions Club member, Louis Rodriguez. On its base, the lion stands eight feet tall, is 14 feet long and is made of Italian marble.
The lion, which had been a Broadway landmark since 1925, was completely knocked off its base and lost all four legs and its tail after a tree fell on it during the July 2002 floods.
It was returned after a six month absence after being restored by Lupe Rodriguez of Rodriguez Brothers Memorial. He is the nephew of the original sculptor, Louis Rodriguez.