Commission Agenda Item 2
January 23, 2025
- Item Type: Action
- Presenter: Dan Reece
Local Park Grants Funding – Request Approval of Proposed Funding Recommendations
I. Executive Summary:
Staff seeks approval of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) local park grant funding recommendations. The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), State and Local Assistance Program, the Texas Large County and Municipality Recreation and Parks Account (Urban Parks Account), and the Texas Recreation and Parks Account (TRPA) provide matching grants to local governments for the acquisition and/or development of public parkland and recreation facilities.
II. Discussion:
TPWD makes available Urban Outdoor, Urban Indoor, Non-Urban Outdoor, Non-Urban Indoor, and Small Community Recreation Grants to local governments in Texas, based on population size, for the acquisition and/or development of public parkland. Funds available include: $10,968,174 from the LWCF; $9,259,255 from the Urban Parks Account; and $10,702,342 from the TRPA. Staff also anticipates that TPWD may receive additional funds that could be applied to these grants.
As of August 1, 2024, TPWD received 103 applications from eligible entities requesting $58,864,098 in matching fund assistance for their projects. Staff recommends granting support for projects in the amount of $30,929,771. Staff also recommends granting additional support from any additional funds that are made available to TPWD in the current fiscal year.
Exhibits A through E show the projects for each grant type ranked in descending order based on each grant program’s scoring criteria, as previously adopted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission).
III. Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the Commission adopt the following motions:
Motion 1: “Funding for projects listed in Exhibits A through E in the amount of $30,929,771 is approved.”
Motion 2: “Funding for projects listed in Exhibits A through E is approved in the amount of additional funding that is made available in the current fiscal year.”
Attachments – 5
Exhibit A – Commission Agenda Item No. 2
| Rank | Score | Applicant | Project Name | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 77 | Fort Worth | Oak Grove Park | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 2 | 76 | El Paso | Eastside Regional Park | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 3 | 60 | Harris County | Edgewater Park | $763,406 | $763,406 |
| 4 | 51 | Hidalgo County | Betts-Esparza Park | $1,482,540 | |
| 5 | 48 | Dallas | Parkdale Lake Park Trail | $1,331,750 | |
| Totals | $6,577,696 | $3,763,406 | |||
Exhibit B – Commission Agenda Item No. 2
| Rank | Score | Applicant | Project Name | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 74 | Fort Worth | Fort Worth Zoo Hall of Wonders Renovation | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 2 | 68 | Houston | Mason Park Community Center Renovation | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 3 | 59 | Harris County | John Paul Landing Environmental Ed Center | $468,724 | $468,724 |
| 4 | 50 | Dallas | Marcus Recreation Center Renovation | $1,027,125 | $1,027,125 |
| Totals | $5,495,849 | $5,495,849 | |||
Exhibit C – Commission Agenda Item No. 2
| Rank | Score | Applicant | Project Name | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 73 | Angleton | Abigail Arias Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 1 | 73 | Kinney County | Kinney County Baseball Park | $747,448 | $747,448 |
| 3 | 72 | Upper Trinity Regional Water District | Lake Ralph Hall Phase 1 | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 3 | 72 | Galveston | Jones Park | $375,000 | $375,000 |
| 3 | 72 | Flower Mound | Trotter Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 6 | 68 | Boerne | Northside Community Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 7 | 66 | Caddo Mills | Hooten Park Phase II | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 8 | 65 | Brazoria County | Buffalo Camp County Park | $208,218 | $208,218 |
| 8 | 65 | Killeen | Long Branch Park Pickleball Courts | $12,500 | $12,500 |
| 10 | 64 | College Station | Independence Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 10 | 64 | Carthage | Turner Park | $250,000 | $250,000 |
| 12 | 63 | Denton | Lily Cantu Inclusive Playground | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 12 | 63 | Weatherford | McGratton Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 14 | 62 | Springtown | Springtown Park | $300,000 | $300,000 |
| 14 | 62 | Grapevine | Settlers Park Phase II | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 14 | 62 | Buda | Garison Park Phase 1 | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 14 | 62 | Webb County | Colonia Splash Pads Project | $585,000 | $585,000 |
| 14 | 62 | Mount Vernon | Little Creek Park | $325,000 | $325,000 |
| 14 | 62 | Cleburne | Kirtley Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 20 | 61 | Lockhart | Lockhart Aquatics Facility | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 20 | 61 | La Porte | Little Cedar Bayou Bridges | $177,513 | $177,513 |
| 22 | 60 | Cameron County | Laureles Regional Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 22 | 60 | Center | American Legion Park | $250,000 | $250,000 |
| 24 | 57 | Liberty Hill | The Heart of the Park | $750,000 | |
| 25 | 57 | Marble Falls | Westside Park Improvements | $749,750 | |
| 26 | 57 | McLennan County | Tradinghouse Lake Park | $485,000 | |
| 27 | 55 | Arlington | Al Rollins Park | $750,000 | |
| 28 | 53 | League City | Bay Colony Park | $750,000 | |
| 29 | 50 | Val Verde County | Community Park | $750,000 | |
| 30 | 50 | Crockett | Davy Crockett Park Swimming Pool | $724,092 | |
| 31 | 48 | Sugar Land | Cullinan Park L.E.A.P Project | $750,000 | |
| 32 | 47 | Wellington | Ellison Park | $515,000 | |
| 33 | 47 | Mercedes | Mercedes Sports Complex | $750,000 | |
| 34 | 46 | Fate | Joe Burger Park Sports Field | $162,643 | |
| 35 | 46 | Breckenridge | City Park | $413,000 | |
| 36 | 45 | Tyler | Stewart Park | $500,000 | |
| 37 | 44 | Post | City Park | $380,800 | |
| 38 | 44 | Galveston Parks Board | R.A. Apffel Park / Dellanera RV Park | $511,000 | |
| 39 | 43 | Port Arthur | Nature-Friendly Playspace Initiative | $466,880 | |
| 40 | 43 | Idalou | Idalou County Park | $168,000 | |
| 41 | 43 | Hidalgo County WCID 18 | Sendero Park | $620,789 | |
| 42 | 42 | Portland | Violet Andrews Park | $750,000 | |
| 43 | 42 | Laredo | Lomas Del Sur Park Phase 1 | $734,464 | |
| 44 | 42 | La Feria | Lions Park | $613,050 | |
| 45 | 42 | Whitesboro | Godwin Park | $750,000 | |
| 46 | 41 | Maverick County | Elm Creek Park Project Phase 1 | $102,422 | |
| 47 | 41 | Live Oak County | Longhorn Park | $300,000 | |
| 48 | 40 | Pleasanton | Sports Complex Project | $430,000 | |
| 49 | 40 | Lindale | Faulkner Park Baseball Complex | $300,000 | |
| 50 | 40 | Pearsall | Victor Trevino Sports Complex | $750,000 | |
| 51 | 36 | Rio Grande City | Ft. Ringgold County Park | $380,500 | |
| 52 | 34 | Lytle | John Lott Municipal Park | $245,000 | |
| 53 | 34 | Jayton | Jayton Park | $172,850 | |
| 54 | 27 | Frio County | Municipal Fishing Pond | $750,000 | |
| 55 | 27 | La Marque | Mahan Park Softball & Baseball Fields | $364,000 | |
| 56 | 23 | Hidalgo | Nature Channel Park | $750,000 | |
| 57 | 22 | Spradley Farms Improvement District | Talia Phase 1B Parks | $750,000 | |
| 58 | 21 | McAllen | The McAllen Park | $748,640 | |
| Totals | $32,068,559 | $12,980,679 | |||
Exhibit D – Commission Agenda Item No. 2
| Rank | Score | Applicant | Project Name | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 64 | Brownwood | Bennie Houston Recreation Center | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 1 | 64 | Angleton | Angleton Recreation Center Renovations | $881,415 | $881,415 |
| 3 | 63 | Cameron County | Laguna Madre Nature Center | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 4 | 62 | Port Isabel | Laguna Madre Youth Center Improvements | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 5 | 58 | Harlingen | Harlingen Recreation Center | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 6 | 54 | Maverick County | Nick Carr Sports Complex Renovation | $13,150.00 | $13,150.00 |
| 7 | 39 | Pflugerville | Downtown East Multi-Generational Rec Center | $1,500,000 | |
| 8 | 36 | Arlington | Elzie Odom Athletic Center Renovation | $1,500,000 | |
| 9 | 35 | Elsa | Elsa Multipurpose Nature Center | $1,500,000 | |
| Totals | $11,394,565 | $6,894,565 | |||
Exhibit E – Commission Agenda Item No. 2
| Rank | Score | Applicant | Project Name | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 76 | Spearman | Eska Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 2 | 74 | Granbury | Lambert Branch Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 3 | 65 | Troup | Patriot Park | $92,000 | $92,000 |
| 4 | 63 | Pineland | Pineland Park | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| 5 | 62 | Cooper | Cooper City Parks | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 6 | 58 | Blue Ridge | Mowery Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 7 | 57 | Rogers | Jonathan Allison Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 8 | 56 | Coldspring | City Park II | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 9 | 54 | New Fairview | City Park II | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 10 | 54 | Stinnett | Stinnett City Park | $37,500 | $37,500 |
| 11 | 53 | Jonestown | Jones Brothers Park | $140,000 | $140,000 |
| 12 | 52 | Perryton | Murphy Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 13 | 52 | Terry County | Enoch Stuart Park | $125,772 | $125,772 |
| 14 | 52 | Columbus | Midtown Park Splashpad | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 15 | 48 | Gladewater | Lake Gladewater Park | $150,000 | |
| 16 | 48 | Robstown | Diaz Park | $110,000 | |
| 17 | 47 | Beeville | Kohler Park | $150,000 | |
| 18 | 44 | South Padre Island | Water Tower Park | $150,000 | |
| 19 | 43 | White Oak | Penick/City Park | $150,000 | |
| 20 | 42 | Chandler | Winchester Park II | $150,000 | |
| 21 | 42 | River Oaks | McGee Park | $75,000 | |
| 22 | 41 | Lowry Crossing | Silo Crossing Park | $150,000 | |
| 23 | 40 | Sudan | Sudan Splashpad | $71,450 | |
| 24 | 40 | Atlanta | Atlanta City Park | $150,000 | |
| 25 | 36 | Matador | JoEtta Bumgardner Memorial Park | $69,937 | |
| 26 | 36 | Lucas | Kenneth R. Lewis Park | $55,770 | |
| 27 | 35 | Cross Plains | Butterfly Garden | $100,000 | |
| Totals | $3,327,429 | $1,795,272 | |||