Commission Agenda Item 1
January 22, 2026
- Item Type: Action
- Presenter: Dan Reece
Local Park Grants Funding
Request Approval of Proposed Funding Recommendations
I. Executive Summary: Staff seeks approval of the 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, Non-Urban Outdoor, 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: $13,166,820 from the LWCF; $3,000,000 from the Urban Parks Account; and $5,040,176 from the TRPA. Staff also anticipates that TPWD may receive additional funds that could be applied to these grants.
As of August 1, 2025, TPWD received applications from eligible entities requesting $47,184,117 in matching fund assistance for their projects. Staff recommends granting support for projects in the amount of $21,206,996. Staff also recommends granting additional support from any additional funds that are made available to TPWD in the current fiscal year.
Exhibits A through C 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 C in the amount of $21,206,996 is approved.”
Motion 2: “Funding for projects listed in Exhibits A through C is approved in the amount of additional funding that is made available in the current fiscal year.”
Attachments – 3
Exhibit A – Commission Agenda Item No. 1
| Rank | Score | Applicant | Project Name | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 71 | San Antonio | Pearsall Park | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 1 | 71 | Fort Worth | Oak Grove Park Phase II | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 3 | 65 | Austin | Sir Swante Palm Neighborhood Park | $1,499,053 | |
| 4 | 62 | Houston | Trinity Gardens Park | $1,500,000 | |
| Totals | $5,999,053 | $3,000,000 | |||
Exhibit B – Commission Agenda Item No. 1
| Rank | Score | Applicant | Project Name | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82 | Kyle | Steeplechase Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 1 | 82 | Cameron County | Bejarano-McFarland Phase 2 | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 3 | 78 | Burleson | Community Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 4 | 77 | San Benito | San Benito Wetlands | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 5 | 71 | Wellington | Ellison Park | $608,966 | $608,966 |
| 6 | 69 | Port Arthur | Washington Park and Pioneer Park | $552,147 | $552,147 |
| 6 | 69 | Castroville | Lion's Park | $469,367 | $469,367 |
| 8 | 68 | Marble Falls | Westside Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 8 | 68 | Edinburg | Memorial Park | $347,927 | $347,927 |
| 10 | 67 | New Braunfels | Neighborhood Park | $700,890 | $700,890 |
| 10 | 67 | Breckenridge | City Park | $430,706 | $430,706 |
| 10 | 67 | Victoria | Meadowlane Park | $357,500 | $357,500 |
| 13 | 64 | Glen Rose | Glen Rose Soccer Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 13 | 64 | Alvarado | Pecan Orchard Development Project | $522,996 | $522,996 |
| 15 | 63 | The Colony | B.B. Owens Softball Complex | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 15 | 63 | McLennan County | Tradinghouse Lake Park | $551,535 | $551,535 |
| 17 | 62 | Wimberley | Blue Hole Regional Park III | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 17 | 62 | Pearsall | Victor Trevino Sports Complex II | $582,769 | $582,769 |
| 17 | 62 | Harlingen | Arroyo Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 17 | 62 | Rio Grande City | Fort Ringgold Park | $367,700 | $367,700 |
| 21 | 61 | Liberty Hill | Heart of the Park II | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 21 | 61 | Plainview | Running Water Draw Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 21 | 61 | Allen | Ford Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 21 | 61 | Center | American Legion Park Phase II | $250,000 | $250,000 |
| 21 | 61 | Laredo | Lomas Del Sur Regional Park | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| 26 | 60 | Leon Valley | Forest Oaks Pool Renovation | $725,852 | $725,852 |
| 27 | 58 | Live Oak | Main City Park | $402,770 | |
| 28 | 58 | Brownsville | La Posada Redevelopment Project | $750,000 | |
| 29 | 58 | Flower Mound | Leonard and Helen Johns Community Park | $750,000 | |
| 30 | 55 | Palacios | Seagull Shores Park | $750,000 | |
| 31 | 54 | Mineral Wells | West City Park | $731,808 | |
| 32 | 54 | Pearland | Independence Park Phase 2 - Amenity Lake | $412,500 | |
| 33 | 53 | Kemah | Kemah 57-Acre Nature Facility | $750,000 | |
| 34 | 54 | Royse City | Creekshaw Park | $750,000 | |
| 35 | 53 | Mount Vernon | Little Creek Park Phase II | $550,000 | |
| 36 | 51 | Tyler | Golden Road Park | $750,000 | |
| 37 | 51 | Granite Shoals | Quarry Park Improvements | $749,430 | |
| 38 | 51 | Brownwood | Fisk Art Park | $750,000 | |
| 39 | 50 | Galveston County | Jack Brooks Park Archery Range | $199,520 | |
| 40 | 46 | Kaufman | Kings Fort Park | $750,000 | |
| 41 | 49 | Progreso | Progreso Outdoor Play, Recreation, and Learning | $499,100 | |
| 42 | 49 | Maverick County | Elm Creek All Abilities Park | $382,622 | |
| 43 | 48 | Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District | Twin Creeks Preserve Acquisition | $750,000 | |
| 44 | 47 | Hidalgo | Hidalgo Nature Channel Park | $738,309 | |
| 45 | 47 | Fairfield | City Park | $200,000 | |
| 46 | 45 | Lockhart | Lockhart Aquatics Facility - Phase 2 | $750,000 | |
| 47 | 45 | Lindale | Faulkner Park Baseball Complex | $739,750 | |
| 48 | 45 | Somerset | Schimmel Memorial Park | $448,035 | |
| 49 | 42 | Matagorda County | Matagorda County Parks Renovation and Construction | $750,000 | |
| 50 | 42 | Los Prados PID | Los Prados Park | $661,759 | |
| 51 | 42 | Gladewater | 2025 City of Gladewater Bumblebee Park Splash Pad | $150,000 | |
| 52 | 41 | Pleasanton | Sports Complex Improvement Project | $571,320 | |
| 53 | 41 | Alamo | Alamo Inclusive Sports Complex | $745,500 | |
| 54 | 40 | Rockdale | Fireman's Memorial Park/Bridge Park | $495,000 | |
| 55 | 38 | Manvel | Manvel City Park | $750,000 | |
| 56 | 38 | Port Aransas | Enhancing Port Aransas Pool & Pier Access | $674,100 | |
| 57 | 37 | McAllen | Bentsen Hike & Bike Trail | $750,000 | |
| 58 | 37 | Bastrop | Bastrop Par 3 Golf Course | $237,125 | |
| 59 | 34 | Fate | Fate Station Park | $690,800 | |
| 60 | 33 | Nacogdoches | Clint Dempsey Soccer Complex | $122,650 | |
| 61 | 29 | Dimmit County | Dimmit County Youth Sports Complex | $412,500 | |
| Totals | $36,782,953 | $16,218,355 | |||
Exhibit C – Commission Agenda Item No. 1
| Rank | Score | Applicant | Project Name | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 74 | Live Oak County | Longhorn Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 2 | 72 | Henrietta | City Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 3 | 70 | Turkey | City Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 4 | 69 | Teague | 8th Ave Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 5 | 67 | Kemp | Kemp City Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 6 | 63 | Spearman | Martin Park Inclusive Splashpad | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 7 | 62 | Yoakum | Centennial Park | $149,985 | $149,985 |
| 7 | 62 | Gatesville | Sports Complex Phase 2 | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 9 | 61 | South Padre Island | Water Tower Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 10 | 57 | Daingerfield | Irvin Park | $88,659 | $88,659 |
| 11 | 56 | Beeville | Kohler Park | $149,994 | $149,994 |
| 12 | 55 | Childress | Childress Splashpad | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 13 | 53 | Alvarado | George Washington Carver Park | $100,003 | $100,003 |
| 14 | 52 | Gladewater | Garland P. Ferguson Park | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 15 | 50 | Hearne | Bob Jones, Ruben Gomez East & Godfrey Parks | $110,880 | |
| 15 | 50 | Nolanville | Neighborhood Park Improvements | $149,450 | |
| 15 | 50 | Pilot Point | Allen Groff Park Playscape | $150,000 | |
| 18 | 49 | River Oaks | McGee Park | $78,964 | |
| 19 | 49 | Post | City Park | $150,000 | |
| 20 | 47 | Refugio County | Bonnie View Community Park | $146,531 | |
| 21 | 47 | Lowry Crossing | Silo Crossing Park | $150,000 | |
| 22 | 46 | City of Friona | City Park II | $150,000 | |
| 23 | 44 | Mount Enterprise | City Park Phase I | $149,815 | |
| 24 | 43 | Mathis | Gonzalo Piaz Park | $74,910 | |
| 25 | 42 | Cross Plains | Cross Plains Butterfly Garden | $100,000 | |
| 26 | 41 | Hale Center | Caudle Park II | $62,501 | |
| 27 | 41 | Lorenzo | City Park | $25,302 | |
| 28 | 40 | Plains | Plains Park | $123,262 | |
| 29 | 40 | Hughes Springs | Spring Creek Park Splashpad | $150,000 | |
| 30 | 36 | Kilgore | Pocket Park | $150,000 | |
| 31 | 36 | Trinity County | Trinity County 'Y' | $41,855 | |
| 32 | 33 | Cranfills Gap | City Park | $150,000 | |
| 33 | 32 | La Vernia | City Park Splash Pad Renovation | $150,000 | |
| 34 | 31 | Lampasas | Hanna Springs II | $150,000 | |
| Totals | $4,402,111 | $1,988,641 | |||