Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission Awards $10.4 Million in Local Park Grants to Texas Communities
March 24, 2016
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AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved more than $10 million in competitive grant funds today for 39 community parks across the state.
Funding will help local communities create and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities through projects like hike and bike trails, butterfly and scent gardens, dog parks and fishing piers, just to name a few.
Three types of grants were awarded: the Urban Outdoor Recreation Grants are given to cities with populations exceeding 500,000 and were awarded to the Cities of Fort Worth and Houston. The Non-Urban Outdoor Recreation Grants are given to municipalities with a population less than 500,000 and were awarded to 20 communities. The Small Community Recreation Grants are given to municipalities with a population less than 20,000 and were awarded to 17 communities.
Money for the Local Park Grants Program comes from a portion of the sporting goods sales tax through the Texas Recreation & Parks Account and the Texas Large County & Municipality Recreation & Parks Account. Additional money comes from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. Congress appropriates program funding each year. TPWD is the pass-through agency for local governments in Texas.
The grant funds awarded are listed below by geographic region:
Austin
The City of Hays was awarded a small community grant for $9,545 to develop community gardens. Proposed developments include a water catchment system, greenhouse, storage building, landscaping, raised garden beds and signs.
The City of Nolanville was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop a city park. Proposed developments include adding a sun shade, scent garden wall with interpretive signs, splash pad, pavilion with solar lighting and rainwater collection system, shuffleboard court and picnic tables.
The City of Rosebud was awarded a small community grant for $74,992 to develop American Legion Park by adding a trail, creative play and exercise stations, security lighting and a pet waste station.
The City of Taylor was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $125,000 to develop Fannie Robinson Park. Proposed projects include recirculating the sprayground, developing a fishing overlook, improving the fencing around the softball field and installing native landscaping with drip irrigation.
Williamson County was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop the Expo Center by adding trails, roads, utilities, walkways, landscaping and RV campsites with full hook-ups.
Dallas
The City of Argyle was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop a community park. Proposed projects include renovating the baseball and softball fields and developing a hike and bike trail, playground, picnic pavilion, soccer field, multi-purpose court and sand volleyball court. This will be the first park for the City of Argyle.
The City of Breckenridge was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop a city park by adding playground equipment and a skate park.
The City of Bridgeport was awarded a small community grant for $20,000 to develop Harwood Park by renovating the community swimming pool.
The City of Commerce was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop Centennial Park. Proposed developments include a trail, skate park, nine-hole disc golf course, lighting, an accessible swing and accessible shooting hoop with ball return.
Fort Worth was awarded an urban outdoor grant for $1 million to develop Alliance Park. The proposed development includes soccer fields, a multi-purpose trail, benches, picnic tables and landscape restoration.
The City of Holliday was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $399,590 to develop Holliday City Park. Proposed developments include a pavilion, covered picnic tables with grills and park benches, a playground, basketball court, walking trail with fitness stations, tennis courts, a nine-hole disc golf course, soccer goals, bike racks and a rain water catchment system.
The town of Little Elm was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $200,000 to develop McCord Park by installing an interactive and accessible splash pad, shade structures, benches and picnic tables.
The City of Pantego was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop Bicentennial Park by adding a splash pad, volleyball court, butterfly garden, benches and signs.
The City of Prosper was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop Frontier Park North by adding a shaded group pavilion with a picnic area, a hike and bike trail and lighted baseball and softball fields.
The City of Venus was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop Fielder Park. Proposed developments include renovating the baseball fields and walking trail and constructing a new a playground, pavilion, swings and outdoor fitness area. The grant will also fund the installation of native plant gardens.
The City of Wichita Falls was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $499,536 to develop Lake Wichita Park by stabilizing the shoreline and adding a boardwalk, interpretive signs and wildlife and fisheries habitat enhancements.
East Texas
The City of Chandler was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $105,788 to develop Winchester Park. Proposed developments include lighting for the baseball field and basketball court and shade canopies for the bleachers and playground.
The City of Whitehouse was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $84,998 to develop the Whitehouse Sports Complex by adding batting cages, bullpens, a toddler play area and play area benches.
Houston
The City of Baytown was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop Jenkins-Holloway Park. Development projects include trail expansion with an overlook and interpretive signs, a splash pad, baseball fields, an amphitheater and several sports courts.
The City of Bevil Oaks was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop Bevil Oaks Recreational Area. Proposed recreational elements include playground equipment, a covered picnic area, benches, parking and drainage improvements and program signage.
The City of Brenham was awarded a small community grant for $35,000 to develop Fireman’s Park by renovating and expanding the existing skate park.
Harris County Fresh Water Supply #52 Municipal Utility District was awarded a small community grant for $72,856 to develop Harris County Fresh Water Supply #52 Park by adding a trail, benches, landscaping and signs.
Houston was awarded an urban outdoor grant for $1 million to develop Brock Park. Proposed development projects include converting the golf course into a recreation area with a zip lining course, disc golf course, playground, canoe and kayak launch, dog park and multi-purpose trails. The grant will also fund renovation of an existing water hazard into a fishing pond.
The City of Mount Pleasant was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop Harts Bluff Park. The proposal includes acquiring about 55 acres and installing soccer fields, a playground, multi-purpose trail, sprayground, pavilion and picnic areas, horseshoe pits and a 10-acre open space dedication.
The City of Weimar was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to renovate the 75-year-old swimming pool at Weimar City Park.
Panhandle
The City of Gruver was awarded a small community grant for $74,000 to develop a community park by adding a 0.3-mile lighted walking trail.
The City of Plainview was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $250,949 to develop Travis Trussell Pond Park by regrading and stabilizing the pond and adding an additional acre of land, a walking trail, wildlife viewing stations and interpretive signs.
Rio Grande Valley
The City of Encinal was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop Rosalie Welhausen Encinal City Park by adding a splash pad, playground, trail with exercise stations and picnic tables with grills.
The City of Hidalgo was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop Villa Garza Flores and Valle Alto parks. Renovation projects include installing accessible playscapes, trails, seating areas, picnic units, a splash pad with water recycling, adult swings, a wheelchair swing, a pavilion with basketball markings and rain harvesting facilities, exercise stations, a Xeriscape and a community garden.
The City of La Feria was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop Veterans Memorial Park. Proposed developments include picnic tables, a playground with sun shade, bleachers and scoreboards for existing baseball fields, aquatic playground equipment, lighted tennis courts, a small amphitheater and a jogging trail.
The City of Los Fresnos was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop Ninth Street Park. Proposed developments include a trail, benches, an accessible playground, picnic tables with grills, invasive plant removal, butterfly and scent gardens with drip irrigation and interpretive signs, area lighting, fencing, a drinking fountain and landscaping.
The City of McAllen was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $250,000 to develop Veterans War Memorial of Texas by installing an outdoor plaza.
The City of Pharr was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $250,000 to develop a nature park. Proposed developments include a multi-purpose trail, a pond with aerators, a boardwalk with a wildlife observation area, picnic tables, a mini-amphitheater, wildlife habitat demonstration gardens, a pavilion and interpretive signs.
The City of Refugio was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop Heritage Park. Proposed developments include renovating the playground and softball field and installing horseshoe pits, a lighted multi-purpose court, picnic tables and a sensory garden with drip irrigation and interpretive signs.
The City of San Juan was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $160,325 to develop Sorensen Park by extending the sidewalk and adding a walking trail, playground, a basketball half court, exercise stations and benches.
Tres Lagos Public Improvement District was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop a city park. Proposed developments include lighted trails with exercise equipment, baseball and soccer fields, playgrounds, a pavilion with picnic tables and a group grill, an amphitheater, lighted basketball and tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, lake improvements and a fishing dock and kayak launch.
San Antonio
The City of Hollywood Park was awarded a non-urban outdoor grant for $500,000 to develop Voigt Park. Proposed renovations and further developments include relocating the sand volleyball court, repairing existing tennis courts, renovating the swimming pool to add swimming lanes and a shallow wading pool, building a multi-sport court with a rubber floor and installing native landscaping, irrigation, a butterfly garden and a splash pad.
The City of La Vernia was awarded a small community grant for $75,000 to develop a city park by making the playground accessible and adding accessible horseshoe pits, a splash pad and a nine-hole disc golf course.
West Texas
The City of San Elizario was awarded a small community grant for $47,014 to develop Tedd F. Richardson Memorial Park. Proposed developments include a sand volleyball court, shade cover for playground, additional playground elements, sheltered picnic area, picnic tables, group grill and exercise stations.