TPW Commission Awards $9 Million in Local Park Grants across Texas
Friday, August 28th, 2009 at 8:26 AMTPW Commission Awards $9 Million in Local Park Grants across Texas
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
FORT WORTH, Texas —-(AmmoLand.com)- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission on Aug. 27 approved more than $9 million in competitive parks and recreation grants for city and county parks and other sites across the state. Grant project descriptions are listed by county below.
The Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso areas were awarded a combined total of $3.8 million from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Urban Outdoor Recreation Grants program. San Antonio was also awarded $1 million from TPWD’s Indoor Recreation Grants program.
Urban Outdoor and Indoor recreation grants are reserved for communities with populations of 500,000 or more, and both provide matching grants of up to $1 million. Urban Outdoor grants are used to acquire and develop parkland. Urban Indoor grants are for constructing public recreation centers, community centers and nature centers. Once a grant is awarded, recipients must permanently designate the site for public recreational use and agree to operate and maintain the grounds.
Eight other communities across the state were awarded a combined $3.6 million in grants from TPWD’s Outdoor Recreation Grants program, which funds acquisition and/or development of outdoor recreation sites for communities with populations less than 500,000.
Eleven communities were awarded a total of about $750,000 from TPWD’s Small Community Grants program. This program provides matching grants of up to $50,000 for communities with a population of 20,000 or less.
These grants support the acquisition, development and beautification of city and county? parks, seen as the “frontline” in the nationwide system of parks. TPWD funds can be applied to the construction and repair of trails, ball fields, fishing, boating or hunting facilities, picnic areas, playgrounds, swimming pools, camp grounds, gardens and other recreational facilities.
The Small Community, Urban Indoor, and Urban Outdoor grants are funded exclusively from the Texas Recreation and Parks Account, created by the Texas Legislature in 1993 to help cities and counties provide public recreation facilities. TRPA revenue comes from a portion of the state sales tax on sporting goods.
Outdoor Recreation Grants are funded from the TRPA and from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is supported by offshore oil and gas royalties. All are 50-50 matching grants, requiring recipients to provide equal dollars to match what the state provides. The total cost of each project is thus twice the amount listed below.
For more information, including grant application forms and deadlines, see TPWD’s Grants Web page or phone the department’s Recreation Grants Branch at (512) 912-7124 or e-mail rec.grants@tpwd.state.tx.us.
Grants and projects listed by county:
- Bell County – The City of Holland was awarded $75,000 to develop an additional ten acres of the existing 60-acre Recreational Complex, located in the east central area of the city. Development will include a playground, soccer field, disc golf course, and gazebo. Construction of the entry road and gazebo will be accomplished without grant assistance
- Bexar County – The City of San Antonio was awarded $1 million develop a 4,000 square foot Urban Ecology Center at Voelcker Park, located in the north central area of the city. The grant will fund the development of interpretive features, a classroom, offices, furnishings, restrooms, parking, water harvesting, tree planting, water connection, solar lighting and drainage.
- Bexar County received $750,000 to renovate and further develop the 36-acre Mission County Park, located in the south central area of San Antonio. Development plans include establishing a view corridor from the San Antonio River access point to the Mission San Jose, trail expansion with entry portal with an overlook and interpretive signs, playgrounds, habitat restoration, irrigation, parking and restroom renovation.
- Brown County — The City of Brownwood was awarded $500,000 to develop Camp Bowie Sports Complex, located in the south area of the city. The grant will fund the inclusion of lighted softball and baseball fields, batting cages, a playscape, trail, pavilion, pool with a bathhouse, picnic tables and benches, tree plantings, Xeriscape garden with drip irrigation, 8-acre natural area and irrigation for the fields.
- Cameron County Drainage District #1 – Cameron County Drainage District #1 was awarded $500,000 to acquire and develop approximately 8 acres to develop 45-acre Cascade Park, located in the northeastern area of Brownsville. The City will construct wetlands, basketball courts, field goals, a playground, butterfly garden, trails, bridges, fishing piers and overlooks, an amphitheater that doubles as a pavilion, waterfalls, benches, picnic tables, solar lighting, xeriscape landscaping and trees, drip irrigation, and interpretive signage, among other basic utilities.
- Dallas County – The City of Dallas was awarded $1,000,000 to develop a trail along Five Mile Creek from College Park to Glendale Park and to make improvements at College Park, located in the south area of the city. The grant will fund a softball field, trail and connecting walkways renovation, playground and drainage improvements, and the implementation of security lighting.
- Denton County – The City of Krugerville was awarded $75,000 to develop a first-time 3-acre City Park, located on the northern side of the Fair Meadows Drive and Sherry Lane South intersection. Playgrounds, a multipurpose playing field, concrete trail, wooden footbridge, picnic tables, benches, a parking lot, and landscaping will all be implemented.
- El Paso County — The City of El Paso was awarded $400,000 to develop a 6.7-acre Sandstone Ranch Park, located in the northeast area of the city. Development plans include a playground, benches, picnic table, landscaping, turf, irrigation, walkways, parking and fencing.
- The City of El Paso was awarded $150,000 to develop a 2.8-acre Dog Park at Westside Park, located in the west central area of the city. The park will include benches, dog and person drinking fountains, shade structures, utilities, turf, irrigation, plants, lighting and fencing.
- Fayette County – The City of Flatonia was awarded $75,000 to acquire and develop the Seven Acre Park, located in the west central area of the city. Development plans include a trail, disc golf course, skate park, picnic tables with slabs and grills, and Xeriscape garden with interpretive signage and drip irrigation.
- Fort Bend County – The City of Meadows Place was awarded $73,300 to further develop a 16.5 acre Community Park, located in the central area of the city. The park will include a trail, lighted pond with pier, bank fishing area, shaded bench, group shade shelter with tables and grill, shaded picnic tables with grills, a recreational hill, wetlands water garden, tree planting, ,landscaping and interpretive signage.
- Freestone County – The City of Wortham was awarded $75,000 to acquire and develop 0.46 acres of City Park, located in the central area of the city. The park will include a group pavilion, playground equipment, picnic table with grill and arbor, picnic table with game board insert, trail, butterfly garden and shade trees.
- Hays County – The Village of Wimberley was awarded $500,000 to further develop the 120- acre Blue Hole Regional Park and Preserve, located in the north east area of the village. The Park will include trails, soccer fields, a concrete slab for swimming access, tennis courts, primitive camping areas, picnic tables with slabs, an amphitheatre, pavilion, playscape, an open play meadow, wildlife viewing stations, and interpretive and culture resource signage.
- Hunt County – The City of Commerce was awarded $75,000 to further develop 13-acre City Park located in the downtown area of the city. The plans include the construction of a playground, concrete trail, horseshoe courts, benches, picnic tables with grills, interpretive signs, and irrigation, and basketball court and botanical garden renovation. The removal of existing fence, playground equipment, and a restroom and some site work will be accomplished without grant assistance.
- Jefferson County – The City of Nome was awarded $75,000 to develop 1.83 acres of city-owned land into a first-time Community Park, located in the central area of the city. Development plans include constructing roads, parking, picnic tables, benches, a basketball free throw court, splash pad, playground, trail, landscaping and fencing. Parking spaces will be implemented without grant assistance.
- Kendall County – Kendall County was awarded $488,825 to develop 375 acres of County-owned land that comprises Springs Park and Preserve, located in the south west area of the county between Comfort and Boerne off I-10. The grant will fund the implementation of lighted fishing docks and piers, swimming area improvements, three miles of trail, benches along the trail, birding towers and decks, a picnic pavilion, picnic sites with concrete pads and grills, a playground, interpretive kiosks, and a restroom. Road improvements will be made without grant assistance.
- Kenedy County – Kenedy County received $271,431 to expand and further develop the 4-acre Sam Noble County Park located in Sarita, in the northern area of the county. The grant will fund the implementation of utilities and irrigation, restroom repairs, an access path, a shuffleboard and horseshoe toss, an observation kiosk, lighted baseball field, covered multi-sport facility, bleachers, an announcer’s box, playground, picnic tables with grills, benches, landscaping, habitat restoration and a 1.28-acre natural area dedication. A walking and equestrian trail, parking lot, and interpretive signage will be constructed without grant assistance.
- McLennan County – The City of Robinson was awarded $75,000 to develop 7.7 acres of school district-owned property into a first-time City Park, located in the northeast area of the city. The park will include a picnic pavilion with tables and a barbeque pit, decomposed granite trail, playscape, basketball court, shaded gazebo, picnic tables, benches, fitness equipment, sand volleyball pit, horseshoe pits, Xeriscape garden with drip irrigation, tree plantings, and interpretive signage.
- Presidio County – The City of Marfa received $40,000 to develop 0.3 acres of school district-owned property into Blackwell School City Park, located in the south central area of the city. The grant will fund the implementation of picnic tables with grills, benches, a lighted trail with exercise station, game tables, a playground, a butterfly garden and irrigation.
- Travis County – Travis County was awarded $1 million to acquire 68.06 acres by Waiver of Retroactivity and develop the 235.5-acre Onion Creek Greenway, located in the eastern area of the county. The grant will fund the implementation of trails, a kayak boat launch, fishing access, picnic units, playgrounds, pavilion, an open play area, habitat restoration, interpretive signs, wildlife and nature viewing areas, roads and parking.
- The City of Austin received $500,000 to further develop the 47.3-acre Gus Garcia Park, located in the north area of the city. The City will add a multipurpose field, playground, fitness area, benches, picnic tables, landscaping, community garden and classroom gardens.
- Victoria County – The City of Victoria received $500,000 to develop approximately 12 acres out of 125.44 acres of city-owned non-parkland to develop Lone Tree Community Park, located in the east area of the city. The grant will fund the construction of a spray ground, a pavilion with picnic tables, practice ball fields, and a 20-acre open space dedication. Utilities, parking, and restrooms will be constructed without grant assistance.
- Williamson County – The City of Thrall received $40,000 to develop 0.29 acres of city owned property into a first-time park, located in the downtown area of the city. The development includes a pavilion, swing set, picnic tables, benches, a Xeriscape garden with drip irrigation and interpretive signage.
- Wilson County – The City of Stockdale was awarded $75,000 to develop a 21.91-acre Central Park, located in the north central area of the city. The grant will fund the construction of soccer and t-ball fields, a trail with an exercise station, picnic areas with tables, grills, a model airplane landing strip, benches with concrete pads, water fountains and trash cans. Parking and fencing will be constructed without grant assistance.
On the Net: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/grants
Tags: Grants, Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, TPWD
