“Council had the opportunity to borrow some money with no impact to the tax rate, and also had the ability to pay down other debt because of some savings we did in the debt fund,” Bastrop City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino said during her State of the City address in early September. “The council chose to invest [those savings] into quality-of-life projects.”
The details
The nearly $2.9 million will be applied across four parks:
- Minerva Delgado Park, 709 Laurel St.: $1.7 million
- Fisherman’s Park, 1200 Willow St.: $661,253
- Fireman’s Park, 600 Hill St.: $256,615
- Mayfest Park, 25 American Legion Drive: $250,048
A splash pad at Minerva Delgado Park would not mark the first in Bastrop, as there is an existing splash pad at Fisherman’s Park.
“I know the splash pad at Fisherman’s Park is very near and dear to some folks’ hearts,” Carrillo-Trevino said. “It’s a great area and kids love it.”
However, she emphasized how the amenity does not recirculate water.
“So in the summer months, we waste about a million gallons a month,” Carrillo-Trevino said. “That’s very painful when you have residents in the county or in the periphery, whose wells are dropping precipitously. It is irresponsible for us to continue to do that.”
The outlook
Bastrop City Council will consider a purchasing contract with Kraftsman Play Systems, a purchasing cooperative, for the park improvements during a regular meeting Oct. 21.
