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Editor's note: Click here to view this story as it appears in our January 2026 Health & Wellness edition.
Bastrop officials are taking a closer look at improving the quality of life for residents, as discussions continue around potential improvements across the city’s parks and recreation system.
City leaders said the goal is to better meet the needs of a community that is nearing 13,000 residents.
Areas of focus include:
While some of the projects remain in the early stages, officials emphasized public input has played a key role as plans develop.
Playgrounds
During an Oct. 21 meeting, Bastrop City Council approved a $2.9 million purchasing contract for a variety of playground improvements ranging from new themed structures to splash pads and more.
“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 nearly $2.9 million will be applied across four parks, including Minerva Delgado Park and Fisherman’s Park.
“Minerva Delgado will have the city’s first all-abilities park where children in wheelchairs will be able to access every single shade structure,” Carrillo-Trevino said. “We will also have a splash pad at Minerva Delgado that is all-abilities.”
A splash pad at Minerva Delgado Park would not mark the first in Bastrop, as there is an existing one 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 it does not recirculate water, so the city plans to implement improvements from March 2 to May 18.
“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.”
Bark Park
Beyond playground improvements, Bastrop officials have identified the Bark Park, a 1.2-acre site along Grady Tuck Lane, as another key space for upgrades.
“The park offers dogs the freedom to run, play and socialize while also fostering meaningful connections among their owners,” Parks and Recreation Director Terry Moore said during a meeting in June.
These social interactions contribute significantly to the sense of community and support well-being, ultimately enhancing the overall quality of life for all who visit.
During a community improvement meeting in mid-2025, residents requested more shade and parking, and updated water features.
Mayfest Park Rodeo Arena
The city of Bastrop has sought resident input for improvements to the Mayfest Park Rodeo Arena since September as part of an effort to amend the “Experience Bastrop” Parks Master Plan.
Margaret Staton—a 12-year-old who competes in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping—is among the many who voiced a desire to see the benefits that an upgraded facility would have on the community.
“People say the Western way of life is dying, but I have seen firsthand towns much smaller than Bastrop turn into bigger cities when events come to town,” Staton said.
Carrillo-Trevino told Bastrop City Council a feasibility study, which would help determine the potential cost of proposed amenities, would be shared with officials at a future meeting.
The Boring Co.
Carrillo-Trevino said she and other local officials have long discussed improving connectivity throughout the city.
During her September State of the City address, she told attendees that the city spent much of the previous year holding Bastrop Building Block Code meetings focused on transportation, walkability and how residents can be better connected to recreational spaces through a series of trails.
Those meetings, she said, sparked a conversation with Elon Musk’s The Boring Co. about a possible tunnel system to connect pedestrians to parks.
The outlook
Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris stressed that when funding for projects becomes available, the city takes a measured approach before moving forward.
For Bastrop, that means reviewing feasibility studies before committing resources—a process that once stopped a proposed youth sports complex from being built in the Business and Industrial Park, officials said.
