Local governments across Texas were awarded funds to build and enhance parks in their communities. The grants from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission will help add trails, gardens, playgrounds, dog parks, sports fields, lighting, accessibility improvements and more to parks.

Twenty local governments received a total of $9.8 million from the Local Park Grant Program. Grants are provided on a 50% reimbursement basis. Stephanie Garcia, the press office manager for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said this means that "the sponsor spends the money first and is then reimbursed 50% by the state."

Grants were awarded in three categories, based on community size:
  • One community received an Urban Outdoor Recreation Grant, for a local government serving over 500,000 people;
  • 10 communities received the Non-Urban Outdoor Recreation Grant, for municipalities serving fewer than 500,000 people; and
  • Nine communities received the Small Community Recreation Grant, for towns of fewer than 20,000 people.
The funded sites must be properly maintained, open to the public and remain parkland, according to a news release.

The following park projects received funding:
  • The city of Belton in Bell County received a $750,000 nonurban outdoor grant for its Community Park Project at the Historic Water Standpipe;
  • The city of Charlotte in Atascosa County received a $82,500 small-community grant for its Charlotte Baseball Field project;
  • The city of Marion in Guadalupe County received a $50,000 small-community grant for its Marion City Park project;
  • The city of Nolanville in Bell County received a $150,000 small-community grant for its Fox Park project;
  • The city of Bullard in Smith County received a $110,082 small-community grant for its Bullard Kid’s Park-All Inclusive Addition project;
  • The city of Hempstead in Waller County received a $150,000 small-community grant for its Hempstead City Park project;
  • The city of Hughes Springs in Cass County received a $150,000 small-community grant for its Hughes Springs Recreational Complex project;
  • The city of Missouri City in Fort Bend County received a $750,000 nonurban outdoor grant for its Freedom Tree Park project;
  • The city of Bedford in Tarrant County received a $750,000 nonurban outdoor grant for the third phase of its Boys Ranch Park project;
  • The city of Denton in Denton County received a $598,532 nonurban outdoor grant for its Bowling Green Park project;
  • The city of Kaufman in Kaufman County received a $750,000 nonurban outdoor grant for its Kings Fort Park project;
  • The town of Little Elm in Denton County received a $750,000 nonurban outdoor grant for its Little Elm Park Campground Improvements project;
  • The city of Mansfield in Tarrant County received a $750,000 nonurban outdoor grant for its James McKnight Park West project;
  • The city of Newark in Wise County received a $150,000 small-community grant for its Delora Doughty Royal Park project;
  • The city of Quinlan in Hunt County received a $150,000 small-community grant for its Quinlan Community Park project;
  • The city of Reno in Lamar County received a $150,000 small-community grant for its Reno Kiwanis Park All-Inclusive Playground project;
  • The Cameron County Parks and Recreation Department received a $750,000 nonurban outdoor grant for its Bejarano-McFarland Memorial Park improvements project;
  • The city of Laredo in Webb County received a $656,065 nonurban outdoor grant for its Riverbend Trails project;
  • The city of Port Isabel in Cameron County received a $750,000 nonurban outdoor grant for the second phase of its Laguna Madre Park Renovation project; and
  • El Paso County received a $1.5 million urban outdoor grant for its Horizon View Park project.
More information about each project can be found here.

According to the program website, grant funding comes from a portion of state sales tax revenue on sporting goods sales, through the Texas Recreation and Parks Account, and the Texas Large County and Municipality Recreation and Parks Account. The program also receives funding from offshore gas royalties through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.


Applications for the local park grants are due annually on Aug. 1, according to the TPWD website. Eligible local governments can apply here.