Austin, Texas. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has approved more than $9.8 million in local park grants to help create and expand outdoor recreation opportunities.

Competitive grants are awarded to local governments on a 50/50 reimbursement parity basis. Once funded, the sites must remain parkland in perpetuity, maintained and open to the public. Twenty public parks across the state will receive nature trails, native gardens, playgrounds, splash pads, dog parks, and athletic fields. The commission, which administers the Texas Local Parks Grants Program, has awarded grants to projects in various categories based on population and community size.

• Urban outdoor recreation grants are reserved for local governments with populations over 500,000. One community received this grant.
• Out-of-City Outdoor Recreation Grants fund park projects in municipalities with fewer than 500,000 inhabitants. The commission approved awards for projects in 10 communities.
• Small Community Recreation Grants serve cities of less than 20,000 people and have been awarded to nine communities.

For more information about the Local Park Grant Program, visit the TPWD Local Park Grants page.

The grants are listed below in alphabetical order by region:

Central Texas

The City of Belton in Bell County received a $750,000 grant to build open ground outside of the city for its Historic Water Pipe Community Park project. Proposed developments include a playground, pavilion, restroom, local landscaping, parking and site works.

The City of Charlotte in Atascosa County received a small $82,500 community grant for its Charlotte Baseball Field project. Proposed developments include a baseball field, scoreboard, stands, and toilet improvements.

The City of Marion in Guadalupe County received a small $50,000 community grant for its Marion City Park project. Proposed developments include a trail, gyms, LED lighting, a playground, a refurbished basketball court, local landscaping, butterfly gardens, and landscaping.

The city of Nolanville in Bell County received a small $150,000 community grant for its Fox Park project. Proposed developments include a play area with versatile elements, a pavilion, a skate park, solar lighting, landscaping, a butterfly garden, and landscaping.

East Texas

The City of Bullard in Smith County received a small community grant of $110,082 for its Bullard Kid’s Park – All Inclusive Addition project. The proposed developments include an inclusive playground and a field cast protective coating.

The City of Hempstead in Waller County received a small $150,000 community grant for its Hempstead City Park project. Proposed developments include a pavilion, asphalt walkway, LED trail lighting, gyms, local landscaping, interpretive signage, on-site amenities, and restroom improvements.

The City of Hughes Springs in Cass County received a small $150,000 community grant for the Hughes Springs Recreational Complex Project. Proposed developments include pickleball courts, outdoor fitness features, solar lighting, interpretive signage, sidewalk replacement, on-site amenities, and parking.

The city of Missouri City in Fort Bend County has received a $750,000 grant to build off-urban outdoor buildings for its Freedom Tree Park project. Proposed developments include a playground, gazebo, multipurpose trail, maze, interpretive signage, local landscaping, site landscaping, and site works.

North Texas

The City of Bedford in Tarrant County has received a $750,000 grant for out-of-town development in the third phase of its Boys Ranch Park project. Proposed developments include a walking and cycling path, tennis courts, a disc golf course, pickleball courts, a ball court, and on-site amenities.

The City of Denton in Denton County received a $598,532 grant for outdoor construction outside the city for its Bowling Green Park project. Proposed developments include concrete pathways, a pavilion, elevated ADA planters, habitat restoration, interpretive signage, local landscaping, footbridge, parking, site amenities, and site works.

The City of Kaufman in Kaufman County received a $750,000 grant to build non-urban outdoor buildings for its Kings Fort Park project. Proposed developments include 10-foot-wide trails, a playground with accessible components, natural landscaping, irrigation, landscaping, and parking.

The City of Little Elm in Denton County received a $750,000 grant for outdoor construction outside the city for its Little Elm Park Campground Improvement Project. Proposed developments include primitive camping, trails, boardwalk, community green space, local landscaping, irrigation, interpretive and navigational signs, site amenities, and site works.

The City of Mansfield in Tarrant County received a $750,000 grant to build non-urban outdoor buildings for its James McKnight Park West project. Proposed developments include trails, playground, disc golf course, pavilion, local landscaping, irrigation, explanatory and navigational signs, site amenities, parking, and site works.

The city of Newark in Wise County received a small $150,000 community grant for its Delora Doughty Royal Park project. Proposed developments include a basketball court, pavilion, trail, butterfly garden, natural landscaping, solar lighting, on-site amenities, parking, and site works.

The city of Quinlan in Hunt County received a small $150,000 community grant for its Quinlan Community Park project. Proposed developments include a concrete path, gyms, solar LED trail lighting, pickleball courts, ball courts, local landscaping, and interpretive signage.

The City of Reno in Lamar County received a small $150,000 community grant for its Reno Kiwanis Park All-Inclusive playground project. The proposed developments include a children’s playground with ADA elements and a playground.

South Texas

The Cameron County Department of Parks and Recreation received a $750,000 grant to build open ground outside the city for its Bejarano-McFarland Memorial Park Improvement Project. Proposed developments include a recirculating mudguard, trail, sidewalk, indoor basketball court, pavilion, versatile playground elements, natural landscaping, irrigation, LED lighting, interpretive and park signage, restroom improvements, site landscaping, and site work.

The City of Laredo in Webb County received a $656,065 grant to build off-urban outdoor buildings for its Riverbend Trails project. Proposed developments include improved walking and cycling paths, concrete walkways, a gazebo and landscaping.

The city of Port Isabel in Cameron County received a $750,000 grant for outdoor construction outside the city for the second phase of the Laguna Madre Park Redevelopment Project. Design offerings include a versatile designer baseball field, field lighting, scoreboard, irrigation, ADA fitness equipment, and a bike rack with bike repair station. Additional improvements include a multi-purpose surfaced playground, an all-purpose design picnic area, natural habitat enhancements, restroom/concession improvements, site work, and explanatory signage.

West Texas

El Paso County received a $1.5 million city grant for the Horizon View Park project. The proposed developments include an inclusive playground, play surface, multi-purpose playgrounds, soccer fields, and affordable outdoor fitness equipment. Additional developments include a walking and cycling path, pavilion, picnic sheds, garden, landscaping with ADA components, lighting, natural landscaping, parking, sidewalks, interpretive signage, and site work.

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