AUSTIN — The Lower Colorado River Authority has awarded more than $995,000 in Community Devel opment Partnership Program grants for a wide range of projects across LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas.
The grants will help fund 45 community projects, including enlarging a Luling fire station, adding a score - board to a Richland Springs ballfield and upgrading the Palacios library.
Other grants will enable the City of McCamey to upgrade popular Santa Fe Park and help the City of Eagle Lake repair a leaking swimming pool at an area park, as well as pay for major improvements at local parks and playscapes, museums, libraries, youth sports facilities and community meeting spaces.
LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said the grants contribute to community and economic development throughout LCRA’s service territory and help provide first re sponders needed lifesaving equipment.
"These CDPP grants support communities by helping fund improvements to projects that help make communities great places to live and work,” Wilson said. “LCRA is proud to contribute to projects that range from improvements to community centers, ballfields and museums to providing new state-ofthe- art rescue gear and a helipad for first responders."
More than a third of the recent- ly awarded grants will benefit first responders and help boost public safety. The grants will enable fire de - partments and other first responders to replace outdated protective equipment, add new rescue tools, purchase lifesaving equipment and more.
"First responders need proper protective gear, updated rescue tools and reliable vehicles, and we are pleased to be able to help meet some of these needs as we thank them for their selfless service," Wilson said.
To date, LCRA has awarded 2,012 community grants totaling more than $51 million. When combined with more than $235 million in community- raised matching funds, the program has invested almost $287 million in local communities.
Area recipients of the 45 grants awarded in the most recent grant cycle are:
• BELLVILLE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Bellville to Austin County for the purchase of a mobile command center to improve operations and better protect first responders at emergency scenes.
• BELLVILLE: An $18,010 grant from LCRA and the City of Bellville to the Bellville Pickleball League for the addition of bleachers, connecting sidewalks and upgrades to the playing courts.
• EAGLE LAKE: A $10,200 grant from LCRA to the Prairie Edge Museum for interior repairs to water- damaged areas inside the muse- um and upgraded LED lighting for its historical displays.
• EAGLE LAKE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the City of Eagle Lake for repairs to the swimming pool at a municipal park, including fixing an unstable foundation that has resulted in major leaks.
FAYETTEVILLE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Shelby Vol- unteer Fire Department for construc tion of a concrete helipad that will be available for emergency medical flights around-the-clock.
• LA GRANGE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of La Grange to the La Grange Lions Foundation for a shade structure that will cover and help cool playground equipment at Kruschel Memorial Park.
• WEIMAR: A $50,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Weimar to the Weimar Volunteer Fire De partment for new air packs that supply compressed breathable air and prevent firefighters from inhaling noxious fumes at emergency scenes.
• WINCHESTER: A $10,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Winchester Area Civic Association for improvements to Zilss Memorial Hall that include the purchase of two new air conditioners and renovations to make the community building ADA-compliant.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted during January at lcra.org/cdpp. Applications are due by midnight Jan. 31.
