LCRA awards $45,440 grant for upgrades at Veterans, Simmang Northwest parks
New lights, AC and more in store for restrooms at popular Giddings parks
May 30, 2025
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $31,288 in matching funds from the city, will enable the city to remodel the facilities to meet ADA requirements, add LED lighting and air conditioning, and improve sanitation.
“These are the original restrooms that were built at the park in the late ‘70s, and we’ve been needing to completely gut them and start over,” said Spencer Schneider, Giddings city manager. “The community has heard about this grant and our plan, and everyone from the parks board to our City Council are just thrilled about it.”
Both parks are used year-round for activities including youth football and Little League baseball, as well as community events such as parades, street dances and National Night Out activities. The city currently brings in portable toilets for such events.
Schneider said many park visitors refuse to use the on-site restrooms because of sanitation reasons or because of limited accessibility for people with disabilities. The currently unair-conditioned facilities have cracked toilets and plywood partitions.
“With the budget constraints every year, we really have to prioritize what we’re funding, and unfortunately the park restrooms have not made the cut,” Schneider said. “We have already enhanced Veterans Park with a splash pad, pavilion and pickleball courts, and now people will be able to access renovated restrooms, which will be a game changer for us.”
LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said community parks such as Veterans and Simmang Northwest parks provide a meeting place that can help community members stay connected.
“LCRA is proud to help support the City of Giddings as it works to upgrade its parks system and provide convenient, accessible facilities for visitors,” Wilson said. “The parks provide important recreational opportunities as well as a place for community engagement and fellowship.”
The community grant is one of 45 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. The City of Giddings is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations.
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