LCRA, City of Bellville award $24,700 grant to add air conditioning at Concordia Hall

 

Bellville Lions Club will install new system to upgrade historic event space

May 14, 2025

LCRA and City of Bellville representatives present a $24,700 grant to the Bellville Lions Club for a new energy-efficient air conditioning system at Concordia Hall. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Kate Ramzinski, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Jason Smalley, club vice president and City of Bellville police chief; Leigh Ann Schultz, club second vice president; Michael Coopersmith, club president; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Stephen F. Cooper, LCRA Board chair; Edwin Leudke, club director; Jimmy Brashear, club property director; and David Cessna, club third vice president.
BELLVILLE, Texas – The Bellville Lions Club soon will replace the outdated air conditioning system at Concordia Hall, one of the region’s most historic gathering places, thanks to a $24,700 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Bellville.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $10,400 in matching funds from the Lions Club, will fund installation of an energy-efficient climate control system that will improve comfort and indoor air quality at the facility.

“Concordia Hall is one of the great historic halls in Texas, a place where our community comes together for wedding receptions, reunions, graduation parties, festivals and more,” said Michael Coopersmith, president of the Bellville Lions Club. “This grant helps us ensure the hall remains comfortable and ready to serve the public for years to come.”

The current HVAC system is more than 25 years old and lacks the efficiency and filtration capabilities of modern equipment. The upgrade will improve air quality and reduce energy use, while making the space more usable year-round for community events, including Bellville’s signature German music festival, Saengerfest, held each spring.

“As a nonprofit, the Lions Club is here to support our community,” Coopersmith said. “Without this grant, we would have had to pull funds from other local programs to replace the air conditioning system. Thanks to LCRA, we can keep investing in those efforts while preserving this historic hall for everyone to enjoy.”

The Bellville Lions Club has maintained and preserved Concordia Hall since 1997, when it acquired and restored the historic building. The club continues to offer the space to the public at minimal cost, ensuring it remains a central venue for generations to come.

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 Bellville is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July 2025. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

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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