BEC, LCRA Award More than $40,000 in Community Grants

THE COMFORT PARK PAVILION HASN’T HAD MAJOR UPDATES since the 1980s, but that will change soon thanks to a $25,000 community development grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bandera Electric Cooperative.

The grant will help the Comfort Chamber of Commerce address long-needed repairs to keep the pavilion an attractive meeting spot for residents and visitors alike.

The chamber will use a $25,000 Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $29,140 in local matching contributions, to renovate the facility, including fixing a leaking roof and bringing the electrical system up to code.

From Left: Kurt Solis, BEC Board Member; Michael L. “Mike” Allen, LCRA Board Member; Bruce Forey, BEC Director Of Communications And Marketing; Bill Hetherington, BEC CEO; Lori A. Berger, LCRA Board Member; Shirley Solis, Comfort Chamber of Commerce Executive Director; And Margaret Stone, Comfort Chamber of Commerce President.

LCRA

“The Comfort Park and pavilion hosts some of our community’s most treasured events, such as Music in the Park and the July Fourth community celebration, which draw visitors not only from Comfort but the surrounding counties as well,” said Shirley Solis, executive director of the Comfort Chamber of Commerce. “During spring and fall, there might be one to two events a week at the pavilion, including community wide events hosted by the library, school or local churches, and private gatherings such as graduation parties, family reunions and quinceañeras. The park and pavilion are available to everyone, and we want to keep them safe and functional.”

Repairs will include fixing a leaking roof and replacing old ceiling insulation that has begun falling, upgrading the electrical system, adding LED light fixtures and replacing broken ceiling fans. Additionally, the pavilion kitchen flooring and walk-in cooler will be updated.

“This gives us a huge head start on the needed upkeep of this community resource,” Solis said. “We’ve been saving for more than three years for the pavilion renovation, so leveraging grant funding that almost doubles our project budget overnight is a real gift.”

From Left: Debra Slate, Bandera Fire And Rescue Treasurer; Scott Slate, Bandera Fire And Rescue President; Michael Allen And Lori A. Berger, LCRA Board Members; Frances Laue, BEC Board Member; Bill Hetherington, BEC CEO; Cody Burns, Firefighter; Scott Malone, Firefighter/EMT; And Robin Konz, BEC Member Relations Representative.

LCRA

BANDERA FIRE AND RESCUE WILL PURCHASE MUCH-NEEDED life-saving equipment and make upgrades to its fire station thanks to a $17,118 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bandera Electric Cooperative.

The community development grant, along with $4,400 in matching contributions, will allow the department to purchase two automated external defibrillators and replace the light fixtures at the fire station with energy-efficient LED lighting. The walls and floors of the firehouse also will be repainted.

Scott Slate, Bandera Fire and Rescue president, said the defibrillators will enable firefighters to treat cases of cardiac arrest immediately.

The new fire station floor will be oil and chemical resistant, creating a safer, non-slip surface.

“The updates to the fire station will not only create a more aesthetically pleasing place on the main street of our city, but also will benefit the department by creating a safer work environment for our volunteers,” Slate said.

The community grants are only a few of a number of grants recently awarded through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which provides economic development and community assistance grants to cities, counties, volunteer fire departments, regional development councils and other nonprofit organizations in LCRA’s wholesale electric and water service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. Bandera Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and a partner in the grant program.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted January 1-31, 2020. More information is available at LCRA.org/CDPP.