LCRA awards $25,000 grant for new sign at Riverbend Park

New arched, lighted sign will make park entrance more visible

Dec. 15, 2022

LCRA representatives present a $25,000 grant to the City of Smithville for new signs at Vernon L. Richards Riverbend Park. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Jack Page, Smithville director of public works and utilities; Robert Tamble, city manager; Brenda Page, Smithville Jamboree; Bill Gordon, city council member; Jill Strube, director of economic development and grants administration; Rick Arnic, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Sharon Foerster, mayor; Andy Esquivel, community engagement coordinator; Joanna Morgan, city council member; Shawn and Anna Hernandez, Smithville Jamboree; Edward Balusek, assistant director of public works and utilities; and Karrie McKeown, Smithville Jamboree.

SMITHVILLE, Texas – The entrance to Vernon L. Richards Riverbend Park soon will have new signage thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with an additional $25,000 in matching funds from the City of Smithville, will pay for a large lighted sign at the park’s entrance.

“Riverbend Park is a real jewel, and the new sign will increase visibility by making the entrance easier to find,” said Robert Tamble, Smithville city manager. “The park has so much to offer to both local community members and out-of-town travelers. We believe this sign will help boost awareness and lead to even more use of the park and its facilities.”

Riverbend Park is located off Highway 71 and sits along the banks of the lower Colorado River. The park has overnight camping sites, baseball fields, playscapes, picnic areas, a lighted fishing pier, an 18-hole disc golf course, a pavilion and other recreational amenities. The park also hosts the Smithville Jamboree, Little League games and various other local functions throughout the year.

Tamble said this project would have stayed on Smithville’s to-do list without the additional funding from the grant. Now, the project is at the top of the list and soon will be completed.

“LCRA’s community programs have made such a positive impact on our city,” Tamble said. “We are very fortunate to have a conscientious organization like LCRA in our corner.”

The community grant is one of 46 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund 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.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. 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. For more information, visit lcra.org.

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