LCRA awards $15,715 grant to Matagorda Historical Society for upgrades at Heritage Park

New lighting, fencing and backstop netting will enhance safety, fun for athletes and park visitors

LCRA representatives present a $15,715 grant to the Matagorda Historical Society for improvements at Matagorda Heritage Park. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Rachele Rawlings, historical society member; Sabrina Hamilton, historical society board member; Pat Williams and Chip Wood, historical society members; Dawn Gerstenberger, historical society ways and means chairperson; Cynthia Wood, historical society member; Cindy Howell, historical society executive director, curator and grant facilitator; Teresa Gibbons, Matagorda Chamber of Commerce secretary; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Tom Rackley, historical society member; Jo Sutton, historical society president; Bill Gerstenberger, historical society parliamentarian and historian; Betty Stephens, historical society vice president and secretary; Tom Sutton and Eda Long, historical society members; Bill Howell, historical society member and project manager; and Kate Ramzinski, LCRA Regional Affairs representative.
MATAGORDA, Texas – The Matagorda Historical Society soon will add improved lighting, backstop netting and fencing at Matagorda Heritage Park, thanks in part to a $15,715 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The LCRA Community Development Partnership Program grant will be combined with $4,177 in matching funds from the historical society to create a safer, more welcoming environment for athletes, local families and visitors. The organization hopes the improved site will be able to host sporting events such as softball, basketball and kickball, as well as family picnics and other social gatherings.

“We are incredibly grateful for this generous grant from LCRA, which enables us to make essential updates that will enhance this gathering space,” said Cindy Howell, executive director, curator and grant facilitator for the Matagorda Historical Society.

“Matagorda is a small township with limited public spaces for families to gather outdoors, especially since the school playground is no longer accessible to the public,” she said. “This grant will make a real difference for local families and children, giving them a safe, welcoming place to enjoy activities together. With our museum also located at the park, we’re excited to share Matagorda’s rich history with everyone who visits in the years to come.”

The project will complement the area’s beach and boating attractions with an accessible, family-friendly space able to accommodate both sports and community events and gatherings, drawing more people to the area and supporting local businesses. The historical society hopes to add a pavilion to the site in the future.

The Matagorda Historical Society, a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers, is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Matagorda. The society maintains three historical buildings, erects markers at historical sites and hosts annual events to educate and engage both residents and visitors about the township’s rich heritage.

The community grant is one of 37 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.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January 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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