LCRA, City of Lampasas award $25,000 grant to Lampasas Trails

 

New trails for hiking and biking to be offered at 580 Sports Complex

MAY 16, 2024

LCRA and City of Lampasas representatives present a $25,000 grant to Lampasas Trails for a hike and bike trail system. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: John Palacio, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Kristina Hiler and James Allison, Lampasas Trails volunteers; Finley deGraffenried, city manager; Carol Freeman, Michael L. “Mike” Allen and Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board members; Kristi Allison, Lampasas Trails volunteer; Steve Dyer, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Mike Hiler, Lampasas Trails member; Cathy Kuehne, city council member, Place 4; and Ryan Ward, assistant city manager.
LAMPASAS, Texas – Lampasas Trails, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and maintaining trails in the Lampasas area, will be able to complete the first phase of a trail project, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Lampasas.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $80,600 in matching funds and in-kind donations from the organization, will pay for the construction and completion of the first 4-mile loop of a hike and bike trail at the 580 Sports Complex.

“Lampasas Trails was allocated property from the City of Lampasas to use at the 580 Sports Complex,” said Mike Hiler, a member of the Lampasas Trails organization. “We are working on building mountain biking and hiking trails out there for the whole community to utilize. There’s going to be roughly 8 miles of trails at completion.”

Rob Shivers, president of Lampasas Trails, was the original visionary behind the new trail system, Hiler said.

“He was making trails by hand by himself for several years with permission from the city, so we decided to get an organization together, and with the help of donations, his vision was brought to life,” Hiler said.

Hiler is excited that this grant will make it possible for Lampasas to have professionally built trails that are safe and great for anyone to use.

“We’ve been doing everything with donated money from the community, and now we are actually going to be able to complete the project,” Hiler said. “It’s going to be a great place for people to get out of the house, experience nature and get some exercise in.”

The community grant is one of 44 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. The City of Lampasas 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 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.

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Clara Tuma, Public Information Officer
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