LCRA, City of Lexington award $25,000 grant for new lighting at ball fields
Lexington Youth Baseball and Softball Association will extend play time year-round
MAY 30, 2024
LEXINGTON, Texas – A $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Lexington will help the Lexington Youth Baseball and Softball Association (LYBSA) add permanent lighting to two fields at its sports complex in the heart of downtown Lexington.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $28,852 in matching funds from LYBSA, will cover the cost of purchasing two wood pole kits and four energy-efficient LED stadium light fixtures for one baseball field and one softball field.
“Our baseball and softball representatives are struggling to keep games and practices local due to the lack of lighting on our fields,” said Daysha Qualls, LYBSA fundraiser coordinator. “For safety reasons, we’ve had to call games early and shorten or relocate practices. We simply can’t compete with bigger cities when their complexes have lighting for games after dark.”
LYBSA’s sports complex currently has one field with permanent lighting, but it’s not enough to keep teams from having to travel out of town for evening practices. To help address the lighting issue, LYBSA has tried renting temporary lighting for the other two fields during the early part of the spring season to extend playing time as much as possible for its 25 teams. The temporary lighting is costly and is not a viable year-round solution, Qualls said.
“With over 300 kids, our baseball and softball programs bring a significant portion of our small community together each fall and spring,” said Qualls. “Permanent lighting at all three fields will help LYBSA continue to support growing participation in our programs while keeping practices and games in our own community.”
The CDPP grant accelerates funding and the timeline for permanent lighting by four years, Qualls said.
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 Lexington is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
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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