The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has awarded more than $30.9 million in park grants statewide, with over $7.39 million earmarked for local parks and community areas in East Texas.

The grants – which will be awarded to each park's local government – will be used to help develop, renovate, and otherwise improve recreational opportunities for local parks. Funds are awarded on a 50-50 reimbursement match basis, according to a press release.

"Once funded, the sites must remain parkland in perpetuity, properly maintained and open to the public," the release says.

Three different grants were awarded to to 50 Texas community parks based on population: An urban outdoor recreation grant for cities with populations more than 500,000; a non-urban outdoor recreation grant for cities with populations under 500,000; and a small community recreation grant for towns with populations fewer than 20,000.

In all, 16 grants were awarded in East Texas, and 11 were located within 100 miles of downtown Houston.

The list of Houston-area parks, funds, and uses for the grants are listed below:

• Angleton Recreation Center – $881,415 non-urban indoor grant for renovations.
• Abigail Arias Park in Angleton – $750,000 non-urban outdoor grant for development of a splash pad, trails, inclusive playground, native landscaping, and irrigation.
• Buffalo Camp County Park in Lake Jackson – $208,218 non-urban outdoor grant for renovations and rehabilitation of the park, including the new development of a pavilion with electric utilities and native landscaping. Renovations include the parking lot expansion, trail improvements, concrete pads for existing site amenities, gazebo improvements, repairing foot bridges, observation deck improvements, pond excavation, replacement of basketball goals, and inclusive playground equipment.
• City Park in Coldspring – $150,000 small community grant for the development of trails, playground, native landscaping, and lighting.
• Independence Park in College Station – $750,000 non-urban outdoor grant for a bike trail, asphalt pump track, bike stills area, dual elevated hub, wall rides, and surface flow trails.
• Midtown Park in Columbus – $150,000 small community grant for a development project which includes a new splash pad, accessible paths, and site amenities.
• Jones Park in Galveston – $375,000 non-urban outdoor grant renovations and development plans, including demolition, trails, site amenities, shade installation, bioswales, permeable basketball court, signage, native landscaping, and irrigation.
• John Paul Landing Environmental Education Center in Cypress – $468,724 urban outdoor grant for enhancements.
• Edgewater Park in Humble – $763,406 urban outdoor grant for enhancements, such as playground equipment, native landscaping, site amenities, a restroom, parking, access drive, and trails.
• Little Cedar Bayou Bridges Project in La Porte – $177,513 non-urban outdoor grant for a bird observation pier and pedestrian bridge improvements.
• Mason Park Community Center in Houston – $2 million urban indoor grant for improvements.

Other East Texas parks that were awarded grants include:

• Turner Park in Carthage – an undisclosed amount in a non-urban outdoor grant for development of playground equipment, lighted pavilion, native landscaping, site amenities, and trails.
• American Legion Park in Center – $250,000 non-urban outdoor grant for development of a lighted plaza, pickleball courts, yard games, trails, native landscaping, shade installation, site amenities, and program and interpretive signage.
• Little Creek Park in Mount Vernon – $325,000 non-urban outdoor grant for renovations and development plans, including a playground, resurfacing and restriping of sports courts, shade installation, site amenities, native landscaping, and signage.
• Pineland Park – $50,000 small community grant for sustainable and accessible improvements, such as playground equipment and surfacing, lighting, and interpretive signage. Renovations include resurfacing existing sports courts.
• Patriot Park in Troup – $92,000 small community grant for a playground equipment, accessible paths, site amenities, native landscaping, and signage.