Hundreds of Lower Colorado River Authority employees volunteered on dozens of community projects as part of LCRA’s second annual Steps Forward Day on April 1.
“We are proud to give back to the communities we serve,” said Phil Wilson, LCRA general manager. “LCRA volunteers are stepping forward to paint, plant trees and do carpentry work across our service territory today. The very core of LCRA’s mission is to enhance the lives of the Texans we serve, and it’s an honor to serve these communities.”
Steps Forward Day projects included:
- Trimming trees and clearing brush at Vernon L. Richards Riverbend Park in Smithville to allow better access to the lower Colorado River.
- Cleaning up landscaping at the Smithville Police Department.
- Removing trash and trimming vegetation along Town Creek, and making improvements at Bindseil City Park in Blanco. Volunteers from Pedernales Electric Cooperative, one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers; Keep Blanco Beautiful; and the City of Blanco joined in the effort.
- Cleaning up litter in Marble Falls.
- Landscaping the new Luling Information Station, and painting benches and light fixtures in downtown Luling.
- Cleaning up 16 acres of forested area in Hill Park in Weimar to create natural walking and biking trails.
- Trimming and removing trees, and clearing brush at the Old Flatonia Cemetery in Flatonia. Volunteers from the city’s utility crew joined in the effort.
- Repainting the inside of Moulton City Hall.
- Repainting the interior walls of the Moulton Community Center.
- Repainting the city gazebo in Moulton.
- Working with Yoakum parks staff to repair and paint the gazebo and bridge at Centennial Park in Yoakum.
- Improving the grounds at the Yoakum Police Department shooting range and repainting the department’s training room.
- Painting about 90 city fire hydrants in Hallettsville.
- Renovating the landscaping at the French Simpson Memorial Library in Hallettsville.
- Removing peeling paint from the outside of the building and preparing restroom walls for repainting at the Guard Shack in Lexington.
- Picking up trash and planting about 20 trees along Cottonwood Creek in Bay City.
- Painting playground equipment and restroom facilities, and removing unsafe playscape pieces at Brady Lake Park in Brady.
- Removing trash and debris from the north side of Brady Lake Park in Brady.
- Removing trees from around the north shore boat ramp at Brady Lake Park in Brady so the city can expand the boat ramp.
- Building bat racks for several baseball and softball complexes in Brenham.
- Repainting park amenities at Willie Bell Park in El Campo.
- Cleared debris and weeds along the Colorado River at Riverfront Park in Wharton.
- Repairing trails, repairing holes in fencing, and cleaning up the concrete entry area and other features at Cedar Bark Park in Cedar Park.
- Repairing the perimeter trail with crushed granite at Veterans Memorial Park in Cedar Park.
Several other projects were postponed until April 8 because of rain.
Community leaders say many of the projects could not be completed without the Steps Forward Day help.
This year, about 700 LCRA employees volunteered to work on some 40 projects from the Hill Country to the Texas Gulf Coast. Participating cities include Bastrop, Bay City, Blanco, Brady, Brenham, Burnet, Cedar Park, El Campo, Flatonia, Fredericksburg, Gonzales, Hallettsville, Horseshoe Bay, Johnson City, Lampasas, Lexington, Llano, Luling, Marble Falls, Mason, Moulton, Smithville, Weimar, Wharton and Yoakum.
LCRA Steps Forward is an employee volunteer program that launched in 2015. LCRA supplies the labor and some or all of the materials needed to complete the community projects.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; ensuring a clean, reliable water supply; and offering access to nature at more than 40 parks, recreation areas and river access sites along the Texas Colorado River, from the Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to enhancing the lives of Texans through water stewardship, energy and community services. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934. The organization neither levies taxes nor receives tax money. For more information, visit
LCRA.org.
Media Contact
Clara Tuma
512–578–3292
clara.tuma@lcra.org
Source: LCRA Business News
