PEC and LCRA award $25K grant to Junction Independent School District
Grant will update, refurbish Junction school playground
This story is courtesy of the LCRA.
The Junction Independent School District soon will update its elementary school playground and install a new playscape, thanks to a $25,000 community development grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and Pedernales Electric Cooperative.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with matching contributions from the school district, will enable major repairs and updates to be made to the school playground. The district also will add a new, larger playscape complete with spiral slides, climbing walls, bridges and saddle seats. Once complete, the renovated playground will comply with the American with Disabilities Act and will be accessible to all children.
The upgrades will create a safer, more interactive area for students and visitors.
“The elementary school is centrally located in our small community,” said Jurahee Silvers, Junction Elementary School principal. “Parents bring their children to play at the playground during our high school football games, on weekends or during local community events. We consider this a community playground. Every school-aged child should have safe environment in which to play.”
The playground serves over 500 local students every day.
The community grant is one of a number of grants recently awarded through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. The program provides economic development and community assistance grants to cities, counties, volunteer fire departments, regional development councils and other nonprofit organizations in LCRA’s wholesale electric and water service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. PEC is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted Jan. 1-31, 2019. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.