Bastrop County Cares (BCC) is excited to announce funding for recreation services that will serve Bastrop County.
Beginning in May 2021, Bastrop County Cares conducted a series of community engagement sessions that included the voices of over 296 youth and adults. The top priority identified in those working groups was, “Access to a safe place for community-led programming, resources, and support where we can grow a healthy Bastrop County Community.”
Thanks to funding from St. David’s Foundation and an investment from Bastrop County through the release of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, park and public use facilities will be built at Stony Point County Park.
In addition, purchasing a Mobile Recreation & Well-Being Unit will provide recreational programming for children, as well as opportunities for health-focused organizations to distribute resources to underserved, rural communities throughout Bastrop County.
The funding model for this project includes financial contributions from St. David’s Foundation, the Hogg Foundation on Mental Health, and the Episcopal Health Foundation. This is made possible by the inclusion of Bastrop County Cares’ collaboratives and coalitions, including The Resilient Bastrop County Initiative, the Early Childhood Coalition, the Community Health Worker Initiative, and Bastrop County Accountable Communities for Health.
Encouraging Resilience, Mental Health, and Well-Being in Bastrop County
Bastrop County has a need for this project – to increase recreational and learning opportunities for children and families as well as to enhance local assets to respond to public health crises, particularly in rural areas of the county. This project also responds to the need for meeting places available to communities outside city limits and improves infrastructure and health at multiple locations throughout Bastrop County.
As the Mobile Recreation & Well-Being Unit moves about the county, weekly trips to four identified communities will help us connect with families that include children, teens, parents, and seniors. With movement, mental health support, social connectivity, and access to healthcare resources representing intergenerational needs, we are confident in our approach to serve, not only from a whole-person perspective but also from a whole-family approach.
The Mobile Recreation & Well-Being Unit will also be available for events such as church picnics, health fairs, youth sports events, and more. Expansion of youth sports and arts programs into communities will help close equity gaps by activating social engagement, decreasing social isolation, and increasing physical health through participation in a variety of programs. The unit will be available to serve Bastrop County residents of all ages.
When Families Have Access To a Safe Place to be Active and Social, The Community Becomes Stronger
Enhancing local parks and public use facilities also provides families in rural communities with low-cost or no-cost options to host events such as birthday parties, as well as enhances rural public use facilities.
The proposed improvements for Stony Point Park will build on the relationships created in 2019 when Bastrop County and BCC partnered to build a new playground at the park. At that time, the primary request from youth in that community was to have a paved basketball court.
Connecting People With People to Take Action And Make an Impact
The Mobile Recreation & Well-Being Unit will enrich these opportunities at both sites, as well as at multiple locations throughout Bastrop County. Providing these services in a mobile capacity creates opportunities to engage any and all communities in Bastrop County over time, as well as increases partnerships in those communities that will lead to enhanced communication with local stakeholders and a better understanding of local needs.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates on these incredible resources coming to Bastrop County!