Thanks Jeffwilliams,

As a politician would say, I misremembered.

Thanks for the clarification, it's Mr. Reyna that is the finance director. So many administrators names to remember.

A question for Dtewes, If the city uses the land as the matching grant, does that mean that the land then becomes state property administered by Texas Parks and Wildlife department?

Waterpark? Please, no splashtown,slippery road kinda deal.

Have you look at the ball fields around the Community Center. Am I the only one who thinks all that chainlink looks like a prison? What an eyesore!

What about a tunnel/overpass/crossing guard/ninja for connecting the "hike and bike" trail to the new park? Don't forget that little detail, city leaders.

Can someone fill me in is it going to be a park with a sprinkler type playground, or an acutal water park like splashwave? They should charge to get in like the City pool and the zoo, then it can help pay to maintainence itself, and that should keep the thugs out.

What about a youth Football field? We have so vey many baseball fields but not 1 football field for the CYFL kids. There are other sport other then baseball.

It's easy to come up with the right conclusion when you have the proper facts. I didn't really change my mind, I just understand both sides of the argument. I didn't know that the city had to match the grant money.

The city is required to provide a $500,000 match for the state grant. But the city is permitted to and will use the value of the land as its match.

I do not understand what is so bad about doing something nice for the community. Especially something nice for the kids, somewhere they can hang out and chill. Now I remember why I do not live in Victoria anymore. God forbid Victoria does something positive!

catahula

I agree with you many people see grants as free money but it comes from taxes in some form of fashion. I think the park is in David Hagens area.

I can't wait to see the theme park we get during the depression.

Let us review the upwardly-trending unemployment rate:
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/weblo...

Soybomb...I don't care if the thugs come from over/under/other/my side of town....bringing any kind of trashy behavior we don't want in or around our neighborhood won't be acceptable and the neighbors are in agreement with us around here. We sure as heck pay enough taxes to live on "this side" so I dang well have expectations with it. We've worked very hard to have what we have and nothing has been given to us so if for one minute we think it's going to be taken away because of idiot thugs...we'll do what we have to do. So if you're a thug with thuggy intentions you might want to pass on the playtime in the waterpark. Lots of eyes will be watching..

legion357,

Mr. James (always dressed nicely with almost shoulder length silver white hair) is over environmental services and has nothing to do with the park (parks & recreation).

There have been several grants mentioned at meetings and it does get confusing. There is a grant to replace police radios that has no matching funds but I don't recall one that James mentioned. I just checked the agendas and the radio grant (which does not have a matching requirement) is the only one mentioned for the meetings on the 1st and 8th of this month.

There is no question the $500K grant has to be matched as it is reflected in the proposed budget.

First I don't mean to accuse anyone of not speaking the truth.

I watched the council meeting last night on Ch.15, the city finance director guy said that no matching funds where required for the TPW water park grant, so uhh, who is right?

The $80K a year maintenance was mentioned, but Mr. James (?) said that no matching grant was required.

Sooo,if that is true what is the one time expenditure of $500k for exactly?

Some one is not telling the truth, but I am not sure who is or isn't.

Definitely time for the unrespectful mayor and flim flam city council to be dumped on their respective ears, did I misspell ears?

What about surveliance cameras and militant security guards around the clock to make sure citizens from the "other side of town" do not bring there music,beer,and graffiti to this part of town.

Excuse me fools....where do you think grant monies come from? The grant fairies? No our tax dollars we have to send to Washington so they can parcel them out and send them back out...in a lesser amount because in the mean time we have paid for some idiot's salary in Washington.

I can't understand the mentality where people think grants, free medical coverage and all is from free money. It is not. That money is coming out the pockets of your neighbor and friends.

Now here we are in the midst of a drought and talking about a water park. A Water PARK!!!! A lot of expletives could be used for any dumb person that voted on this project from the bottom up. Those same funds could be used for something educational oops, but that is way over the heads of whomever voted fot this park.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. We can't pay the current bills, so lets make some more bills we can't pay. Sounds like they eat Obama cereal crunch for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Trust me, I print the money. Trust me, I will raise the taxes.

Trust me....it is time to change my vote.

Jeff..80K a year maintenance just for this park?

So how exactly is a public water park going to work? What about the liability insurance for this type of park , how much is that gonna cost?

Thank you Mr. Williams. If that is true, then I can agree with anyone else who thinks those tax dollars can be spent somewhere else. I didn't think the city would have to spend their own money on this project, and the maintenance thing is common sense. 80K? I don't know if that figure is accurate, but dang!

I, too, live in the area of the proposed park, but I'd rather see first-responders get some raises before we get a park. It would be nice to get a park in our area, but I think it can wait for a year or two.

I continue to find it amazing that incomplete information is always presented. Yes, there is a $500K grant but the city has to match it dollar for dollar to receive it. There is a $500K line item in the proposed budget for matching funds and then $80K a year for maintenance going forward. I read the news article twice and I see no mention of the city match.

OMG! Nonya ... wah wah ! Get over it ! In case you haven't noticed there are kids on all sides of victoria. This park is for our kids and there families how can it be a bad thing? Victoria needs more recreation areas and events to keep victorians here instead of going other places and spending there money. Fixing the Riverside park just so it can be rebuilt every few years when it floods is just pointless already ,time and money waisted.This is coming from a resident of the South Side. As far as the Southside paying taxes longer,If you open your eyes you will realize that what started as Southside found a way to move up & over, its not there fault that some stayed behind. Those Eastside residence started somewhere probably on the south side, get a clue !

I live close to this area so I am one of "those people" who live on that side. I promise you, we did not cry for this park. The questions I asked are: Is it going to bring in people who disrespect the parks with trash, loud music, drinking, the notorious graffiti artist? Will there be more car, pedestrian and bike traffic problems brought on along with the walking trail? Will my property value go down because of these possibilities? If all works out how it's meant to be, then great! It will be a positive thing. But our city must be diligent in making sure all these issues are taken care of and not let go. I especially like the idea of practice fields. Good use of land.

I dont really care where the money comes from .I mean taxes are like death it cannot be avoided.If the kids can use it ,then its great.Better than having the money sitting in an account somewhere.

I'm with scout. How will there be so many fields for sball/bball and soccer plus have 75 parking spots and the water park?!? Build it functional so that it is all useable. But this is a cool idea--Luv it!

Nonya---chill out!!! Most of the money comes from grant monies. Just like SS, welfare, unemployment, taxes and whatever else that society puts into the barrel to help out the lest fortunate. Even your electric/cell fee taxes us for poorer rural service. So get your panties out of your discharge hole. The Sside has the "community" pool, library, and new city sports complex just to name a few. Victoria is big enough now that we should have several pools and possibly a library on the North side of town. VISD thinks so, look where the 2 new HS are being built. So, if nothing elsa Nonya--you can move!

I would have to say that a big part of the parks and rec. budget goes to riverside park. Then every five years or so it floods and it cost us more money. As far as the Zoo is concerned my thoughts on that is "IF IT IS NOT SELF SUFFICIENT, WE DON'T NEED IT" that goes for Vic. Transient also.

The sad part about the Zoo is I believe it could be self sufficient if it run right.

"The Texas Recreation and Parks Account (TRPA) is funded through a portion of Texas sales tax received on select sporting good items. TRPA is administered by TPWD's Recreation Grants Branch and funds five grant programs."

I understand that, but my point was that building this park won't raise taxes. This money is coming from somewhere else, other than the money collected by the Victoria taxing entities.

Grim, "Grant money is tax money" you people need to realize that this money comes from somewhere, it is not FREE. This comes from Parks and Wildlife website.

"The Texas Recreation and Parks Account (TRPA) is funded through a portion of Texas sales tax received on select sporting good items. TRPA is administered by TPWD's Recreation Grants Branch and funds five grant programs."

I don't have a problem with the city building this park, it's nice to see something being done on this side of town. I just hope people use some common sense and watch there kids so we don't have a drowning.

I would also like to thank all the fellow Sportsmen who help fund this Grant.

Yea it's still a grant but where to you think the money came from dah....oh thats right it grows on trees..wake up and stop making excuses...they still want to pump money into the zoo and it still floods

"The city of Victoria has been approved for a $500,000 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant"

They're not using tax dollars to build it, they're using the grant money, money that is meant to be spent on building a new park.

I understand your concerns, but geez. I guess people always have to complain about something.

Excellent location, excellent idea, if we want to attract young, educated families to Victoria, nice park facilities are one way to do it. I agree Riverside is a beautiful park, but the constant threat of floods would prevent me from backing more funding in that area.
Way to go Mr. Cochran!

Way to go City of Victoria, go and waste money on something thats not needed, why don't you dummies fix up Riverside Park....it used to be a very beautiful park with it's little train and carnival like atmosphere...but oh yea it's on the south side of town, don,t want to spend any money there unless it's for some stupid sidewalks for downtown.I guess the cry babies on that side of town get what ever they want...spoiled little brats. The people on the south side of town have paid taxes far longer than the east side and guess what, no improvements,but thats our useless city council at work again, oh my bad not city council but a few good, the rest bad and the ugly useless spenders....

WHERE'S A PARK FOR GREEN'S ADDITION??? WHY DOESN'T THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE A PARK???

"Dump some more money on the waterpark side of it."...so it can be littered with trash & used diapers like every other public place in Victoria.
Only this time, it will be wet...

Dump some more money on the waterpark side of it.

Let the tax money spending bashing begin

It's always nice to hear when more parks are being developed. Way to go Victoria!

please make the fields functional. go see tracy lee park. those fields you cant use. cant. think ahead. see where water drains, make the fields level, practical, functional and durable. come on now. otherwise nice to hear this.