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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved more than $20.6 million in local park grants, a near record, to help create and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities.

The competitive grants are allocated to local government entities on a 50/50 reimbursement match basis. Once funded, the sites must remain parkland in perpetuity, properly maintained and open to the public.

Forty community parks statewide will gain nature trails, native gardens, playgrounds, splash pads, dog parks, sports fields and other park amenities.

The commission, which administers the local park grants program for Texas, awarded grants to projects in various categories based on community population and scope.

Urban Outdoor Recreation Grants are reserved for local units of government with populations of more than 500,000.

Three communities received this grant.

Non-Urban Outdoor Recreation Grants fund park projects in municipalities under 500,000. The commission approved awards to projects in 21 communities.

Small Community Recreation Grants serve towns of less than 20,000 and were awarded to 16 communities.

The city of Nederland received a $150,000 small community grant for the improvement of Doornbos Park Pond project.

Nederland City Manager Chris Duque said this month that the Doornbos Park Pond Rehabilitation project has been awarded and construction is scheduled for completion by late April.

In addition, the large canopy near the new inclusive playground is being replaced.

Also at Doornbos Park, he said the tennis courts will be re-surfaced and the court lights will be repaired; anyone interested in the tennis court re-surfacing including pickleball striping should contact the Parks Department.