JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
The Board of Mayor & Commissioners in South Pittsburg recently agreed to match grant funds for the city’s ongoing river park project under a new resolution.
City Administrator Michael Hudson explained how several years prior, the city’s previous administration applied for two grants to construct a new river park on 16 acres of land at Willow Avenue. The grants the city applied for were an LPRF (Local Parks and Recreation Fund) grant and an ARC (Appalachian Regional Commission) grant. Both are worth around $1 million dollars—the LPRF grant providing the highest amount at $1,571,000. The LPRF generated by the state to provide financial support to community parks and recreational facilities, and grants from ARC are provided to communities across 13 states encompassing the Appalachian Region.
Hudson explained that the previous board agreed to match the LPRF funds with the value of the property that the park is planned to be built at. Because of this, the LPRF grant also serves as a match with the ARC grant, further providing the city board the opportunity to be awarded the funds. The move was ultimately made to avoid needing cash in hand to match the grant funds.
Hudson stated that the newest resolution presented, Resolution 1053, allows for the funds to be added on file under the current administration as progress continues to be made establishing the park.
“Right now the project is currently in the environmental stage. There’s environmental studies going on down there on the property as we speak,” said Hudson.
The resolution has been given the thumbs up from the city board, and all funds awarded are now on file and ready for use during the ongoing river park project.