Parks in St. Clair Shores, Oak Park recommended to receive state grants
Funding to be used for upgrades
Two parks in St. Clair Shores and Oak Park will likely see a total of $ 400,000 in upgrades as part of funding recommendations by the state Department of Natural Resources.
In St. Clair Shores, the city is slated to receive $300,000 to improve field lighting and a “universal access playground” at Kyte Monroe Memorial Field on Harper Avenue south of 14 Mile Road.
Also, the Nine Mile Connector Park in Oak Park likely will receive general development upgrades.
“That’s fantastic, that’s awesome,” said Henry Bowman, St. Clair Shores Parks and Recreation director when informed of the recommendation for his city. “I’m really excited about the playground.”
The recommendations will be sent to the National Park Service for federal approval. They are part of $5.4 million the DNR has OK’d for 14 projects to improve parks, trails and sports facilities statewide in its Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant program.
“This fund is an excellent example of successful collaboration among federal, state and local government partners who are focused on bringing realworld health and social benefits to residents and visitors,” said Dan Lord, DNR grants manager.
Other metropolitan Detroit projects include $1.35 million for phase two of the Iron Belle Trail Loop at Belle Isle Park in Detroit; $465,400 to the Lower Huron Metropark in Belleville
for development of the Walnut Grove Campground and “off-leash dog area;” and $300,000 improvements to Montibeller Park in Pittsfield Township.
At Kyte Monroe, the six ball diamonds with lights and the single diamond without lights as well as the soccer fields will receive new LED, energey efficient lights. The soccer fields are located in the northeast corner of the park.
“The lights we have there now require a lot of maintenance,” said Bill Gambill, assistant city manager. “They’ll last longer and provide better lighting.”
The playground near the batting cages will be renovated, with wood chips replaced by a 70 x 70 foot rubberized ground surface for better wheelchair access, Gambill said. New equipment pieces, designed for children aged 2 to 5 and 5 to 12, will replace existing equipment.
Gambill said he hopes the projects can be completed next summer.
This is the third time in five years the city has received this type of grant, Gambill said. Improvements to Brys Park near Harper and Old Eight Mile Road were approved last year but the work has been
delayed. Officials hope the $71,000 grant to improve the playgound and renovate the bathrooms can be implemented in early 2021.
The city also received funds in 2017 to build a skateboard facility at Kyte Monroe.
The LWCF is supported by revenues from federal gas and oil development from the Gulf of Mexico. Following congressional appropriation, the monies are apportioned to the states by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior each fiscal year.
The Great American Outdoors Act, signed into law in August, established permanent funding for LWCF. Michigan is poised to see an increase in funding for the grant program, which it administers on behalf of the National Park Service. In anticipation of next year’s funding increase, the DNR is raising the maximum application request from $300,000 to $500,000 for the 2021 application cycle.
Eligible applicants include any unit of government with legal authority to provide recreation. Application materials and information are available at Michigan. gov/ LWCFGrants. Applications for the 2021 funding cycle are due April 1.