State Board Approves Local Grants

COLUMBUS – The State Controlling Board today approved the release of grant funding for more than 100 local NatureWorks projects, including several in Southeast Ohio, State Representative Jay Edwards announced.

NatureWorks projects are funded through the Ohio Parks and Natural Resources Bond Issue which was approved by Ohio voters in November 1993. 

“This is a good program that supports projects in local communities in our area and across the state,” said Edwards (R-Nelsonville). 

Area projects in this latest round of grants include:

• Athens County - $25,833 for Chauncey for improvements at Chauncey Dover Park. The work includes development of support facilities for the park and trailhead.
• Meigs County - $24,959 for Syracuse for improvements at Syracuse Municipal Park. Those improvements include the addition of a swing set, park benches, trash receptacles, resurfacing tennis courts and rehabilitating the batting cage.
• Washington County – Two grants were approved. Muskingum Township will receive $33,934 for the restroom project at Oak Grove Recreational Park, while Warren Township will receive $21,123 for the aluminum dock at the pond at Inman Liberty Park.

These were among 115 projects being awarded a combined $5.2 million from this latest round of NatureWorks grant funding.

The NatureWorks grant program provides up to 75 percent reimbursement assistance for local government subdivisions (townships, villages, cities, counties, park districts, joint recreation districts, and conservancy districts) for the acquisition, development, and rehabilitation of recreational areas.

Since NatureWorks' inception, the grant has funded over 2300 public park projects in all 88 counties.