Bredesen Awards $11.3 Million In Parks And Recreation Grants
87 Local Parks and Recreation Grants, Recreation Trails Program Grants and Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants announced today
Nashville, Tenn. – Governor Phil Bredesen and Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke today announced more than $11.3 million in parks and recreation grants will be awarded to recipients across Tennessee. The announcement includes approximately $8.7 million in Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) grants, more than $2 million in Recreation Trails Program (RTP) grants, and $480,000 in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants.
“These grants will enhance and expand special places like parks, greenways and recreational facilities that are set aside for the enjoyment of our state’s citizens and visitors alike,” said Bredesen. “I’m extremely pleased that this year’s grant awards will allow us to help make 87 important projects a reality across the State of Tennessee.”
The Local Parks and Recreation Fund Grant Program was established in 1991 to provide local governments with funds to purchase land for parks, natural areas, greenways and recreational facilities. The funds may also be used for development of trails and projects in parks, natural areas and greenways. All LPRF grants require a 50 percent match by the recipient.
The Recreation Trails Program is a federally funded program established to distribute fund for motorized, non-motorized and diverse recreation trail projects. The funds are available to state, federal and local government agencies as well as private organizations that partner with government agencies. RTP funds may be used for maintenance, construction, acquisition, development and rehabilitation of trails. The maximum federal share for each project is 80 percent, so all RTP grant recipients must provide a 20 percent match.
The LWCF Grant Program was enacted by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 and provides matching grants through the state to local governments and state agencies that provide recreation and parks for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. LWCF grants require a 50 percent match by the recipient.
“These awards will help fund some very exciting projects,” said Fyke. “From the acquisition of property for the development of new municipal parks to the renovation of recreational facilities to make them ADA compliant to the construction of new athletic fields and walking trails, these projects run the gamut of recreational opportunities for Tennesseans and will be great assets to their communities.”
Grant recipients were selected through a scoring process with careful consideration given to the projects that met the selection criteria and expressed the greatest local recreation need. Mandatory regional workshops will be held for grant recipients in September 2006.
A complete list of the grants awards announced today follows.
| County* = multi-county | Grant Type | Name of the Recipient Organization | Grant Amount | Brief Project Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | LWCF | City of Clinton | $300,000 | To upgrade the community football field at Town Springs and additional improvements |
| Anderson | RTP | Norris Dam State Park | $80,000 | To construct a multi-user Lake View Trail at Norris Dam State Park |
| * Anderson * Campbell * Morgan * Scott |
RTP | TWRA | $671,299 | To renovate, improve and maintain existing off-highway vehicle trails at the Royal Blue and Sundquist Wildlife Management areas |
| Bedford | LPRF | Town of Bell Buckle | $10,000 | For amphitheater improvements at Bell Buckle Park |
| Blount | LPRF | City of Alcoa | $400,000 | New pool building for Springbrook Pool |
| Blount | LPRF | City of Maryville | $32,000 | To develop College Hills Park |
| Bradley | LPRF | City of Cleveland | $50,000 | Continued development of a nature-oriented open space recreation facility at Leonard Fletcher Park. |
| Bradley | RTP | City of Cleveland/Bradley County | $50,000 | For Phase 4 development of the Mouse Creek Greenway |
| Campbell | LPRF | Campbell County | $131,000 | Phase I development of White Bridge Park |
| Campbell | LPRF | Town of Caryville | $26,000 | Asbury Park improvements |
| Cannon | RTP | Town of Woodbury | $88,000 | To develop a hard surface walking trail around the perimeter of Brown Spurlock Park |
| Carroll | LPRF | Carroll Co., Huntingdon, Carroll Co. Watershed Authority | $350,000 | To purchase park land in conjunction with the development of Carroll County Lake |
| Carroll | LPRF | Town of Huntingdon | $175,000 | For renovation of parks, including facilities to bring the parks into ADA compliance and upgrade playground equipment |
| Claiborne | LPRF | Town of New Tazewell | $27,000 | Improvements at Gose Park |
| Claiborne | LPRF | Town of Tazewell | $80,000 | For improvements at Tazewell Town Park |
| Cocke | LPRF | City of Newport | $36,000 | For upgrades at Newport City Park/NGS Park including skate park development |
| Cocke | RTP | City of Newport | $84,000 | To acquire property to develop a greenway trailhead along the Pigeon River |
| * Cocke * Greene * Unicoi |
RTP | USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest | $80,000 | For the Nolichucky/Unaka Tri-trail Project at Cherokee National Forest |
| Coffee | LPRF | City of Manchester | $100,000 | Develop a new skate park at Fred Deadman Park |
| Coffee | LPRF | City of Tullahoma | $450,000 | Renovations at the D.W. Wilson Community Center |
| Coffee | RTP | City of Tullahoma | $100,000 | Phase three development of the Rock Creek Greenway |
| Davidson | LPRF | Davidson Co./Nashville | $400,000 | Acquisition of the historical Stone Hall structure for use as a nature and visitors center and park associated with the Stones River Greenway |
| Dickson | LPRF | City of Burns | $200,000 | To acquire property for the development of a municipal park for the City of Burns |
| Dyer | LPRF | City of Dyersburg | $150,000 | Improvements at the Dyersbury Activity Center |
| Fayette | LPRF | Town of Oakland | $58,806 | To expand the facilities at Cypress Creek Park |
| Franklin | LPRF | City of Winchester | $48,500 | To construct a soccer field complex and other improvements at Gamble Sports Complex |
| Franklin | RTP | Tims Ford State Park | $43,680 | To connect the visitor center at Tims Ford State Park with the Marble Plains Overlook Foot Trail |
| Gibson | LPRF | City of Dyer | $53,000 | Phase two development of David Robinson Recreation Park |
| Gibson | LPRF | City of Medina | $50,000 | Improvements to Lions Park |
| * Gibson * Obion |
LPRF | City of Kenton | $25,000 | Replace existing playground equipment at Kenton Community Park |
| Giles | LPRF | City of Ardmore | $60,000 | Park improvements including the construction of two multi-purpose fields for youth soccer and football at John Barnes Area Park. |
| Grainger | LPRF | Grainger County | $300,000 | For construction of park facilities at Grainger County Park and Washburn Park |
| Greene | RTP | Town of Greeneville | $99,000 | For phase one development of the Hal Henard Sports Compex walking trail |
| Hamilton | RTP | City of Chattanooga | $100,000 | To construct canoe and kayak launches along the South Chickamauga Greenway |
| Hamilton | LPRF | Hamilton Co./Chattanooga | $200,000 | Trail Development at the Enterprise South Nature Park |
| Hawkins | LPRF | Hawkins County | $25,000 | To renovate amenities at Laurel Run and St. Clair Parks |
| Haywood | LPRF | Brownsville/Haywood County | $86,125 | Install an elevator at the Brownsville/Haywood County College Hill Museum to make the project ADA compliant |
| Henry | LPRF | City of Paris | $156,000 | For construction of six lighted tennis courts by Paris Parks and Recreation |
| Humphreys | LPRF | City of New Johsonville | $115,000 | To restore and renovate the Charles L. Edwards Memorial Park |
| Humphreys | LPRF | City of Waverly | $150,000 | To develop a handicap accessible playground facility, make restrooms ADA compliant and other improvements at Asbury Park |
| Jefferson | LPRF | Jefferson City | $90,000 | To begin development of Centennial Park |
| Knox | LPRF | Knox Co./Knoxville | $100,000 | For tennis court renovation and other improvements at John Bynon West Hills Park |
| Knox | LPRF | Town of Farragut | $62,500 | Installation of athletic field lighting at Mayor Bob Leonard Park |
| Knox | RTP | Town of Farragut | $68,800 | To extend a current section of walking trail in Fox Run Subdivision |
| Lake | LPRF | City of Tiptonville | $36,500 | Improvements to the Tiptonville Recreational Park |
| Lauderdale | LPRF | Town of Halls | $186,000 | Renovate Kevan Ward Park and Crichfield Park |
| Lincoln | LPRF | City of Fayetteville | $42,000 | To construct a multi-use skateboard park in the existing Fayetteville Recreational/Kiwanis Complex |
| Lincoln | RTP | City of Fayetteville | $10,400 | To expand the walking trail located along the Elk River in the Stonebridge Father’s Memorial Park |
| Loudon | LPRF | City of Loudon | $100,000 | Development of new facilities at Municipal Park |
| Macon | LPRF | City of Lafayette | $40,000 | For additional development at City of LaFayette Park |
| Madison | RTP | City of Jackson | $50,000 | To construct multipurpose walking and bicycle trails in the Anderson Creek Mitigation Area |
| Marion | LPRF | City of New Hope | $15,000 | To construct a ballfield, restrooms and walking trail at New Hope Park |
| Maury | LPRF | Maury County Parks | $107,800 | Land acquisition for the expansion of Maury County Park |
| McMinn | LPRF | City of Etowah | $500,000 | Acquisition and development of the Etowah Recreation Center |
| McNairy | LPRF | City of Michie | $35,650 | Construction of a baseball field at Michie City Park |
| McNairy | LPRF | City of Selmer | $129,000 | Renovations at the Selmer Community Center |
| Monroe | RTP | Ft. Loudoun State Historic Area | $34,892 | To expand and renovate the Gateway to the Past Trail at Ft. Loudoun State Historic Area |
| Moore | LPRF | Metropolitan Moore Co. | $147,500 | For phase one development of the Metro Lynchburg/Moore County Park |
| Morgan | LPRF | Morgan County | $25,000 | Construction of an outdoor classroom for enviornmental education at Coalfield Community Park |
| Obion | LPRF | Town of Hornbeak | $14,178 | To install ballfield lighting at Hornbeak City Park |
| Pickett | LPRF | Town of Byrdstown | $15,000 | For phase four development of Byrdstown Community Park, including a t-ball field. |
| Polk | RTP | Hiwassee State Scenic River/Ocoee River Recreation Area | $40,000 | To renovate the Sugarloaf Interpretive Trail to provide wheelchair accessibility |
| Putnam | LPRF | City of Cookeville | $450,000 | To add a gymnasium at Cane Creek Park |
| Putnam | LPRF | Putnam County | $162,000 | Initial development of a multi-use trail between Cookeville and Monterey |
| Putnam | RTP | Town of Monterey | $75,000 | To develop a parking area and restroom facilities at the eastern terminus of the Tennessee Central Heritage Trail |
| Roane | LWCF | Roane County | $100,000 | For improvements at Roane County Caney Creek Park |
| Robertson | LPRF | City of Ridgetop | $400,000 | Phase one park development for the Wilson Park and trailhead. |
| Robertson | LPRF | City of Springfield | $238,000 | For additional developments at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park |
| Rutherford | RTP | City of LaVergne | $100,000 | For construction of a greenway to follow East Branch of Hurricane Creek and trailhead facilities at Brookside Park |
| Rutherford | LPRF | Rutherford Co. Conservation Board | $200,000 | To assist in the development of a multi-purpose community center at the Lane-Agri Park Complex |
| Scott | LPRF | Town of Oneida | $250,000 | Develop the new Oneida Bear Creek Park |
| Sevier | LPRF | City of Gatlinburg | $100,000 | To construct an ADA accessible fishing pier at Herbert Holt Park |
| Sevier | LPRF | City of Sevierville | $400,000 | Sevierville Family Aquatics Center renovations at Sevierville City Park |
| Shelby | LPRF | City of Lakeland | $142,000 | Phase two development of Windward Slopes Park |
| Shelby | RTP | Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park | $77,586 | To construct a multi-purpose trail and parking area for horse trailers at trailhead |
| Shelby | LPRF | Shelby County | $150,000 | To construct a new public restroom at Plough Park of Shelby Farms to include an information kiosk and accommodations for concessions |
| Sullivan | LPRF | City of Kingsport | $250,000 | Enhancements at Wyerhauser Park and Eastman Park at Horse Creek |
| Sumner | LWCF | City of Gallatin | $80,000 | To develop the Triple Creek Walking Trail and restrooms |
| Sumner | LPRF | City of Portland | $73,000 | For development of ball fields at Richland Park |
| Sumner | RTP | Bledsoe Creek State Park | $40,000 To construct an ADA approved elevated boardwalk trail | |
| Tipton | LPRF | Tipton Co., Munford | $67,500 | To develop a skateboard park at Poplar Park |
| Tipton | LPRF | Town of Garland | $145,000 | To construct a new recreational facility at Town of Garland Park |
| Washington | LPRF | Town of Jonesborough | $130,000 | To develop walkways and other facilities in Stage Road Park and Raines/Parrish Park |
| Wayne | RTP | City of Clifton | $45,678 | To construct recreational trails at Clifton Recreational Park |
| White | RTP | City of Sparta | $79,960 | To extend and enhance the Calfkiller River Trail system |
| Williamson | RTP | City of Fairview | $10,600 | To purchase trail improvement equipment at Bowie Nature Park |
| Williamson | RTP | City of Franklin | $100,000 | To develop the Harpeth River Greenway bike and pedestrian trail at Bicentennial Park |
For more information contact:
Tisha Calabrese-Benton
Office (865) 594-5442