By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The Wod County Park District Board of Commissioners awarded $100,000 in grants to 19 parks and recreation projects across Wood County to add pickleball nets, a bicycle repair station, and benches; repave and resurface tennis, pickleball and basketball court, and walkway; and refurbish a bridge and boardwalk.
“Every year since we passed the (park district) levy in 2019, we’ve put money aside out of the budget to do local improvement grants,” said Executive Director Christopher Smalley. “The grants are a way for us to help some of the municipalities around Wood County to do recreation and park-based projects in their respective areas.”
Three non-Wood County park professionals reviewed and scored 46 applications from 21 local communities, Smalley said. Every municipality can submit up to three grant applications.
The directors of the Hancock County and Sandusky County park districts and the retired director from Erie Metro Parks “helped score the projects,” he said. “They have decades anddeades of park experience.They know the limit is $100,000 and they decide who’s going to get what, which is great. That way we are not deciding on our own.”
Smalley was pleased with all the awarded projects.
“I thought it was nice that Troy Township was doing one for walking path improvements. But sometimes it is the simple things that they need help with that they just done have the resources in house, such as Pemberville needing a hot water heater replaced in one of their park facilities,” he said. “The projects don’t have to be glamorous, but if they help move the recreation project ts forward for their community, then we’re happy to help.”
This year’s community projects that received awards and the grant amount are as follows:
- Bloomdale, $ 1,579.00, Pickle Ball Net & Benches
- Bowling Green, $10,000, boardwalk replacement at Black Swamp Preserve
- Bradner, 2,241, trash cans & waste receptacles
- Custar, 8,075, climbing equipment
- Fostoria, 5,500, Bridge refurbishment
- Grand Rapids, 9,285, pickleball and basketball court resurfacing
- Haskins, 3,975, picnic tables
- Jerry City, 10,000, athletic field renovations
- Lake Township, $5,000, waste receptacles
- North Baltimore, 4,836, vinyl chain link fence
- Northwood, 6,500, picnic tables
- Pemberville, 3,250, replacement hot water heater
- Perrysburg Township, $5,400, walkway repaving
- Portage, $6,850, Playground slide
- Rossford, $3,996, Park lighting upgrade
- Troy Township, $2,620, Walking path improvements
- Wayne, $5,700, Swing benches
- Walbridge, $2,743, Bicycle repair station
- Webster Township, $2,450, Playground safety surfacing
