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Richland County board approves grant applications, accepts donations to upgrade Simons Recreation Complex
Summary
The board approved applications for a $150,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant (50/50 match) for tennis/basketball court renovations and a $40,000 Recreational Trails Program grant (20% match) for trail signage and benches; the board also accepted $9,113 in foundation donations and several program grants.
The Richland County Board on May 20 approved applications for two state/DNR‑administered grants and accepted foundation donations and programming grants to support improvements and programming at the Simons Recreation Complex.
The county authorized the Simons Recreation Complex director to apply for a 2025 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant for up to $150,000 to renovate the former campus tennis and basketball courts. LWCF grants are 50/50 federal/state grants; the county will seek matching funds from donations or other local sources if the grant is awarded. County staff estimated a full replacement of the courts could cost about $300,000; officials said a partial project could be scaled depending on amounts raised.
Separately the board approved an application for a 2025 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant of up to $40,000 to support wayfinding signs, interpretive signs and benches on the former campus wellness trails. The RTP grant requires a 20% local match; the Natatorium/Foundation has already identified funds to contribute part of the match and the plan is to combine multiple sources to cover the local requirement.
The board also accepted $9,113 in donations from the Simons Recreation Complex Foundation to pay for upgrades including keyless door readers, marketing postcards, in‑facility screens, a floor scrubber, a pool basketball hoop replacement and a retractable hose reel. In addition, the board accepted three programming grants: a $500 grant for a new kayak class, a $3,000 grant to fund free swim lessons for third‑graders in the district and a $10,000 grant to cover transportation for enrichment programming (the transcript labels the funder as a regional family foundation).
Both DNR grants would be awarded in early 2026 if successful; the county would then have two years to expend the funds and complete projects. Board members discussed fundraising approaches, the possibility of involving the Simons foundation and other partners for matching dollars, and the priority of court replacement versus other facility needs.
Why it matters: The projects aim to reopen underused campus facilities, improve trails and expand programming with external grant funds and private donations; capital and maintenance implications were part of the board’s discussion.
What happens next: Staff will submit the LWCF and RTP grant applications, pursue matching funds if awards are made, and implement upgrades as funding allows.
