Council authorizes intent to apply for $800,000 LWCF grant for skateboard park; town would owe 50% match

The Bedford Town Council on June 11 authorized the town manager to submit an intent-to-apply form and meet with the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to discuss a proposed $800,000 skateboard park project and possible participation in the federal/state Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) state and local assistance program.

Town Manager Rick Sawyer said the LWCF grant is a 50/50 program; the town would need to provide a local match equal to 50% of the awarded funds. Sawyer said community fundraising to date — just over $100,000 — could be applied toward the match, and that donations within a three-year lookback window can count toward the match. He cautioned that the LWCF process requires a pre-eligibility review before a full application and that a successful award likely would not produce funds until 2026 or 2027 because of program timing.

Councilors asked whether the town would be obligated to accept the grant if invited; staff and the manager clarified the town would not be obliged to accept an award and that acceptance requires a subsequent council vote. Councilor Gail Levesque raised optics concerns because voters had previously rejected funding for the skatepark in March; Sawyer and others said the current step is only to request pre-eligibility and does not obligate town funds.

Councilor Michael Strand moved the authorization and Councilor (last name recorded as) Bask seconded. The motion passed 7-0.

If the town receives an invitation to apply after the pre-eligibility step, staff said the council would then review any funding commitments, including whether the match would come entirely from private fundraising, reserves, borrowing or a combination. The authorization given on June 11 covers only the initial pre-application and project review steps, not acceptance of grant funds.