City to accept Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for Downtown Gateway and Greenway phase 1

City staff told the Committee of the Whole the city received notice last fall that it had been awarded funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, for the Downtown Gateway and Greenway Phase 1 project. The committee advanced the grant agreement for council action. Staff said final grant agreement language took time to complete and that the project’s detailed design work has been under way since January with Houston Engineering and RDG. Staff has gathered public input, including a public engagement presence at the Farmers Market where families and children were asked to indicate preferred features such as riverscape elements, trails, climbing and play structures and ADA-accessible river access. Staff said the project area was selected in part because it is inside a Justice40-designated disadvantaged community. Staff described a project timeline that aims to bid the work this winter for construction in 2026–2027; the grant has an anticipated expiration in 2029, staff said. The staff report referenced a proposed city match figure described in the meeting as “4,154” (staff said the mayor recommended including that amount and identified flood protection capital dollars and economic development funds as the sources to repay that match over time); staff said that repayment was estimated at about $175,000 over 20 years. Council members asked about restroom maintenance, management responsibilities, and coordination with the Grand Forks Park District and destination-park planning that the park district has commissioned. Council approved advancing the agreement to the full council. Staff said final design will continue based on public input and that construction could begin as soon as next year pending bidding and final agreements.