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Parks board eyes $1.5 million state grant to overhaul North Bay Park; $450,000 local match discussed
Summary
Ocean Shores Parks Board discussed applying for a Recreation and Conservation Office grant worth $1.5 million to replace playground equipment and upgrade fields at North Bay Park; board members said the city would likely need to commit about $450,000 for a 30% match tier and pursued smaller grants for near-term baseball-field repairs.
Ocean Shores Parks Board members on July 9 discussed pursuing a $1.5 million Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) youth recreation facilities grant to overhaul North Bay Park, noting the state grant program requires a local match and that the city would need to authorize money before applying.
The board’s lead speaker said the grant amount is "1 and a half million dollars" and that the program has a 50% match requirement, though the city could qualify for a 30% match tier that would require about $450,000 from local sources. The speaker added the board might not qualify for the deeper 10% match tier because of local income brackets.
Why it matters: If awarded and matched, the RCO grant would fund major outdoor-youth-facility upgrades at North Bay Park — a site the board identified as hosting aging playground equipment and field areas used by the high school baseball team.
Board members described the RCO process as a multi-step application that pre-screens projects; the next funding opportunity was described as opening in April. The board did not take a formal vote or adopt a funding commitment at the July 9 meeting.
Separately, board members reported the city recently received a $5,000 grant from the Grays Harbor Community Foundation to make small improvements to the baseball field — repaint foul poles, add distance markers, clean weeds, and add bleachers and a manual scoreboard. Board members said the $5,000 grant will be used for those near-term repairs and that the city is considering applying for an additional $30,000 grant round in October for related work.
Discussion and constraints: Members stressed maintenance obligations if larger upgrades proceed, noting the city or public-works staff would have to maintain turf and weeds and that ballfield improvements would require coordination with the school athletic director and volunteers. The board also discussed fundraising and partnerships — including possible involvement of a booster club and the Parks Foundation — to help provide the local match.
Action status and next steps: No formal authorization to commit matching funds was recorded during the meeting. A board member said, "Would need to authorize $450,000 if that's the 30% match requirement," but no motion or vote followed. Members said they planned to pursue the RCO pre-application process and to seek other grant opportunities while clarifying match availability.
Ending: Board members said they will continue planning and outreach to identify funding partners and will revisit the matter before the next RCO application cycle.
