Parks board votes to submit Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for Riverside Park improvements

The Logansport Parks and Recreation Board on a voice vote approved a resolution to submit a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant application to support improvements at Riverside Park. The board moved to send the application forward and members responded in the affirmative when asked to signify by saying “aye.”

Board members said the proposal would fund accessibility and recreation upgrades at Riverside Park, including playground equipment, safety surfacing, support facilities such as parking and drinking fountains, and restroom enhancements. The board was told the LWCF award process requires further review by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and then the National Park Service; staff said that National Park Service review may take roughly a year after the DNR forwards an accepted application.

The board heard that the LWCF program has a maximum grant award of $1 million and requires a 50% local match. Staff described a planning assumption that the city would provide roughly $500,000 and the Redevelopment Commission would provide another $500,000; if matching funds cannot be put together, the plan would be scaled back to a less expensive alternative. Board discussion also noted that Riverside Park has been included in the city’s capital improvement plan for several years and that parts of the park area fall within a TIF (tax increment finance) district.

The vote authorizes staff to proceed with the LWCF grant application and to pursue city and RDC commitments for the match. Staff said the August 1 application deadline requires a match commitment to be identified by the time of application.