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Casper seeks $200,000 in US Conference of Mayors grants for Eastdale bike trails and Washington Park tennis courts
Summary
City staff asked the Casper City Council on Wednesday for permission to submit two grant applications through the U.S. Conference of Mayors/American Beverage Foundation totaling $200,000 to support a soft‑surface bike trail at Eastdale Park and completion of tennis courts at Washington Park.
City staff asked the Casper City Council on Wednesday for permission to submit two grant applications through the U.S. Conference of Mayors/American Beverage Foundation for Healthy America for projects at Eastdale Park and Washington Park.
Interim Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Director Nick Whipps said the city would seek $150,000 for Eastdale Park and $50,000 for Washington Park, for a combined request of $200,000. Staff described both applications as “no match” opportunities. Whipps said the Eastdale proposal would build a beginner‑ and intermediate‑level soft‑surface mountain‑bike trail and naturalize underused portions of the park that connect to the nearby rail trail. The Washington Park request would fund completion of tennis courts and expand programming in partnership with the Casper Community Tennis Association and the Natrona County School District.
A staff member clarified that “soft surface” in this context means purpose‑built dirt trails intended for mountain biking; the trails would not be paved or made of crushed rock. Whipps and staff said professionally built dirt trails can be used by both walkers and bicyclists and are designed for low ongoing maintenance.
Councilor Michael expressed concerns about language in the parks master plan suggesting replacement of pools with splash pads; city staff said they are in very early stakeholder discussions about the future of Washington Park Pool and emphasized that the two grant applications discussed at the pre‑meeting were not for aquatics. City staff noted the presentation also included a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) award for a band shell and a separate upcoming LWCF application focused on improving a sledding hill and soft‑surface trails on the park’s west side, not on aquatics.
Whipps said the U.S. Conference of Mayors program, in partnership with the American Beverage Foundation for Healthy America, has awarded over $6 million nationally since 2012. Staff said the local applications align with the city’s parks and recreation master plan and described the grants as “low risk, high opportunity.”
Staff indicated the grant applications are due later this month and requested council permission to pursue them; council members verbally indicated they were comfortable with staff moving forward. Staff did not report a formal roll‑call vote in the pre‑meeting.
