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Hendersonville parks board backs $3.5 million LPRF grant application to upgrade lights, paving and turf
Summary
The Hendersonville Parks Board voted to recommend that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen allow staff to apply for a $3.5 million Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant to fund LED lighting, paving and a turf field project across four parks; the application requires public outreach and a 50/50 city-state match.
The Hendersonville Parks Board on Feb. 4 voted to recommend that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) allow city staff to apply for a $3.5 million Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) grant to pay for park upgrades across multiple sites.
Director Andy Gilley told the board the package would fund LED lighting conversions, paving and accessibility improvements, and a turf field and concrete walking path. The proposal identifies $1,750,000 from the city and requests a $1,750,000 state match for a total $3,500,000 project budget. Parks named Drakes Creek Park, Sanders Ferry Park, Veterans Park and Volunteer Park as the primary project sites.
Gilley said the projects are intended to improve lighting quality and energy use, enhance ADA access and circulation, and increase park playability. He said the grant timeline is three years but staff expects to complete the bulk of construction in about two years if awarded; contracting with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) would likely delay major work until late 2026 or 2027.
Board members asked technical questions about field striping and multiuse layouts for Volunteer Park and how ADA obligations could affect project costs. Gilley said final field striping and sport configurations would be determined during design and that some fields may require additional ADA work that could change scope at specific sites.
Gilley also said the LPRF application requires an advertised public meeting and an online comment period; staff will host a one-hour in-person public meeting and provide an online comment portal and will capture comments as part of the scoring process. He urged board members to encourage community members to attend or comment to improve the application’s competitiveness.
After discussion the board made a motion and approved recommending that BOMA allow staff to apply for the LPRF grant. The application will be presented publicly as required and, if the city is awarded funding, staff said it will return with contract timelines and a schedule for outreach and design.
