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Bedford Heights to apply for NatureWorks grant for Reed Park; council flags need for matching funds
Summary
Council authorized applying for an Ohio Department of Natural Resources NatureWorks grant to improve Reed Park and urged staff to clarify and secure the city—ost match. Council members said the grant application should emphasize multi-generational amenities and reconsider planned court repairs.
Bedford Heights council on June 2 authorized the city to apply for Ohio Department of Natural Resources NatureWorks grant funding to support improvements and public-engagement work at Reed Park, and discussed the need to allocate matching funds before application submission.
Council considered Resolution 2026-039, which authorizes applying for and accepting NatureWorks grant funds for Reed Park improvements and declares an emergency. Council discussion focused on the local match: members said the city must identify and commit the matching funds before finalizing the application. Council President Glass and Councilwoman Henderson urged staff to schedule a committee meeting to determine the amount and source of the match so the application can be revised prior to submission.
Councilwoman Henderson said the application currently lists repairs for basketball courts that are newly installed and recommended removing that item and instead requesting work on the aging tennis courts or creating a multi-use court with pickleball lines. She also emphasized framing Reed Park as a multi-generational destination connected to the Western Reserve Conservancy’s 21 acres and cited public engagement as part of the grant scope.
The meeting record shows the council voted in favor of moving the resolution forward; staff were directed to return with details about the city match and to schedule follow-up discussions.
