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News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 9, 2005

MORE THAN $2 MILLION IN NATUREWORKS GRANTS AWARDED FOR
LOCAL PARK AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

COLUMBUS, OH - Seventy-eight Ohio communities in 61 counties will receive a total of $2,061,655 in state NatureWorks grants for community park and recreational improvements through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

The NatureWorks grants represent the 11th round of more than $56,000,000 in grants funded by the Ohio Parks and Natural Resources Fund bond issue, approved by voters in 1993. Each grant requires a 25 percent local match.

“NatureWorks grants represent a great investment in Ohio’s recreational resources,” said ODNR Director Sam Speck. “They have significantly helped to enhance Ohio’s community parks, improve existing outdoor recreational facilities and create new opportunities to enjoy the out of doors.”

ODNR received a total of 127 applications for this round of NatureWorks grants. A population-based formula is used to determine the proportional share of grant funds available in each county. Applications are then ranked competitively by ODNR on a broad range of criteria.

The NatureWorks bond issue program funds major renovations and improvements for Ohio's state and local parks, state forests, nature preserves, wildlife areas and other natural resources facilities.

COUNTY RECIPIENT AMOUNT PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Allen City of Lima $22,906 Robb Park Develop ballfields
Ashtabula City of Conneaut $30,844 Malek Park Develop playground
Athens City of Athens $11,643 Southside Park Develop restroom
Auglaize City of Wapakoneta $29,847 Veteran Park Develop shelter house, resurface walking trail and parking
Belmont County Commissioners $48,016 Fox Shannon Park Develop trail and restroom
Brown Village of Ripley $24,042 Ripley Park Develop restrooms
Butler City of Oxford $29,074 Oxford Community Park Develop playground
Clermont Village of New Richmond $17,521 Union Square Park Develop playground and drainage improvements
Clinton City of Wilmington $13,576 Kroger/Clintmont Ball Diamond Purchase lights for ballfields
Cuyahoga Cleveland Metroparks $70,000 Lake Abram Trail Develop boardwalk trail, overlook, access and parking
Cuyahoga City of Richmond Heights $40,852 Community Park Develop water playground
Darke Village of New Weston $18,000 Community Park Develop restroom
Darke Village of Versailles $15,988 Ward Park Develop playground
Defiance County Commissioners $24,971 West High St. and Schick Road Develop two canoe landings
Erie Perkins Township $41,680 Strickfadden Park Develop ballfield
Fairfield Village of Millersport $12,000 Millersport Swimming Pool Pool improvements
Fairfield Walnut Township $6,087 Fairfield Beach Family Park Handicap parking area, playground, baseball backstop
Fayette City of Washington C.H. $8,183 Eyman Park Develop playground
Franklin City of Westerville $100,000 Otterbein Lake Develop boardwalk and fishing pier
Franklin Village of Canal Winchester $134,578 Canal Winchester Park Develop sports fields, gravel parking lot and access road
Fulton Village of Lyons $7,833 Community Park Develop playground
Gallia OO McIntyre Park District $28,041 Raccoon Creek Park Rehabilitate a walking trail; develop five bat houses; sand volleyball court and landscaping
Gallia City of Gallipolis $32,522 Maple Shade Develop shelter, play equipment for tot lot, benches
Gallia OO McIntyre Park District $3,000 OO McIntyre Hike & Bike Trail Replace bridge decking
Gallia City of Gallipolis $13,581 Haskins Park and Pool Develop an area with new swings, play equipment and benches
Geauga Newbury Township $11,238 Oberland Park Develop one mile of recreational trail
Hamilton Delhi Township Park Board $83,822 Delhi Skate Park Develop skate park
Hancock Village of Janera $9,812 Janera Community Park Develop play area with safety surface, remove and rebuilt foot bridge, asphalt path, trees, seeding
Hardin Roundhead/McDonald Trustees $16,735 Roundhead-McDonald Township Park Develop shelter
Harrison Village of Bowerston $5,806 Bowerston Park Develop playground
Henry Village of Florida $20,025 Village park New restrooms
Holmes Village of Loudonville $7,475 Loudonville Pool Rehabilitation of pool
Huron Village of Plymouth $37,500 Playmouth Pool Rehabilitation of pool
Jefferson Saline Township $10,143 Township Park Develop ballfield
Lake Concord Township $33,652 Coleridge Park Replace play equipment and play surface
Lake City of Wickliffe $19,500 Orlando Park Rehabilitation of soccer field and sprayground
Lawrence Fayette Township $7,730 Commons Park Develop a new slide area, remove four deteriorating trees and plant four new trees
Licking Village of Hebron $18,503 Evans Athletic Complex Develop concession stand
Lorain City of Avon Lake $25,650 Weiss Park Develop ballfield
Lucas Toledo Area Metroparks $18,976 Oak Openings Preserve Metropark Develop stone parking lot and rehabilitate roofing on shelter
Madison Village of Mt. Sterling $8,335 Community Park Develop walking/jogging trail
Mahoning Village of Craig Beach $169,663 Lake Milton Nature Art Center Develop amphitheatre and art center
Mahoning Boardman Township Park District $65,853 Boardman Park Develop playground, multi-use bocce pavilion, paved parking lot, trees
Medina Village of Spencer $21,750 Firestone Park Walking trail
Medina City of Wadsworth $3,829 Weatherstone Park Develop a restroom
Mercer Franklin Township $7,790 Cottonwood Road Acquisition Acquire 15 acres of wetlands and other natural areas
Miami Village of Bradford $45,000 Bradford Park Acquire approximately 1.9 acres adjacent to existing park
Miami Miami County Park District $28,279 Hobart Nature Preserve Acquisition of 2.2 acres
Monroe Village of Beallsville $9,000 Beallsville Playground Develop a sidewalk and fencing along horseshoe pits
Montgomery Centerville-Washington Park District $95,351 Activity Center Park Develop playground, picnic shelter, restrooms
Muskingum Village of New Concord $20,704 New Concord Village Park Develop picnic/staging area, walking path with landscaping
Noble Village of Caldwell $35,676 Caldwell Lake Park Develop shelter
Ottawa Village of Put-In-Bay $17,924 Delaware Avenue Bathing Beach Develop seawall
Perry Village of Somerset $35,728 Somerset Park Purchase approximately two acres
Pickaway Monroe Township $8,646 Monroe Township Park Fencing and parking lot
Pike Village of Piketon $8,085 Market Street Park Develop ballfield fencing and dugouts
Preble Village of Lewisburg $12,054 Lewisburg Park Develop playground
Putnam Village of Gilboa $7,170 Gilboa Park Develop shelter
Ross Village of Clarksburg $$17,625 Clarksburg Park Acquire approximately 4.1 acres adjacent to the existing park
Sandusky Village of Woodville $10,496 Trail Marker Park Develop slide for pool
Scioto Jefferson Township $15,755 Community Center Park Develop shelter, fencing and landscaping
Stark Canton Township $27,000 Community Park Develop basketball court, rubberized walking track, drainage
Stark City of Alliance $20,775 Memorial Park Develop shelter
Stark Lawrence Township $20,775 Lawrence Township Park Develop trail and parking lot
Summit Twinsburg Township $55,187 Robertson Park Develop playground, picnic area, walkway, parking and lighting
Trumbull Mecca Township $22,974 Township Park Develop a playground
Tuscarawas Village of Bolivar $23,942 Bolivar Trail Side Park Develop trailhead, restroom and parking lot
Van Wert Village of Ohio City $27,491 Ohio City Nature Park Acquire 10 acres to develop a nature park
Warren Franklin Township Trustees $17,614 Hunter Park Pond Develop a pond
Washington Village of Matamoros $15,054 Matamoros Park Rehabilitation of basketball courts
Washington Village of Beverly $9,446 Dodge Park Develop a gazebo
Washington City of Marietta $11,383 Ohio River Access Trail Develop a connector trail while also protecting the river bank from further erosion
Wayne Village of Smithville $18,603 Smithville Park Develop ballfield and playground
Williams City of Bryan $8,225 Garver Park Develop trail
Wood Village of Walbridge $9,157 Railway Park Rehabilitation of tennis and basketball courts
Wood Village of Cygnet $6,228 Martin Park Rehabilitation of tennis courts
Wyandot City of Upper Sandusky $6,316 Bicentennial Park Develop a skate park
Total $2,061,655

EDITORS NOTE: For details on a specific local project, your best source of information is the local government or park district.

A list of grants in the previous rounds is available on ODNR's NatureWorks web page at www.ohiodnr.com/natureworks

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For additional news online, check out the ODNR Press Room at Ohiodnr.com

For Further Information Contact:

Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations

(614) 265-6860