Parks around county in line to receive upgrades

Parks around the county are slated to see trail upgrades and new equipment among other things as part of $663,000 in grant awards from the St. Clair County Parks Grants Commission.

The 23 grants ranged from $18,663 to $30,000, the maximum amount allowed.

There were 29 applications reviewed during this grant cycle, said Herb Simmons, who serves as chairman of the St. Clair County Parks Grant Commission.

Money for the grants comes from a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax in the county collected to improve local parks. The voter-approved sales tax has been in place since July 2001.

Money from the grants have to be used for park improvements or safety upgrades, Simmons said.

Since 2002, the grants commission has recommended approval of 284 applications for more than $7 million worth of projects to improve parks in the county.

“We’ve given away quite a few dollars since that was initiated,” Simmons said.

Communities slated to receive grants during this cycle are:

▪  Belleville: $30,000 for Laderman Park improvements

▪  Canteen Township: $29,333 for playground equipment at Black Lane Garden Park

▪  Caseyville: $30,000 for pavilion metal roofs at Caseyville Park

▪  Caseyville Township: $30,000 for a trail overlay and exercise equipment at Caseyville Township Park

▪  Centreville: $30,000 for ball field improvements and fence coverings at Centreville Park

▪  East Carondelet: $30,000 for trail resurfacing at the George K. Price Memorial Park

▪  Fairmont City: $30,000 for Kinder Park restoration

▪  Fairview Heights: $30,000 for a Moody Park pavilion

▪  Fayetteville: $29,268 for park improvements and safety projects

▪  Village of Freeburg: $29,589 for a municipal pool playground structure

▪  Freeburg Park District: $23,300 for park safety upgrades

▪  Horner Park District: $30,000 for a Horner Park restroom

▪  Marissa: $23,000 for South Park improvements

▪  Mascoutah: $30,000 for a Scheve Park ball field parking lot project

▪  Millstadt: $30,000 for Village Park safety lighting enhancements

▪  New Athens: $30,000 for Okaw Park drainage ditch rehabilitation

▪  St. Clair County: $30,000 for St. Ellen Mine Park security cameras installation

▪  St. Clair Township: $30,000 for Loop Creek Park west playground improvements

▪  St. Libory: $30,000 for Wenneman Park trail resurfacing and mowers

▪  Smithton: $30,000 for ball field improvements at Smithton Village Park

▪  Sugar Loaf Township: $30,000 for playground equipment at Township Community Park

▪  Summerfield: $18,664 for ball field safety and improvements at Summerfield Park

▪  Washington Park: $29,948 for the John “Jap” Thornton Memorial Park renovation

Work on these grants would have to be completed by October 2017, Simmons said.

The full St. Clair County Board on Monday approved the grant awards.

This story was originally published August 30, 2016 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Parks around county in line to receive upgrades."