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More than $15 million in grant funding will go towards Tennessee parks and recreation projects

The projects that will receive funding include renovations to parks, construction of trails and developments of new public areas.

Tennessee Dept. of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Shari Meghreblian and Gov. Bill Haslam announced on Monday a series of more than $15 million in grants for parks and recreation projects across Tennessee.

More than 17 projects in East Tennessee will receive some of that grant funding, according to a statement from TDEC.

The $15 million of funding is divided into two types of grants.

The first type, Local Park and Recreation Fund grants, require a 50 percent match by the recipient and can be used by local governments to purchase or develop land for parks, natural areas, greenways and recreational facilities. $13.5 million of the total is LPRF grants.

The remaining $2.1 million will go towards Recreation Trails Program grants, which can be used by government agencies or nonprofits for non-routine development, maintenance and construction of trails or trailhead site. These require a 20 percent match from the recipient.

East Tennessee LPRF Grant Recipients

Grainger County, Blaine: $50,000

  • The existing Blaine playground will get a brand new playground that meets standards and ADA compliance.

Blount County: $72,500 to the Everett Recreation Center

  • The current wood gymnasium floor at the Everett Recreation Center will be replaced.

Anderson County, Clinton: $115,000 for a playground

  • Clinton will purchase a new all inclusive playground for children of all abilities, and ADA compliance.

Jefferson County, Dandridge:$100,000 to Field of Dreams

  • The Field of Dreams will get a splash pad and gravel parking lot. The park will also be made ADA compliant.

McMinn, County Etowah: $375,000 to Etowah City Park

  • Etowah City Park will construct a new 30' x 60' swimming pool and pool house and make ADA compliance updates.

Knox County, Farragut: $325,000 to Anchor Park

  • Anchor park will demolish and the reconstruct the restroom, get a new entrance plaza, and make ADA compliance updates.

Sevier County, Gatlinburg: $500,000 to Mynatt Park ADA Compliance

  • ADA compliance improvements at Mynatt Park will include trail improvements, parking, and access paths to park elements.

Roane County: $412,500 to Triangle and Harriman Parks

  • Triangle Park: The existing playground will be replaced with a new play structure and certified surface material and ADA compliance.
  • Harriman Community Center: The HCC will receive funding for a splash pad, concession building, shade structures, parking, and ADA compliance updates.

Fentress County, Jamestown: $200,000 for a pool, $225,000 for sports field renovations

  • The existing pool will be renovated. Another pool with a zero entry design and splash pad components will be added.
  • Money will go toward the development of one baseball field with a fence, grading for a soccer field, restrooms/maintenance room, a concession stand and parking and street lighting.

Loudon County: $500,000 to Central Park

  • Central park will get specific splash pads, a pavilion structure with restrooms, parking lot and ADA compliance updates.

Claiborne County: $85,000 to Tazewell Park

  • Renovation improvements will include upgrades to the existing ballfield playing surface and the replacement of water fountains.
  • New developments include the construction of a new gazebo, picnic tables, the installation of pedestrian lighting along the lower portion of the existing walking trail and ADA compliance updates.

Monroe County: $500,000 for Heritage Park Improvements

  • Funding will go towards development of a little league field including fencing, bleachers, dugouts and ADA compliance updates.

East Tennessee RTP Grant Recipients

Knox County, Knoxville: $200,000 to the Legacy Parks Foundation

  • Development of a parcel of land adjacent to the Powell Library will be preserved as a natural park and greenway along Beaver Creek Watershed, and ADA compliance.

Anderson County, Norris: $89,600 for trail maintenance

  • Acquisition of trail maintenance equipment to help repair trails, washouts, dips and bars, and other related trail infrastructure.

Monroe County: $100,000 to the Fort Loudon State Historic Park

  • A prefabricated restroom at the trailhead, replacement of a small section of the existing asphalt trail has been damaged by tree roots, and ADA compliance

Grant recipients were selected through a scoring process that took into account projects that met the selection criteria and expressed the greatest local recreation need.

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