By Kelly Poe
AL.com
Four state parks and 10 cities across the state have received funds for improvements, totaling $700,000.
The federal Land and Water Conservation fund announced the grants, most of which are worth $50,000 each, and range in purpose from a special needs playground to a canoe and boat launch.
The state parks that received grants are:
- DeSoto State Park: $56,007 to renovate a bathroom, improve picnic areas and resurface parking areas.
- Guntersville State Park: $50,000 to build a water-feature play area and a dog park.
- Cheaha State Park: $50,000 to refurbish playground equipment, pavilions and bathrooms.
- Wind Creek State Park: $51,750 for playground equipment.
All the towns and cities received $50,000 grants. The recipients are:
- Rogersville will built a water playground area at the town park. The town is spending $200,000 on the project.
- Centre will build a water playground. The town will fund $80,000 to supplement the grant.
- Hartselle: will build the final phase of the John Mark Stallings Special Needs Accessible Playground at Sparkman Park. The town is supplementing the project with $100,000 in funding.
- Hamilton will construct an access road and parking area, canoe and small boat launch and pavilion to improve access to the Buttahatchee River. Hamilton is spending $50,179 on the project.
- Sardis City will light six tennis courts and build parking and sidewalks. Sardis City will supplement the fuding with $50,000.
- LaFayette will build a playground, picnic area and parking lot in the first phase of a five-phase city park. The town is providing $50,000.
- Headland will build a new playground, resource tennis and basketball court and make other improvements at Douglas Park. The town will fund the project worth $50,000.
- Enterprise will convert a batting practice facility into a skate park. Teh city is providing $84,380 for the project.
- Satsuma will build a water playground at Fred K. Wright Park. The city will provide $60,000 for the project plus $10,000 in in-kind services.
- Mobile will revitalize Doyle Park, including new playground equipment.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants.
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