Title:
Grant Application - National Recreation and Park Association "Meet Me at the Park" Grant
Summary
ACTION:
1. Approve Park and Recreation to apply for a $20,000 "Meet Me at the Park" grant through the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
2. If awarded, recognize and appropriate award amount
Staff Contact: Peter Cook, Park and Recreation
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
The Department wishes to apply for the “Meet Me at the Park” grant through the National Recreation and Park Association. Mecklenburg County received this grant in 2015 and 2016. The amount of the grant provided to the Grantee will be $20,000 for a physical park improvement project in underserved areas tied to one or more of the following focus areas:
1. Connecting youth to nature. Examples include providing environmental education or likeability programs, enhancing sustainable features at your park with the addition of educational signage or creating or improving access to nature through nature play areas, trails and greenspace.
2. Helping youth and families live healthier. Examples include planting a community garden for access to fruits and vegetables, implementing recreational programs to get people more active or providing access to walking trails.
3. Improving youth’s access to sports. Examples include utilizing vacant spaces for a sports field, improving a sports field or offering sports programming.
The Department will submit five (5) project proposals and a panel comprised of representatives from NRPA, Disney, ABC and ESPN will narrow the list to three potential projects. The project for which the funds will be used will then be determined by the results of a public on-line voting process through the “Meet Me at the Park” website managed by NRPA. The five proposed projects to be submitted for consideration by the aforementioned panel are:
1) Park Your Bike - Develop skills to maintain and earn a bike through service projects
2) Urban Skate Park for Beginners - Grayson Park/Naomi Drenan Recreation Center
3) Hoskins Park Outdoor Fitness Zone
4) Reedy Creek Nature Center Nature Play Area Rejuvenation
5) Learning gardens at recreation centers - pollinator, vegetable and ozone gardens
The previous project awards were used to construct new community gardens at Druid Hills Park and for a gardening education program for youth and adults at the Wallace Pruitt, Hickory Grove and Berewick recreation centers. No County match is required.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
$20,000 Current Fiscal Year