Three Lewis County cities receive grant funding for park improvements

Nov. 29—Lewis County cities will receive nearly $300,000 combined in grant funding from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) to fund upgrades and repairs to three parks.

In a Monday news release, the RCO announced that $4.7 million was distributed to 53 parks through the Local Parks Maintenance grant program. The cities of Centralia, Chehalis and Morton received the funds through a program the Legislature created last year to address backlogged improvements in local parks.

"We are seeing an overwhelming demand for this type of funding," Megan Duffy, RCO director, said in a statement. "During the pandemic and continuing today, more people are visiting parks, which can strain staff and facilities, especially in smaller communities. These grants will begin to make a difference in those places."

Centralia received $100,000 to maintain Wheeler Field at Fort Borst Park, which will fund seating replacement, floor resurfacing, new signage to make wheelchair seating, and the replacement of rotten wood boards. The money will also fund bathroom improvements including the replacement of damaged doors, leaky toilets, urinals and sinks.

The City of Chehalis received $100,000 to improve several parks. Chehalis will use the money to purchase tractor implements to aerate, thatch, top dress, sand and fertilize field turf in Lintott-Alexander, Recreation and Stan Hedwall parks. The city will replace the porcelain toilets, sinks and privacy dividers in the Chehalis Sports Complex, Recreation Park and the spray park restrooms. The city will also use the money to install handrails and repair floor cracks.

The city of Morton received $70,000 from the RCO to fund improvements to Gust Backstrom Park. The city will use the funds for bathroom improvements and repairs to a pavilion roof and electric pedestals for recreational vehicles.

"Many of the grants went to communities that struggle to find the resources to maintain parks," Duffy said. "We received 214 applications requesting nearly $19 million and we were able to fund just under a quarter of the projects. That will make a big difference in those communities."