The North Harrison school district and the city of Brookfield each has been approved for federal funds from the Department of Interior’s National Parks Service.
The land water conservation fund matching grants are available to local governments and public school districts for the development or renovation of outdoor recreational facilities.
North Harrison R-3 and the city of Brookfield each were approved to receive $150,000.
The Brookfield project is to replace West Twin Park playground equipment with handicapped accessible playground equipment. Plans also call for the replacement and expansion of sidewalks to meet handicapped accessible standards, update electrical and water infrastructure, new curbing, park benches, and a brick recognition display. The project cost at Brookfield is $336,000.
The North Harrison R-3 school district was awarded a $150,000 matching grant towards the construction of an eight-lane all-weather track to be used by the school district and the general public. It’s a joint project of the school district, the booster club, and the village of Eagleville.
The track would be constructed on ten acres of land the village of Eagleville purchased adjacent to the school property.
The track project is $360,000 with the reimbursable federal grant providing $150,000 of that amount. Thus far, nearly $20,000 has been raised towards the local share.
The $150,000 grants to the city of Brookfield and North Harrison R-3 are among $1,500,000 allocated to 15 projects statewide through the federal land water conservation fund program.
Another 16 projects have been selected for recreational trails program funding. It provides federal grants to trail-related land acquisition, development, and restoration. Those grants are open to local and state governments, school districts, non-profit, and for-profit organizations. Projects are scored by the Missouri Trail Advisory Board, whose recommendations are sent to the federal highway administration for final approval.
Among those funds, nearly $252,000 go to Missouri state parks for statewide trail improvements. Another $110,000 was approved for Missouri state parks for motorized trail equipment.
