Nearly $47 million in funding through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program will go to the redevelopment or creation of 10 local parks across the U.S., says the U.S. Interior Department. Parks in Tucson, Porterville, Calif., Des Moines, Iowa, Kansas City, Mo., New Brunswick, N.J., Garner and Raleigh, N.C., Cleveland and Houston will get an infusion of $46.7 million, bringing the total nationwide investment of ORLP grant funding in 2024 to nearly $127 million.
“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to ensuring that all Americans—regardless of their zip code or background—have access to nature and its benefits,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program, the Interior Department is investing millions of dollars for locally led projects that are creating new city parks and rehabilitating existing outdoor spaces, all driven by the needs and vision of local communities.”
Established in 2014 and funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the ORLP program enables urban communities to create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks and form connections between people and the outdoors in economically underserved communities. The program helps advance the Biden-Harris administration’s America the Beautiful initiative, a locally led, voluntary conservation and restoration effort that aims to address the nature and climate crises, improve equitable access to the outdoors and strengthen the economy. Providing safe outdoor spaces for communities that are park-deprived is one of six areas of focus for the initiative.
Since its inception in 1965, the LWCF State and Local Assistance Program has funded more than 46,000 projects in every county in the country. In 2020, Congress permanently funded the LWCF at $900 million per year with wide bipartisan support through the Great American Outdoors Act. The LWCF supports increased public access to and protection for federal public lands and waters—including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and recreation areas—and provides matching grants to state governments for the acquisition and development of public parks and other outdoor recreation sites.
This round of projects includes:
- Jacobs Park Revitalization and Expansion in Tucson ($2,995,448): The Jacobs Park project redevelops the park to create a softball complex, new skate park, two additional soccer fields built to tournament standards and futsal and pickleball courts. It also expands the dog park, eliminates a parking lot, and creates a family-use area with a playground, picnic and grill area, and adds a new restroom and concessions building. In addition to these new recreation facilities, the project addresses stormwater infrastructure and plants 310 new trees.
- Santa Fe Sports Complex in Porterville, Calif. ($2.5 million): The project constructs a new park on city-owned undeveloped land consisting of 585 native drought-tolerant plants, futsal, pickleball and multisport courts, an amphitheater, a gazebo, a restroom and solar lighting throughout.
- Birdland Park and Marina Master Plan Improvements in Des Moines, Iowa ($5,291,000): In Phase 1, the existing 53-acre park is improved with a playground, splash pad, skating ribbon, water trail, open-air shelters with river overlooks and a new deck. It also adds a park building with restrooms, rental and concessions, improved parking, stormwater management controls, landscaping, fishing areas, a power boat ramp, a pier and dock, lighting, benches and bike racks.
- Swope Park Improvements in Kansas City, Mo. ($4,250,000): This project substantially renovates and improves the northwest area of Swope Park, targeting approximately 215 acres of the park’s total 1,805 acres. Improvements include a neighborhood connection trail, a 10,000 square-foot destination playground, renovations to five shelters and a bandstand. The project also adds pedestrian and bicycle safety interventions along access roads.
- Neilson Street Park Project in New Brunswick, N.J. ($2,041,770): This project creates a 1.19-acre passive park incorporating a dog park, amphitheater seating, play areas, shade trees, seating and sculptures.
- Yeargan Park Development in Garner, N.C. ($8.5 million): This project supports Phase 1 of the 64-acre Yeargan Park plan and provides four multiuse sports fields, a path connecting the park to historic downtown Garner, a play area, large picnic shelter, restrooms, paved parking, utility work and stormwater retention facilities.
- Smoky Hollow Park Implementation in Raleigh, N.C. ($8,679,930): This project includes development of a natural and passive park, restoration of Pigeon House Branch and first phase of the development of the Pigeon House Greenway Trail. Grant funding supports erosion control, stream restoration and wetland construction. It also supports construction of stormwater features, retaining walls, stream crossings, park amenities, public plazas, walkways, site furnishings, public art and landscaping, including native meadows, woodlands, natural habitat and buffer plantings, ornamental landscape areas and lawns.
- Forest Hill Park Restoration in Cleveland, Ohio ($2 million): This Cleveland Metroparks project repairs park infrastructure in Forest Hill Park, an approximately 249-acre municipal park, as well as repairs and replaces a baseball dugout and bleachers, and adds a press box, scoreboard, lighting and fencing.
- Clark Avenue Park Project in Cleveland ($461,332): The project creates two distinctive park areas for an approximate quarter acre. The primary space provides a playground, swing set, splash pad, ornamental fencing, charging station and plaza with benches, game tables and seat walls. The secondary park space features a plaza with picnic tables and an open-use playfield.
- MacGregor Park Improvement Project in Houston ($10 million): The proposed project improves existing infrastructure, including a tennis center, adult baseball field, youth multipurpose field, concessions and restrooms, and an amphitheater, community plaza and event lawn.