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News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 16, 2005 

MORE THAN $1.8 MILLION IN NATUREWORKS GRANTS AWARDED FOR
COMMUNITY RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ACROSS OHIO

COLUMBUS, OH - Ninety-three Ohio communities across the state will receive a total of $1,878,604 in state NatureWorks grants for local park and recreational improvements through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

These NatureWorks grants are part of more than $56,000,000 in support through the Ohio Parks and Natural Resources Fund bond issue, approved by voters in 1993. Each grant requires a 25 percent local match.

“Over the years, NatureWorks grants have significantly helped to enhance Ohio’s existing outdoor recreational facilities and create new opportunities for outdoor recreation,” said ODNR Director Sam Speck.

ODNR received a total of 227 applications for this round of NatureWorks grants. A population-based formula is used to determine the proportional share of grant funds available in each county. Applications are then ranked competitively by ODNR on a broad range of criteria.

COUNTY RECIPIENT AMT   PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Adams Village of West Union $20,838   Satterfield Memorial Park Develop picnic area and parking
Allen Village of Bluffton $12,499   Village Park Develop restroom
Ashtabula Orwell Area Joint Rec. District $12,084   Orwell Park Excavate land for ballfields
Ashland City of Ashland $16,985   Brookside Park Develop playground
Athens City of Athens $9,157   Southside Park Develop restroom
Auglaize Village of Minster $8,029   Paris Street Park Develop tennis court/multi-purpose court
Belmont Mead Township Park District $9,735   Township Park Develop basketball court
Brown Village of Mt. Orab $7,717   Village Park Develop playground and walking path
Butler Hanover Township $28,709   Memorial Park Develop half-mile trail, fitness stations, landscaping
Carroll Village of Malvern $14,738   Village Park Develop trail  
Champaign City of Urbana $63,158   Melvin Miller City Park Develop shelter and restroom
Clark Village of North Hampton $29,796   Sturgeon Park Develop two playgrounds
Clark National Trail Parks/Recreation $7,040   Buck Creek Scenic Trail Develop bridge
Clermont Union Township $17,521   Heritage Memorial Grove Develop walking path
Clinton Clinton County Park District $8,154   Terrell-Hanaghan Nature Preserve Develop parking lot, benches, fencing and other support facilities
Columbiana Columbiana County Commissioners $29,562   Greenway Bike Trail Restore historical train station for trailhead
  Village of New Waterford $9,485   New Waterford Park Purchase bleachers for ballfield
  Village of Lisbon $4,575   Lisbon Pool Renovate wading pool
  Village of Rogers $2,325   Community Park Purchase backstops for new fields
Crawford City of Galion $29,562   Greenway Bike Trail Restore historic train station for trailhead
Cuyahoga City of Lyndhurst $58,924   Brainard Park Develop fitness trail and stations
  Village of Bentleyville $46,464   Bentleyville Park Develop pavilion and restroom
Darke Village of Rossburg $8,513   Village Park Develop playground
Delaware Scioto Township $7,459   Township Park Develop ballfield
  Orange Township $23,000   North Orange Park Develop picnic shelter
Defiance Village of Sherwood $41,000   Sherwood Memorial Park Develop shelter, multi-sensory park, support facilities
  Village of Hicksville $20,851   Hicksville Park Develop ADA compliant accessibility to park complex
Erie Perkins Township $10,409   Strickfadden Park Develop ballfield
Fairfield City of Pickerington $13,531   Simsbury Park Develop disc golf course
Fayette Village of New Holland $6,715   New Holland Ballfield Renovate ballfields
Franklin City of Westerville $81,904   Towers Park Develop four ballfields, walking path, parking lots and other support facilities
Fulton Village of Archbold $7,702   Woodland Park Develop playground
Gallia O.O. McIntyre Park District $44,559   Raccoon Creek Park Replace playground and renovate gazebo
Geauga Troy Township $11,229   Community Park Acquire 1.5 acres to expand park
Greene City of Fairborn $30,726   Osborn Park Develop skatepark
  City of Xenia $10,000   Sterling Greene Park Develop playground
Guernsey Village of Lore City $25,125   Village Park Develop trail
Hamilton City of Loveland $65,741   Loveland Skate Park Develop skate park
Hancock Village of Janera $9,813   Janera Community Park Develop play area with safety surface, remove and rebuilt foot bridge, asphalt path, trees, seeding
Hardin Roundhead/McDonald Trustees $6,969   Roundhead-McDonald Township Park Develop shelter
Harrison Village of Hopedale $5,807   Hopedale Park Develop playground
Henry Village of Florida $6,772   Village park New restrooms
Highland Fairfield Township $40,637   Township Park Develop two basketball courts, two playgrounds, shelter and picnic area, benches and parking lot.
Holmes Village of Loudonville $7,475   Loudonville Pool Rehabilitation of pool
Huron City of Bellevue $42,433   Mill Pond Community Park Develop restroom, playground and skatepark
Jackson City of Jackson $26,388   Hillcrest Pool Complex Rehabilitate tennis courts, basketball courts and pool
Jefferson Warren Township Park District $9,632   Township Park Develop playground
Lake City of Wickliffe $20,000   Jindra Park Recreation Trail Develop recreational trail/walking path
Lawrence Village of South Point $62,000   South Point Boat Launce Develop retaining wall
Licking Village of Alexandria $15,174   Parker’s Park Develop playground and bleachers
Lorain City of Lorain $25,230   Elmwood Wetland Preserve Develop trail and parking
Lucas Village of Waterville $36,000   Conrad Park Develop playground
  City of Toledo $20,109   Walbridge Park Develop picnic shelter
Madison Jefferson Township $7,567   Community Park Develop shelter, parking improvements, fencing
Mahoning Goshen Township $23,271   Bricker Homestead Park Develop trail, two pavilions and picnic areas
Marion Pleasant Township $23,688   Township Park Acquire approximately 12.4 acres for park
Meigs Village of Rutland $26,181   Rutland Park Develop a playground
Medina Montville Township $15,579   Whitetail Park Develop soccer field, concession/restroom/maintenance, playground
Mercer City of Celina $7,618   Miller Woods Develop nature trail
Miami Bethel Township $11,806   Frey Memorial
Friendship Park
Acquire approximately four acres
Morgan Village of McConnelsville $14,791   Village Skatepark Develop skatepark
Monroe Village of Woodsfield $18,679   Memorial Park Renovate bathhouse
Montgomery Village of Phillipsburg $45,058   Phillipsburg Park Rehabilitation of community center and new playground
Muskingum Jackson Township $10,774   Township Park Acquire approximately 22.7 acres
Noble Village of Caldwell $2,109   Caldwell Lake Park Develop shelter
Ottawa Village of Put-In-Bay $7,623   Delaware Avenue
Bathing Beach
Develop seawall
Paulding Village of Antwerp $13,082   Riverside Park Replace playground
Perry Village of Junction City $7,124   Community Park Develop concession stand
Pickaway Monroe Township $8,471   Monroe Township Park Phase 9 Developing dugouts
Pike Village of Beaver $12,852   Village Community Park Develop two basketball courts, two soccer fields and three ballfields
Portage City of Ravenna $31,297   Chestnut Hills Park Develop Chestnut Hills Trailhead
Preble Village of Lewisburg $1,689   Lewisburg Park Develop playground
Putnam Village of Ottawa $7,170   Waterworks Park Rehabilitate shelter
Richland Village of Lexington $31,293   Patriot Park Develop skatepark
  Village of Lexington $11,271   Community Park Replace ballfield lighting
Ross Village of Kingston $22,500   Village Park Develop skatepark
Sandusky Sandusky Co. Park District $9,127   White Star Park Replace playground
Scioto Madison Township $10,384   Township Park Develop walking track, basketball and volleyball courts
Seneca Village of Bloomville $16,404   Beeghly Park Develop bleachers and concrete pads
Shelby Village of Botkins $7,635   Community Park Renovate tennis courts
Stark City of Canal Fulton $31,982   Discovery Park Develop short walking path, concrete pads, playground and landscaping
Summit Village of Silver Lake $48,493   Silver Lake Picnic Area Develop picnic shelter
Trumbull Mesopotamia Township $26,025   Township Playground Develop playground
  Howland Township Park District $48,863   Township Park Develop two basketball courts
Tuscarawas Village of Gnadenhutten $11,230   Hecks Grove Park Rehabilitation of tennis courts, fencing, new batting cage
Union City of Marysville $53,620   Eljer Park Develop skatepark
Van Wert Village of Willshire $6,804   Village Park Develop loop trail
Warren City of Lebanon $16,105   Colonial Park Rehabilitate ballfield drainage
Washington City of Marietta $9,332   Ohio River Access Trail Develop connector trail
Wayne Village of Smithville $12,722   Smithville Park Develop ballfield and playground
Williams Village of Blakeslee $7,493   Blakeslee Park Develop a playground, volleyball court, softball field, repair basketball court
Wood City of Perrysburtg $13,409   Municipal Park Develop two ballfields
Wyandot City of Upper Sandusky $6,316   Harrison Smith Park Renovate restrooms
TOTAL   $1,878,604      

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For additional news online, check out the ODNR Press Room at Ohiodnr.com

For Further Information Contact:
Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6860
-or-
Dameyon Shipley, ODNR Real Estate & Land Management
(614) 265-6646