Eclectic, Shorter to get recreation grant money

FILE – (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Eclectic and Shorter are two of the towns and cities that will receive federal grant money to make improvements to recreation.

Gov. Kay Ivey has announced five grants totaling almost $1.7 million that will help build trails, rebuild ball courts and upgrade a camping area. The money is coming from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Under the LWCF program, recipients are required to equally match the amount of the award with cash or in-kind commitments.

Grants recipients, amounts and projects awarded are:

Eclectic ($317,547) – The town will construct a concrete walking trail, parking area and pavilion with picnic tables along with lighting at Pecan Orchard Park.

Shorter ($251,956) – The town plans to construct an eight-foot-wide, multi-use trail at Empowerment Park along with a pavilion, a parking area and picnic tables.

Ashville ($233,383) – Funds will be used to build new walking trails, a parking area, install playground equipment with safety surfacing and enhance landscaping at Ashville Community Park.

Florence ($437,073) – The city will upgrade McFarland Park Campground by constructing new pads for camping vehicles, upgrade electrical service to include Wi-Fi hotspots and internet service access, improve water and sewer hookups at camp sites and add new seating at fire pits and grill stations. Additionally, plans are to widen the access roads and provide new landscaping.

Ozark ($446,461) – Funds will be used to upgrade the 42-year-old Steagall Park by dismantling eight old tennis courts and rebuilding new ones for tennis and pickleball. The city will also add fencing, benches and bleachers, scoring stations and other amenities.

The LWCF program, a program of the U.S. Department of Interior, was created by Congress in 1965 to assist states with the development and preservation of outdoor recreational facilities. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs manages the program in Alabama.

— Information from the Office of Governor Kay Ivey