Swale Park may be due for an upgrade

Findlay's Swale Park could be due for an upgrade with some help from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' NatureWorks Grant Program. City administrators will ask Findlay City Council at its regular meeting today for permission to pursue a grant to build a shelter house at the park. Legislation to allow city officials to apply for the grant will be on its first reading. Council meets at 7 p.m. today at the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. Masks and social distancing are required. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the city's YouTube page, "FindlayOhio." Swale Park, a former landfill which was reclaimed by the city in the 1970s for recreational space, features six baseball diamonds, playground equipment and restrooms. The park is located on North West Street, with an entrance off Defiance Avenue. The park was established about the same time as the Hancock Regional Part District, which was founded to address Findlay's need for recreational space. The natural resources grant provides 75% reimbursement for local government acquisition, development or rehabilitation of recreational areas. It's expected to cost $18,000 to build the new shelter house. Findlay's share of the cost, with the state grant money, would be $4,500. NatureWorks projects are funded through the Ohio Parks and Natural Resources Bond Issue, which was approved by Ohio voters in November 1993. Since its inception, the grant has funded over 2,300 public park projects in all 88 Ohio counties. About $6 million has been allocated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for NatureWorks projects this year. Grants can be funded up to $150,000, and funds must be spent by 2023. The money can be used to buy or protect land in order to preserve habitat, wetlands, forests, rivers or lakes, and to establish trails or access to waterways. Grants can also be used to replace, renovate or adapt deteriorated or outdated publicly used parks. City administrators are also expected to ask Findlay Council for permission to pursue an AARP Community Challenge grant on Tuesday. The city is seeking about $12,000 in grant money to purchase benches and trash receptacles to place along the new multi-use path on Hancock County 236. The money would also be used to establish two crosswalks along the path. The grant would fully fund the project, with no local match required. Legislation to allow city officials to apply for the grant will also be on its first reading today. Established in 2017, the challenge grant program is part of the nationwide AARP Liveable Communities initiative. The program is intended to help communities make immediate improvements and jump start long-term progress in support of residents of all ages.