Hope Parks Holds Meeting To Discuss Seeking Outdoor Recreation Grant

The Hope Parks Department held a meeting at Fair Park on Thursday (6-22) evening seeing which projects the community wanted done. While a splash pad was at the top of the list, Edmundo Dominguez put in a request for more help with the soccer complex. Head of the Parks Department Summer Powell lead the meeting and answered questions.

Powell stated it would mean applying for an outdoor grant and noted other projects which had been funded by Outdoor Grants including the Hub, 2 playgrounds and the Pocket Park.

The City Board will meet and discuss the citizens’ requests. Powell said she thought the splash pad was a great idea but the city didn’t get the grant last year. When asked if there was anything the citizens could do to help along the process, Powell responded that participation was key.

Whether or not the city will get a grant depends upon how much money is budgeted each year and Hope had gotten Outdoor Grants five years in a row.

The next City Board meeting will be on July 18th and the deadline for the grant application is August 25th. Powell said there is a lot she would like to see done and is open to other grants. Funding is a key for all projects being done.

The concern was raised that Northside doesn’t receive the same funding and programming Fair Park and the Soccer complex do. Powell acknowledged it is a smaller park and said she isn’t opposed to doing programming there but needs help from the community.

Powell thanked everyone for coming.