Polk County’s Joint Economic Community Development Board (JECDB), which administers the Three Star Grant program, continued preparations last week to apply for a $300,000 Parks and Recreation Grant from the State of Tennessee.
Monica Farrow, chairwoman of the JECDB, along with County Executive Robby Hatcher, District 3 Commissioner Keith Barker, and JECDB Vice Chairman Glenn Harbison, met with Russell Green of Kimley-Horn and Associates at the Copper Basin Community Center to discuss possibilities there.
Green later traveled to Frank Hammons Sr. Memorial Park to preview the work described there that will be included in the grant application.
Kimley-Horn is an engineering, planning and design firm that has extensive experience working on grant projects in Tennessee.
Farrow explained that involving the firm in the grant application preparation stage would help in writing the grant while also bringing experts on board for the process. She, Barker and Harbison had previously held a meeting at the community center with a representative of the Tennessee Department of Economic Development.
“I believe giving state officials and designers a first hand look at our needs, and showing them what Polk County is really like, can make a big difference in this and the many other grants we’re seeking,” Farrow said.
Green agreed with Farrow’s and Hatcher’s thoughts that completely upgrading the recreation areas in the county will come one step – one grant – at a time.
Looking at the Copper Basin Community Center, the first steps would be, if enough grant money is awarded, to fill in the swimming pool and convert the area to a splash pad plus a pavilion, and upgrading the existing concession stand so it could be used by the entire facility.
At Frank Hammons Sr. Memorial Park, new fencing for all the ball fields is the first step, along with looking at lighting improvements.
In barely more than a year, since Hatcher turned the Three Star Program over to the newly created JECDB, the board has secured $750,000 in grants for the county including welding equipment funding for both high schools and substantial upgrades for the county courthouse in Benton.