State Awards Grants for Recreation Planning in Urban and Small Communities

Elmer City got the largest grant in Okanogan County last month from the state Recreation and Conservation Office to develop a comprehensive parks and recreation plan that will be used for planning projects and applying for construction funding.

The town will get $68,350 for the planning. Oroville was the only other town in the county to get a grant from RCO among those who applied in November 2022. Oroville got $40,000.

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office announced the award of more than $2 million in grants to help diverse, urban neighborhoods and rural communities plan for outdoor recreation facilities.

In its application, Elmer City said it would like to “acquire the services of RCDI, contract planner, landscape architect, and consulting engineer to aid in the development of a comprehensive parks, recreation, and open space plan and prepare construction ready design documents for the basketball court and park facilities.”

The grants were awarded to 21 different organizations in 15 counties and ranged from $35,000 to $250,000. Many of the grants will help smaller communities write parks and recreation plans, which then can be used to apply for development grants, and some will help communities plan specific projects.

The Legislature funded the Planning for Recreation Access grant program in 2021 as a way to fund planning projects in communities that lack adequate access to outdoor recreation opportunities. The program focuses on diverse urban neighborhoods, small rural communities and those with less experience writing grants.

“The overwhelming number of applications we received speaks to the need for this kind of funding,” said Megan Duffy, director of the Recreation and Conservation Office. (RCO) “Many small and underfunded communities don’t have the resources to apply for grants. This funding will help them get started. Ultimately, we hope the planning leads to construction and we can increase the number of parks, trails, playgrounds, and sports fields in places where there are currently few options for outdoor recreation.”

Of the 99 applicants, three-fourths hadn’t received recreation grants with RCO in the past decade, and nearly half hadn’t applied for an RCO grant during that time. The grants may be used to support planning, community engagement and collaboration between local governments, community-based organizations, and residents to define outdoor recreation needs, prioritize investments to address those needs and prepare on-the-ground projects for funding opportunities.

In total, project proposals requested more than $12.5 million and fewer than one-fifth were funded.

“There are many communities in Washington where families don’t have access to nearby recreation areas or the areas are worn out and unusable,” Duffy said. “Everyone should be able to get to a park or outdoor area and receive the health benefits, both mental and physical, of spending time outside recreating. These grants are a first step in helping communities provide places to improve the wellbeing of their residents.”