The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has approved grants for 14 park projects in the Akron-Canton area.
The city of Akron is getting two grants totaling $26,880 to acquire 2.5 acres for trails along Adams Run, a stream in South Akron.
Other grant winners are:
• Twinsburg Township, $81,769 to develop a new playground and facilities at the Rossi property.
• Lake Township, $12,500, to replace playground equipment at the township park.
• Canal Fulton, $9,790, to renovate the tennis court at Muhlhauser Park.
• Perry Township, $52,898, for a new pavilion at Meredith Park.
• Washington Township, $5,010, to add new restrooms at the nonprofit Beech Creek Botanical Gardens and Nature Preserve.
• Beach City, $11,000, to build a new playground at Community Park.
• East Canton, $25,000, for renovating restrooms, adding new park bleachers and fences and accessible walks, and repairing courts and landscaping at Werley Street Park.
• Wayne County Park District, two grants totaling $31,644, for a new handicapped-accessible pavilion at the Barnes Preserve.
• Freedom Township, $16,286, for a new trail at Community Park.
• Streetsboro, $13,857, for a new playground at City Park.
• Gloria Glens, $20,055, for new parking, beach volleyball and grills at Community Park.
The grants are among 105 totaling $2.5 million to be funded by Ohio through the Ohio NatureWorks program and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Local communities must provide a 25 percent match under the NatureWorks program and a 50 percent match under the federal land-conservation program.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.
