City Council approves Jackson Recreation and Parks Department's grant request plan
JACKSON, TENN (WNBJ)-
In an effort to make the city of Jackson more enticing to those moving to west tennessee, the city council has approved a grant proposal to update and expand parks all over the city!
“I'm born and raised in Jackson, and so it is very exciting for me to be able to invest into our community, invest into the place that I call home, and to see what potential this has for growth for our city,” said Park Operations Manager Christi David.
And Jackson's Mayor Scott Conger agrees that money spent on parks is a good investment, “It's our job as city government to make Jackson a place people want to buy. And what people look for is they look for the amenities, outdoor amenities.”
Jackson’s Recreation and Parks Department proposed the plan to the City Council today and was approved to apply for Tennessee Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant money.
"That grant is coming open and they haven't done it in several years. So there is no maximum this year. So we are swinging big here. We are asking for about $4.3 million to improve our park system here in Jackson,” David said.
If approved, the city would have to pay a 2.1 million dollar match over the next three years.
David said, “We are literally touching every part of the city. It is very comprehensive. It is equitable. From south Jackson, East Jackson, West Jackson to North Jackson, every part of the city will see something from this grant.”
The plan includes improvements like:
Creating a park on Windy City Road, building a skate park at Matchpoint Park
Replacing 20 and 30-year-old playground equipment across the city
Adding inclusive play pieces to every playground
Adding a splash pad at north park
Converting Tennis courts to Pickleball courts
This will take the city of Jackson from six Pickleball courts at Conger Park to twenty-plus courts all over the city.
“We know that they are vibrant in our city. They are wanting to make Jackson a hub for Pickleball. And with these added courts Jackson we're well on our way to doing that. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States," said David.
This plan is only some of the updates that the city wants to make,
“We have another plan to invest in cypress grove to redo the boardwalks there. We're looking at a revitalization plan for Muse park to redevelop that in an overall new parks master plan on how we connect those parks," Conger said.
The city should hear back on the grant this summer but, when can we expect to see all the changes?
“Maybe march 2024 is what I'm shooting for," David said,
You can view the whole plan here!
