Local news- Press Release
Missoula County Montana - Missoula County Awards Grants to Fund Park Recreation Improvements in Rural Communities 20 February 2024 ( news )
Missoula County , state Montana ( By Press Release office)
Feb 20,2024
| 8| 1
Thanks in part to $75 , 000 in matching grants funded through Missoula County Parks , Trails , and Open Lands , major improvements are on the horizon for parks and other recreation facilities in Clinton , East Missoula , Frenchtown , Lolo , Potomac - Greenough , Seeley Lake and the Swan Valley .
The Potomac School District secured $5 , 000 through PTOL’s Parks and Trails Matching Grants Program , which they will put toward playground surfacing , picnic tables and benches , and indoor recreation improvements . These improvements will benefit students and the greater community . Recognized as valuable PTOL program partners , the school district and the Potomac - Greenough Community Center have collectively received four matching grants through the program over the last decade .
“I appreciate the work that Parks , Trails and Open Lands is doing for Missoula County ' s greater backyard , ” said John Rouse , superintendent of the Potomac School District . “We are part of that backyard . The Potomac School is the center of the community , and everything out here is also used by anyone in the valley . ”
Seven other projects received funding through the Parks and Trails Matching Grants Program , including:
Garden City Harvest:
$16 , 000 for establishing community gardens at East Missoula Lions Park in partnership with a neighborhood group , East Missoula United .
Frenchtown Little League:
$15 , 775 for site renovation at the Little League Complex and rebuilding of a nature trail .
Clinton Community Park:
$15 , 107 for site restoration and supporting amenities associated with the new skatepark facility .
Swan Valley Community Center:
$11 , 165 for interior and exterior improvements to the Community Center .
Lolo Riverside Park:
$5 , 600 for site improvements to a donated easement next to the public park .
Seeley Lake Lions Club:
$4 , 103 for replacement of park benches and installation of a weather - resistant bulletin board at Clearwater Park .
East Missoula Lions Park:
$2 , 250 for resurfacing of the playground fall zone with engineered wood fiber .
The Parks and Trails Matching Grants Program leverages partnerships with local nonprofits and community groups to maintain county parks and other public recreation areas . In these partnerships , the Parks , Trails and Open Lands division provides planning assistance and funding , while the partner organization matches those funds through a combination of project expenses , in - kind donations and volunteer service hours .
“It’s exciting to see that , as community interest is growing , so is our capacity to support these projects through the Parks and Trails Matching Grant Program , ” said Missoula County Parks and Trails Project Specialist Jackson Lee . “Neighborhoods and communities should look to apply for our next grant cycle starting in fall 2024 . ” For more information or questions about the Matching Grants Program , contact Jackson Lee at
[email protected]
. General information and application materials can also be found
online
.
PLAY the NEWS
* May be useful for visually impaired persons .
Press release information :
Direct link to press release:
Click here .
