OLYMPIA, Wash.- Counties throughout the state have been awarded nearly $190 million in grants for outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation, including building a pool in Martin Luther King, Jr Park in Yakima and maintaining trails in Naches.
A complete list of grant recipients and projects is available through the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office.
“These grants advance our priority to protect Washington’s world-class outdoor recreation offerings enjoyed by locals and travelers from across the globe,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “I’m proud of these investments. They will go a long way to ensuring Washington’s outdoor areas are healthy, open and usable by everyone.”
The grants will be used to renovate parks, build trails and create new outdoor recreation opportunities according to the Washington state Recreation and Conservation Office. Funding will also be used to conserve lands throughout the state.
Regional Counties receiving grants:
Yakima: $500,000 for building a pool in Martin Luther King, Jr Park. The Yakima Parks and Recreation Department will use this grant to build a swimming pool, a zero-depth entry wading area, possible water slides, restrooms, showers, and changing areas in Martin Luther King Jr. Park, in east Yakima.Kittitas County: $14 million for conserving Springwood Ranch. The trust for Public Land will use this grant to conserve 3,600 acres, known as Springwood Ranch, near Thorp.Kittitas Conservation Trust: $1,245,089 for conserving a Yakima River Reach in Thorp. Grant funding will buy 235 acres of floodplain including 1 mile along the Yakima River in Thorp. This project will better protect multiple habitats and migration corridors for native fish species.Walla Walla County: Blue Mountain Land Trust. $345,500 for conserving Welcome Table Farm. The Blue Mountain Land Trust will use this grant to buy an agricultural conservation easement14 on the twenty-five-acre Welcome Table Farm, on Old Milton Highway in Walla Walla.College Place: Renovating Veterans Park. $281,023. City will add restrooms, a full-size basketball court, and two pickleball courts to the 3.4 acre park.Walla Walla: $350,000 for improving the Mill Creek Sportsplex.
