Playground construction and renovation, as well as improvements to a cherished community skating rink, are on their way to Missoula County residents thanks to more than $38,000 in matching grants funded through the Missoula County Parks, Trails and Open Lands Program.
The Seeley Lake Lions Club has secured funding from the last two grant cycles for improvements at Clearwater Park, and their recent award of $16,988 will help them move forward with construction of a new playground. With plans to engage local students in choosing a playground structure, the community is abuzz with excitement about this project.
“Three years ago, a dear member of our club passed. To our surprise, he left a sizeable donation to the club with a request that the money be used toward the construction of a playground,” Lions Club member and project leader Rich Westin said “In honor of his legacy and with huge community involvement, we raised additional funding and applied for the matching grant program. Having been approved for this grant, we are just overjoyed. This is a great example of what can be accomplished when the community partners with their local government officials. It’s a win-win.”
The other two grant recipients will use awarded funds to advance community-driven projects:
• $1,420 to purchase hockey nets, grade the ice rink and make improvements to the warming hut at the Seeley Lake ROCKS community ice rink.
• $20,000 to go toward a larger effort to replace a second through fifth grade playground at Target Range Elementary School.
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 Program 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 is exciting to see what desires local communities have for their recreational needs and how creative they are at getting local participation and matches to achieve these goals,” said Missoula County Parks and Trails Advisory Board member Martha Yates. “The projects have gotten bigger and so has our ability to support these efforts. Local input is essential to fitting the park to the neighborhood. Neighborhoods and communities should look to apply for our next grant cycle starting September, 2022.”
For more information or questions about the Matching Grants Program, email Jackson Lee at jlee@missoulacounty.us. General information and application materials can also be found online.
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