And the grant winners are — Richland ball field lights, Crow Butte marina campground plans
By Annette Cary
The site of a proposed campground next to the Crow Butte Marina in south Benton County is shown.
Courtesy Washington Recreation and Conservation Funding Board
A campground for the Crow Butte Park marina. More lights and bleachers for the Columbia Playfield in Richland. A larger clubhouse at the Rattlesnake Mountain Shooting Facility.
They are among the outdoor projects that are receiving $116 million from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board.
The award of the state grants — paid for by a mix of federal grants, the sale of state bonds, gas taxes and user fees — were awarded after the Legislature’s recent approval of the capital budget.
Committees of state residents evaluated grant proposals and created ranked lists for the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board, the governor or the state Legislature to consider funding.
“Overall, we have funding only for about half the demand,” said Kaleen Cottingham, director of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.
Here are the Tri-City-area and some additional Eastern Washington projects that are receiving grants:
Preliminary work will be done with a $210,000 grant to add a boater’s campground at Crow Butte Marina on the Columbia River island near Paterson. Courtesy Crow Butte Park
Crow Butte boater’s campground
A grant of $210,000 — plus $75,000 from the Port of Benton in cash and labor —will prepare for construction of a marina campground on the Columbia River island near Paterson.
Plans call for a 20-space campground within sight of the Crow Butte marina to provide overnight accommodations for those with motorized boats. Spaces will include parking for boat trailers.
Plans call for a restroom with a shower, a gazebo and picnic areas. The possibility of adding yurts and a group camping area will be studied.
The grant and Port of Benton match should pay for preliminary work, including an environmental review, a check for cultural resources, engineering, design and permitting for the campground.
The marina campground will be in addition to camping already available at the 275-acre Crow Butte Park on Highway 14.
More lighting and bleachers will be added at Columbia Playfield in Richland with the help of a $150,000 grant. Courtesy Washington Recreation and Conservation Funding Board
Columbia Playfield improvements
LED lights will be added to a fifth field at Columbia Playfield in Richland and aluminum bleachers with fabric covers will go up at a new fast-pitch softball field with the help of a $150,000 grant.
The city of Richland will contribute $225,000 in cash and labor.
The increased lighting will help attract larger softball tournaments, once more games can be played at a central location. The playfield, off Stevens Drive, is the only fast-pitch complex in the city, according to the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board.
Lighted fields also will allow more softball games to be played in the summertime after temperatures cool at night. In the fall the lighted fields will be used for youth soccer practice.
The Tri-Cities Shooting Association will use a grant of almost $31,000 to expand its clubhouse and buy two trap machines for the shotgun range at the Rattlesnake Mountain.
The association will contribute $32,880 in cash and labor for the improvements at the shooting facility eight miles north of Benton City.
The larger clubhouse will provide more space for range safety officers to conduct safety briefings. A heat pump will be added for winter warmth and summer cooling.
The new trap machines will replace 18-year-old machines that are prone to breakdowns, according to the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board.
The trailhead of the Beverly Dunes ORV Park will be renovated with part of a $308,800 grant. Courtesy Washington Recreation and Conservation Funding Board
Renovate the Beverly Dunes ORV Park
A grant of $308,800 will be used to renovate the off-road vehicle trailhead and campsites at the Beverly Dunes ORV Park in Grant County near Beverly.
Three restrooms will be installed and renovations will improve parking, camping, access for people with disabilities and safety for trucks and trailers hauling off-road vehicles. Snowmobiles and horses also are used in the area.
The Department of Natural Resources will contribute $51,200 in cash and labor.
The closure means people won’t be able to access the 2,000 miles of forest roads, 715 miles trails or the more than 20 campgrounds in the Umatilla National Forest. Courtesy Washington Recreation and Conservation Funding Board
Maintain Blue Mountain trails
A grant of $75,000 — matched by $75,000 in cash, materials and volunteer labor — will be used to maintain backcountry wilderness trails in Columbia County.
Crews will clear trails and maintain trail bridges for visitors who come to the Pomeroy Ranger District to ride horses, hike, backpack, hunt and fish.
In addition, the Walla Walla and Pomeroy ranger districts of the Umatilla National Forest will receive $50,000 to maintain trails for motorized vehicles. The Forest Service will provide $95,000 in cash, labor, equipment and materials.
 "5th Field 1st Base (2)")
