A riverfront park, boat launch and sports complex. State grants mean more fun for Tri-Citians
A new waterfront park on the Yakima River, development of a sports complex in Pasco and a new boat launch on the Columbia River are planned with the help of Washington state recreation grants.
Benton and Franklin counties have been awarded nearly $2 million of $126 million in state grants announced this week to expand outdoor recreation opportunities and preserve wildlife habitat, farms and forests.
Here’s what was awarded in Benton and Franklin counties:
▪ Benton City will buy nearly 11 acres to create a park along the Yakima River near Seventh Street.
It will give access to the river for canoeing, kayaking, fishing and watching waterfowl.
Benton City will provide about $20,000 in cash and city staff labor. The grant is for nearly $82,000.
▪ Pasco will renovate the Schlagel Park Boat Launch on the Columbia River near the cable bridge with a grant of about $661,000.
It plans to build a new two-lane boat launch.
The existing boat launch — built by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950s and upgraded in the 1970s — is in very poor shape, according to the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board.
The city plans to add boarding floats and concrete ramps and a new restroom.
Pasco will contribute $235,000 in cash and staff labor.
▪ Pasco also will begin development of the A Street Sports Complex in east Pasco on land already owned by the city.
It will receive a grant of $350,000 and contribute about $221,000 to the project.
In the first phase Pasco plans to build three sports fields that could be used for soccer, lacrosse, rugby or Ultimate Frisbee, bringing high quality fields to one of the region’s most underprivileged areas, according to the Recreation and conservation Funding Board.
A parking lot and restroom also are planned for the first phase of development.
▪ Richland will receive a $99,000 grant to rebuild a 0.3 mile access road to the Horn Rapids Off-Road-Vehicle Park.
The city will contribute $30,500 in staff labor.
The road will provide a safer way to reach the park and its trails, campground and restrooms.
▪ The Tri-Cities Shooting Association will get help to pave about three-quarters of a mile of road leading to the Rattlesnake Mountain Shooting Facility.
The current road to the shooting range, which is about eight miles north of Benton City, is steep and rough.
Paving the road will allow more people to shoot there and reduce maintenance costs, said the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board.
The shooting association will contribute almost $77,000 in cash and labor for the project.
▪ Benton City will buy 25 acres for a future park and sports complex on Ki-Be Road across the street from the high school.
Future development will include fields for soccer, football, baseball and softball. A spray pad, shade structures and restrooms also are planned.
The state grant is for $582,000, with Benton City contributing about $389,000.
▪ Prosser will receive almost $32,000 to improve the competition lap pool at the Prosser Aquatic Center.
The city will replace the starting blocks, pool cover, pump and filter. It also will improve the public address system, automatic scoring system and entrance sign.
Prosser will contribute $26,000 in cash and staff labor.
State board ranks projects for grants
Money was approved by the Legislature in the capital budget for 2019-’21. Proposed projects were evaluated and ranked by the state Recreation and Conservation Funding Board, with about half of the proposals funded.
The board includes five people appointed by the state governor and three state agency directors.
The money for the grants comes from a mix of federal grant awards, the sale of state bonds, gas taxes and user fees. The money is further stretched with most grants requiring a local match of cash or labor.
“At a time when public lands are more and more at risk of being developed or lost altogether, these grants prioritize our outdoor spaces so that current and future generations can continue to enjoy and protect them,” said Gov. Jay Inslee.