Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks & Recreation Department

DATE:           June 16, 2010

TO:              Dave Corliss, City Manager,

Cynthiaf Wagner, Assistant City Manager

                             Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

                   Ernie Shaw, Interim Director Parks & Recreation

                   Eileen Horn, Sustainability Coordinator

FROM:          Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation

RE:               DeVictor Park Trail Addition – Grant Submittal

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at the June 22nd, 2010 meeting:

Approve the submittal of a grant application to the Sunflower Foundation for construction of additional concrete trails in DeVictor Park.

Project Description

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department in cooperation with Eileen Horn, the newly hired Sustainability Coordinator for the County, have identified a possible funding source for additional concrete trail construction at DeVictor Park. The Sunflower Foundation promotes the health of Kansas citizens by providing grant assistance for community projects that promote walkable communities. They also give special emphasis to projects that provide walkable routes to schools.  We feel the continued development of the DeVictor Park concrete trail system fits nicely into the funding criteria established by the Foundation.

Project Funding

This is a 50/50 match grant program with the maximum award being $15,000 for trail construction.  We are proposing a $30,000 trail addition to the north end of DeVictor Park with $15,000 being funded by the proposed grant and the remaining $15,000 being funded through the City’s Special Recreation Fund (216 Budget). If we are awarded this grant, construction would start on the trail in the fall of 2010.   

Action Request

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department staff, in cooperation with the Douglas County Sustainability Coordinator, requests approval from the City Commission to submit a $15,000 grant application to the Sunflower Foundation for construction of additional concrete trails in DeVictor Park. And, if approved, that City will commit $15,000 of matching funds.

Thank you for your assistance.  Please advise if you have any questions.