Enhancements are coming to Lower Burrell’s parks and playgrounds.
The city is working through two grants to improve its parks, Councilman Chris Fabry said. The impact of the first grant can be seen at Veterans Park for two new playgrounds — one of which was installed a couple weeks ago.
Fabry said the grant paid for the structure, and city employees are installing the equipment.
The second grant, Fabry said, was used for the parks planning study. He said the project is almost complete and was mostly grant funded.
The results of the study will be used to “aggressively” go after more funding opportunities in the upcoming years, to address areas in and around city parks where people have said they would like improvements.
Additionally, Lower Burrell was awarded a $20,000 grant to purchase and install various park amenities, including new benches, trash receptacles and recycling containers. Fabry said those items “will make a very nice addition to all of our parks.”
He also said the tennis courts at Veterans Park will be upgraded in the future. That upgrade will resurface the court and convert at least one of the courts into three pickleball courts. Like the playground equipment at Veterans Park, the material is funded through grants, and the city will use its labor force to place the material and stripe the new playing surfaces.
“Having a thriving parks system is vital to not only our existing residents but also those looking for homes,” Fabry said. “We want people from outside of Lower Burrell looking for a new place to live to look not just at a house but also the community as a whole. This includes our parks, community events, a good school district and a safe place to live. It is important that we invest in our parks system. We want our residents to have places to go and things to do.
“Council is committed to giving our residents more while being fiscally responsible with their tax dollars. This is a perfect example of how we can do so.”
