Cheney parks to seek grant

Construction of Betz Park on the north side of Cheney could begin in 2011, if the city receives a grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office.

Parks and Recreation Director Paul Simmons asked the Council for permission to apply for a $500,000 state RCO grant to build a softball field, a Little League baseball field and a T-ball field in the future park. He told the Council that matching funds would be needed if the grant is approved for the $1 million project.

“Parks are not cheap,” he told the Council.

He said the matching funds would come from a $10,000 grant the city received from Farmers Insurance last fall, $100,000 from the park reserves fund, $200,000 from the Real Estate and Excise Tax fund and $190,000 from in-kind services from the new Eagle Point development adjacent to the park site, which will set up the infrastructure for the park.

Simmons told the Council the application for the grant is due Monday. The department would then make a presentation in Moses Lake in June when it will get feedback about its presentation and make any needed corrections. In August the application and presentation will be made to officials in Olympia. The city should find out in October if the grant is approved and construction could begin sometime next year.

But Simmons cautioned “It takes a while for the grass to get into playing condition.”

Councilman Fred Pollard asked Simmons if the ball fields will have any economic impact on the city.

Simmons said that the idea for the park and playing fields has always been to attract state championships and other tournaments to Cheney. Although the three new fields may not add enough fields to the city in the short term, once the park grows that could change.

“I would argue that yes, there’s going to be a huge impact,” Simmons said.

The next Cheney City Council meeting is scheduled May 11.