Park Grant Would Aid Accessibility

The city may get as much as $50,000 in state grant money to improve its oldest park.

Council members voted unanimously last week to approve a grant application that would pay for upgrades at Oak Knoll Park, 9600 Graham St., behind the community center. The plans include improving accessibility into the park for disabled people by creating a rubberized surface over parts of the sand area in the playground.

“Resurfacing is fairly costly,” said Marvin DeCarlo, director of the Parks and Recreation Department.

Councilman Tim Keenan said improvements are much needed at the park, which features three baseball diamonds used by youth teams.

“There are steps there . . . That’s the way it was done in the 1950s,” Keenan said. “And because it’s so heavily used, it’s clearly a target for improvements.”

The grant program, part of the Safe Neighborhood Parks, Clean Water, Clean Air, and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2000, is aimed at helping cities meet state and federal guidelines for public playgrounds. The state set aside $2.6 million to fund the grant program through 2001. The deadline for applications is Jan. 31.

The city would be required to match 50% of the grant, or a maximum of $25,000. Recycled materials must be used in the improvement process.