The City of Mt. Carmel is moving forward with an application for state funding that could bring major improvements to Lincoln Park.
Mayor Joe Judge presided over a public hearing Friday morning at City Hall concerning the city's application for an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, grant. The state program provides funding to local governments for the development and improvement of public parks and open spaces.
Judge said Lincoln Park was selected in part because the area impacted by a tornado about three years ago qualifies as a distressed area under the grant program. While Mt. Carmel as a whole does not qualify as a distressed community, Judge said the Lincoln Park area does.
The city's preliminary proposal calls for a skate and bike park, a fenced dog park, restrooms, improvements to the existing playground, new lighting controls and resurfacing of the basketball courts. ADA-accessible sidewalks would also be added throughout the park.
The project is currently estimated at about $350,000, although Judge said that figure could change before the final grant application is submitted. Because Lincoln Park qualifies as a distressed area, the grant would cover 90 percent of the project cost, with the city responsible for the remaining 10 percent.
Judge stressed that the plans presented Friday are preliminary. If Mt. Carmel receives the grant, additional public hearings would be held to allow residents to provide input on the specific equipment and final design of the park.
The OSLAD program is competitive, and Mt. Carmel has unsuccessfully applied for funding through the program in the past. Judge said the city expects to learn whether its latest application is successful sometime between March and May of next year. If awarded, the city would have three years to complete the project.
