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City seeking grant to fix up skate park

| April 20, 2022

The city of New Philadelphia is seeking a $40,000 grant from ODNR to fix up the skate park off Mill Avenue SE. (WJER Radio)

NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (April 19, 2022) – Officials will explain how grant money could improve the local skate park during a public hearing Monday.

New Philadelphia Service Director Ron McAbier says the city is seeking $40,000 through the Ohio Department of Resources’ Nature Works program to rehabilitate the ramps at the park off Mill Avenue Southwest.

“I mean, I think it’s in great shape now. We want to get it in super shape and have it be able to provide many hours [of enjoyment] moving forward for all the folks down there who use that.”

McAbier says the city paid Benchmark Construction just over $11,000 to repair the flat part of the ramps and a few other areas last year. He says the grant money and the city’s $10,000 match should be enough to finish the job.

“I believe with that amount, we should believe to do anything we didn’t do last year. So I believe a hundred percent of the ramps should be able to be rehabbed and a lot of the flat iron that’s down there should be able to be taken off and put new iron on like the edges of things.

McAbier says they’re seeking letters of support to include with the city’s application, which increases the likelihood the project will be awarded the funding. They can be mailed to the New Philadelphia Service Director’s Office or dropped off there during regular business hours. McAbier says if you don’t have time to write one, they also have a form letter you can sign.

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