National Association of Counties recognizes Burlington County for Municipal Park Program

Freeholder Director Bruce Garganio announced that the National Association of Counties has awarded the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholder’s with a 2014 Achievement Award for its Municipal Park Development Grant Program.

NACo congratulated the Freeholders and everyone involved with for their dedication to developing this innovative program, now in its fifth year. The program has been used to build and improve local parks, trails, ball fields and other recreational facilities.

“When we created this program our goals were to assist the municipalities, all of which had been hit hard by the struggling economy, and to allow those towns that pay the farmland preservation and open space tax but that do not have farmland to preserve to participate in the program in a meaningful way,” said Freeholder Director Garganio. “To date we have awarded nearly $20 million dollars and the worthwhile projects these awards have facilitated are visible throughout the county. We look forward to the new opportunities that future rounds of grants will offer to our townships.”

Among the projects funded by previous rounds of the County’s Municipal Park Development Program:

• Mount Laurel created a community garden to give their residents an opportunity to experience gardening by providing small plots to plant flowers or vegetables.
• Hainesport created new trails that connect to previously established County trails, working toward a county wide regional trail system along the Rancocas Creek.
• Woodland Township built their first youth baseball and softball fields.
• Cinnaminson built restroom facilities at their Wood Park, allowing them to hold youth sports tournaments and large-scale town events.
• Springfield Township created bike trails for their residents.
• Bordentown Township added a Tot Lot and hockey rink to their recreational area, as well as improving existing tennis and basketball court.
• Burlington Township replaced a street hockey court and improved existing basketball and tennis courts, along with various other improvements to local active recreational facilities.
• Delran built athletic fields at Myers Tract Park, including a field specifically for handicapped individuals.

The grant program is funded through the County’s dedicated Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.