By: Follow South Jersey Staff
SOUTH JERSEY – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) has announced the award of $10 million in Local Recreation Improvement Grants to counties, municipalities, and school districts across New Jersey including 36 in South Jersey.
The grants, meant to help improve community parks, recreation centers, and local stadiums, were awarded to 162 local governments after a competitive application process to ensure public access to quality outdoor recreation and community resources, according to a press release from the DCA.
“DCA is proud to assist local governments in repairing and upgrading their parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities into spaces that promote people’s physical and mental well-being,” Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA Commissioner, said in the press release. “A big part of what makes a community healthy and vibrant is giving residents the opportunity to take a walk, play a game, and participate in sports and other activities with friends and neighbors in a safe and accessible place.”
Grant recipients will use the funding to help cover costs associated with updating community centers, playgrounds, pools, fields, walking or bicycle trails, rail trails, multi-sport courts, and recreational facilities. The grants can also be utilized for one-time personnel costs directly related to improvements; project development professional services costs; equipment costs including playground and recreation facilities equipment; environmental remediation costs required to prepare recreation sites for use; and staff training costs.
The South Jersey awards are as follows:
Atlantic City – $100,000
Buena Vista Township – $57,000
Egg Harbor City School District – $75,000
Egg Harbor Township – $75,000
Folsom Borough – $40,000
Linwood City – $55,000
Margate City – $50,000
Mullica Township – $90,000
Pleasantville City – $90,000
Somers Point City – $75,000
Ventnor City – $50,000
Barrington Borough – $75,000
Berlin Township – $75,000
Cherry Hill Township – $60,000
Chesilhurst Borough – $75,000
Gloucester City – $75,000
Haddon Heights Borough – $75,000
Merchantville Borough – $40,000
Voorhees Township – $100,000
Cape May County Technical School District Cape May – $45,000
Dennis Township – $50,000
Upper Township School District – $60,000
West Cape May Borough – $75,000
Wildwood Crest Borough – $50,000
Bridgeton City – $50,000
Commercial Township – $50,000
Maurice River Township – $50,000
Millville City – $40,000
Vineland City – $40,000
Greenwich Township Board of Education – $70,000
Logan Township Board of Education – $65,000
Pitman Borough Board of Education – $50,000
West Deptford Township – $70,000
Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional SD – $80,000
Quinton Township School – $20,000
A full list of the recipients can be found here.
“The Division of Local Government Services developed this program, in part, to provide quality outdoor recreational space for the residents of underserved communities,” said DLGS Director Jacquelyn Suárez. “This need has been especially heightened over the last couple of years as people searched for outdoor spaces to help alleviate the significant stress and anxiety brought on by the pandemic.”
The Local Government Improvement Grants are reimbursement-based with no advance payment or drawdown of grant funds.
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