CLEARFIELD – Representatives of the Lawrence Township Recreation Park board spoke to the board members of Clearfield County Recreation & Tourism Authority during Wednesday’s meeting concerning a grant application.
Chairman Larry Putt and Treasurer Rick Redden wanted to explain to the CCRTA board their plans for a $25,000 grant the Recreation Park is applying for.
They explained that the park is currently home to a regulation size baseball field, a regulation size football field and a regulation size basketball court.
In recent years, baseball tournaments have been scheduled at the park and to continue having these events the park needs some upgrades, beginning with a new scoreboard.
Redden explained that ball fields are required to have a pitch count on their scoreboard because young pitchers are limited on how many pitches they can throw in a game.
Several tournaments are scheduled at the field beginning June 3, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars state championship.
These tournaments will be bringing in players, staff and family from out of the area.
“The facility is a great facility,” Redden said, adding that the semi-pro football team in DuBois is looking to use the facility as a neutral field for championship games.
Other planned upgrades include bleachers, safety netting and fence safety toppers.
Costs are estimated at $5,000 for the scoreboard; $15,000 for the seating; at 33-feet long and five risers high, $2,000 for the fence toppers; and about $1,900 for the netting, plus the cost of labor.
The Rec Park board is hoping to be able to pay for the labor itself and possibly get some “in kind,” and those costs will be used as part of their 25 percent match for the grant.
The board members had some concerns about how the grant money is to be used based on the guidelines set out by law.
After some discussion, it was agreed to award the amount needed for the scoreboard, up to $7,500, and have Solicitor Andrew Gates review the law and guidelines and get back to the board.
Several grants were also approved by the board as recommended by the Hotel Tax committee. These are marketing grants of up to $7,500.
The grants include: Chelsea’s Rustic Decor of Coalport, $988.45; Ginger’s Family Restaurant of Coalport, $988.45; Quehanna Industrial Development Corp. for the 100-Mile Yard Sale and Canoe Race, $1,800; Curwensville Days, $2,500; Susquehanna River Arts Center, $3,500; Clearfield County Fair, $7,500; Clearfield Revitalization Corp., $2,000; DuBois Area Historical Society, $1,625 for a railroad symposium and Elks High Country Arts and Crafts Fair, $7,500.
The board also approved a distribution of $3,000 to Curwensville Lake Authority and closing out a grant with Historica Plus in Clearfield with a distribution of $3,919.70.
