Benton

and Franklin counties received more than $1.8 million in state recreation

grants to pay for a variety of projects, including improving a Pasco boat

launch, developing a Pasco sports complex, renovating Prosser’s pool and buying

land for a Benton City riverfront park and future sports complex.

Franklin

County received $1 million, and Benton County received $867,024.

The

state Recreation and Conservation Funding Board announced last month more than

$126 million in grants for 333 projects that build and maintain outdoor

recreation facilities, and conserve wildlife habitat and working farms and

forests around the state.

Franklin County grants:

• Renovating the Schlagel Park boat launch, $660,839. The city of Pasco will use this grant to build a two-lane boat launch at Schlagel Park on the Columbia River. The existing launch is in very poor condition; it was built by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950s and last upgraded in the 1970s. The city will replace the boat ramps and launches with boarding floats and concrete ramps, replace the restroom and reorganize traffic flow and parking. Pasco will contribute $235,000 in cash and staff labor.

• Development of the A Street sports complex, $350,000: The city of Pasco received the grant to build three multiuse sports fields, a parking lot and restroom, serving as first phase of  development of the A Street sports complex in east Pasco. By developing this city-owned vacant land into a sporting complex, the city will be able to accommodate the ever-growing demand for field space and bring high-quality fields to one of the region’s most underprivileged areas. The fields will accommodate sports, such as soccer, lacrosse, rugby and ultimate frisbee. Pasco will contribute $221,113.

Benton

County grants:

• Buying land for a sports complex in Benton City, $582,000. Benton City will use this grant to buy 25 acres for a future park and sports complex. The land is on Ki-Be Road, across the street from the high school. Future development will include soccer, football, baseball and softball fields, a spray pad and amenities such as shade structures, restrooms and parking. Benton City will contribute $388,674.

• Rebuilding Horn Rapids ORV Park access road, $99,086. The city of Richland Parks and Recreation will use this grant to build a 0.3-mile road that accesses Horn Rapids Off-Road-Vehicle Park. The new road will replace the deteriorating road and provide a safer and smoother traveling surface to reach the park and its trails, campground, office building, restrooms and emergency exit. The new road will be 24 feet wide and the road structure will be two inches of asphalt above four inches of gravel. The city will contribute $30,500 in staff labor.

• Buying land for a Riverfront Park in Benton City, $81,650. Benton City will use this grant to buy nearly 11 acres to create a riverfront park near Seventh Street, along the Yakima River. The planned park is expected to give people access to the river for canoeing, kayaking, fishing and watching waterfowl. Local residents have identified water access and wildlife viewing as important amenities, and this project provides both. Benton City will contribute $20,413 in cash and staff labor.

• Paving the entry road to the Rattlesnake Mountain Shooting Range, $72,525. The Tri-Cities Shooting Association will use this grant to pave more than three-quarter miles of road used to access the Rattlesnake Mountain shooting facility, which is eight miles north of Benton City in Benton County. The current entry road is very steep and rough, which limits access. Paving the road will allow more members of the range and public to get to the range more easily and will reduce maintenance costs. The Tri-Cities Shooting Association will contribute $76,525 in donations of cash and labor.

• Improve Prosser’s competitive pool, $31,763. The city of Prosser will use this grant to improve the competition lap pool in the Prosser Aquatic Center in EJ Miller Park. The city will replace the starting blocks, pool cover, pump and filter. The city also will install a public address system splitter, automatic scoring system and entrance sign. These improvements will increase swimmer safety, enhance the individual and team athletic competitive experience and improve timing accuracy for swimming events. The Prosser Aquatic Center has two pools, a competitive lap pool and a recreational pool. The competitive pool is used for training by the 115-member Piranhas swim team, is the site for weekly meets in the summer for eight regional teams and hosts three high school girls swim teams. Prosser will contribute $25,988 in cash and staff labor.

The Blue Mountain Land Trust in Walla Walla received

$284,500 to buy a voluntary land preservation agreement on 652 acres of

farmland next to other conserved land. The land boasts 360-degree views of

Walla Walla and the Blue Mountains, making it a prime target for development

despite its productivity as farmland. An easement will prevent development,

ensuring that this land remains in farmland production, according to grant documents.

Blue Mountain Land Trust will contribute $284,500 in a donation of land value

and a federal grant.

With

the state Legislature’s approval of the capital budget, the grants were awarded

through seven different grant programs. Revenue comes from a mix of federal

grants, the sale of state bonds, gas taxes and user fees.

“Not only do these grants support our state’s parks, forests and

farms, but they also fuel a powerful outdoor recreation economy that puts about

200,000 people to work and generates more than $26 billion in spending every

year,” Gov. Jay Inslee said in a news release. “At a time when public lands are

more and more at risk of being developed or lost altogether, these grants

prioritize our outdoor spaces so that current and future generations can

continue to enjoy and protect them.”