State grant to fund Mosher Park upgrades

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By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

A nearly $200,000 state grant will bring upgrades to Mosher Park and the swimming pool complex. File photo

RAVENA — A $197,442 grant will aid the village in making upgrades to Mosher Park and the pool complex.

The Ravena Village Board unveiled details of the renovation project at the Jan. 18 meeting.

The grant was awarded Dec. 14 through the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and was among numerous awards to municipalities around the state.

Among the components of the project at Mosher Park that will be funded by the state include adding a lift to make the pool compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act; installing a splash pad; resurfacing ball courts; and building a new pavilion, according to the state.

“The revitalized facilities will increase the use and public access to pool and park facilities, and improve health and fitness levels for those using the park,” according to the state.

The village board at the January meeting unanimously approved a resolution accepting the grant from the state’s Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation under the Environmental Protection Fund Grant Program, according to the resolution.

Resident Barbara Tanner asked the board if a committee will be set up to determine how the grant money will be spent.

Mayor Bill Misuraca responded that the terms of the award have been established by the state and the village must adhere to them.

“The grant that was applied for was very specific in its parameters,” Misuraca said. “There is a certain amount of money for the pool, trees, playground equipment, landscaping. They dictate to us — it’s not like they just handed us a couple of hundred thousand dollars and said have fun. It is very broken down what we have to spend it on.”

Village Foreman Henry Traver from the Department of Public Works said he and Village Trustee Linda Muller spoke with the grant writer last year to identify improvements that were needed at the park to include in the grant application.

Among the upgrades were planting additional trees; pool equipment such as pump baskets for the pumping system, a chlorinator, filters and a splash pad. Splash pads are interactive fountains that spray water on users and are primarily geared to recreational use by children.

A major component of the upgrade will be making the pool accessible to those with disabilities, Traver said.

 “One of the biggest things is to become ADA-compliant — a lift chair for the pool for wheelchair accessibility,” Traver said. “Also, there is a new pavilion along the parking lot area for the pool and also for larger events.”

The project will also include seal coating and fixing the cracks in the basketball and tennis courts, along with the installation of new playground equipment, Traver said. The deteriorating backstop at the park’s baseball field will also be replaced, along with other renovations at the ballfield.

Other improvements will include upgrades to the maintenance building, pool house and repairing the old pavilion and security system.

While repairs are being made to the ball courts, the hope is that the village will also be able to draw the lines for pickleball — a game that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and is growing in popularity, according to the USA Pickleball Association.

“When it comes to the basketball court and the tennis court and our relining, we can also hopefully line for pickleball courts for the public to use,” Muller said. “That is becoming quite popular.”

Deputy Mayor Nancy Warner asked what the village will have to do in return for the grant.

“What do we have to contribute?” Warner asked.

Traver responded that village work crews will help meet the state’s requirements.

“In most grants you have to match,” Traver said. “We will use manhours of my guys, so that will make up some of the time for this. We will be able to put the filters in and build a new pavilion.”

A start date for the project has not yet been set.

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