AGENDA #4L
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Authorization to Apply for a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) Grant for the Homestead Park Aquatics Center
DATE: January 9, 2005
The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to apply for a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant for the Homestead Park Aquatics Center project. The resolution would also authorize the Mayor to sign the application and guarantee that $500,000 in matching funds would be available if the grant is successful. The Manager recommends adoption of the resolution.
In November 2004, a Special Use Permit application was submitted for the Homestead Park Aquatics Center. The permit was approved in November 2005.
In 2005 the Town received a $500,000 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant for the Southern Community Park project.
PARTF is a State-wide program that provides grants for parks and recreation capital projects. Recipients must provide at least 50 percent of the cost of any project funded through the program. The current limit for a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant application is $500,000. The application deadline is January 31, 2006. The trust fund board and staff expect to announce the recipients of 75 percent of the grant money in May 2005 and the remaining 25 percent in July 2005.
We are currently working on a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant application for the Homestead Park Aquatics Center project. Grant applications are scored on a number of criteria including the extent of the public process, completion of system-wide master plans, completion of site specific master plans, and the number of recreation based facilities that would be provided at the sites.
Budget for Homestead Park Aquatics Center: The project is currently funded through Parks bonds approved by both Orange County and Chapel Hill voters.
1996 Town Parks Bond $1,158,000
1997 Orange County Parks Bond $855,000
2001 Orange County Parks Bond $3,500,000
Total Funds for Homestead Park Aquatics Center $5,513,000
We continue to review cost information for the aquatics center. We believe that once all costs have been identified there may be a funding shortfall if inflation in the construction market continues at the current pace. If bids come in higher than currently anticipated grant funds could be used to limit program reductions. If bids come in at or below estimates grant funds could be used to enhance the building program.
If the grant application is successful we would have to guarantee that the Town could provide at least $500,000. The existing budget contains enough funding to meet this requirement.
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would authorize the Manager to apply for Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grants for the Homestead Park Aquatics Center. The resolution would also authorize the Mayor to sign the applications that would guarantee that matching funds would be available if the grants are successful.