Beaver Twp. considers heating park pavilion

It’s up to the state how much money, if any, is awarded.

By VIRGINIA ROSS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NORTH LIMA — Things might be heating up inside the pavilion at Beaver Township’s Woodworth Park.

The township is looking at putting a heating system in the pavilion and officials are hoping to obtain money through a state grant to help cover the cost.

Township trustees recently agreed to enlist the services of Thomas Fok and Associates to prepare a grant application that can be submitted to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Deadline for the application is Friday.

Scott Conway, township park administrator, said the estimated cost of the project is $20,600 — the amount the township is asking the state for. The money is to help cover the cost of new electric heating system and its installation, including baseboards, ceiling and wall heaters.

But, Conway explained, it is up to the state how much money, if any, is awarded.

“We can ask for that amount, but it doesn’t mean that’s what we’ll get,” he said. “So, we’ll wait and see what the state has to say and if they don’t give us the whole amount, then we’ll need to look at other sources, other ways we might be able to get the rest of the money to cover the project.”

He said he expects to know whether the grant is approved and for how much by fall.

This past year the township received nearly $7,000 from ODNR and $8,600 from the Mahoning County Clean Spaces Fund to put toward the purchase and installation of new playground equipment at Woodworth Park, an estimated $19,951 project. The township contributed the remainder of the money. Conway said workers have prepared the area for the equipment and he expects installation to take place once the weather breaks.

“It’s all part of our ongoing effort to improve our township parks,” Conway said. “With a new heating system, we can open up the pavilion year-round. I think it could be a great benefit to our township and our residents.”

Conway said typically the pavilion is rented out steadily through warmer months. Heating the pavilion would allow the township to rent the pavilion throughout the year and provide a place to conduct various township-sponsored activities, including holiday parties and other gatherings.