City could seek Foundation help for trail expansion

Cathy Spaulding, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·2 min read

Jan. 24—A new trail through south Muskogee could be among the city's requests for City of Muskogee Foundation funding.

Muskogee City Council members are set to discuss potential foundation requests at an upcoming meeting. The regular council meeting set for Monday was cancelled out of concerns for weather.

According to the meeting's agenda, the council was to authorize submission of letters of inquiry for the foundation's 2024-2025 grant cycle. Requests include $1.47 million for Coody Creek Trail expansion and $55,000 for Coody Creek Trail design.

City Manager Mike Miller said Feb. 8 is the foundation's deadline for letters of inquiry.

"The foundation has always been a good partner for capital projects," Miller said. "The foundation, in December, said they wanted to help prioritize which projects get funded. If we don't request capital projects we think we would be good, they can't be prioritized."

Mayor Marlon Coleman said a called council meeting could be set for Feb. 5, the same day as the Public Works and Finance committee meetings.

A Coody Creek trail through south Muskogee has been part of the city's trails plan since 2004. Part of the trail extends west from the Bark Park, 1121 S. Second St., to Centennial Trail.

Muskogee Parks and Recreation Director Mark Wilkerson said the city applied for an Oklahoma Department of Transportation grant to fund trail expansion from the Bark Park to Gulick Street, ending north of Burbank Street. He said the expansion would be part of the city's Connect Muskogee program.

"We still need the match money," Wilkerson said, adding that the city received $1.2 million from ODOT, but the total project is $2.7 million.

Wilkerson said the trail would go about two miles to the southeast. The trail also would go north of the original Grandview Heights neighborhood.

"We've already selected the design firm, but ODOT is actually the one who will hire and oversee the design firm," Wilkerson said.

Another proposed foundation request is for $2 million for expansion of River Country Water Park. The foundation granted $500,000 for water park improvements in 2022.

"It turned out we didn't have enough money, other than to do our renovation work for the water park," Wilkerson said. "The facility is 20 years old and we had a lot of improvements we had to make. Construction costs keep going sky high, so we decided we have to take care of what we've got first."

Wilkerson said expansion could include a new water feature, which could include water guns and a dump bucket.

Other proposed foundation requests are $300,000 for pickleball courts at Hatbox Field, $150,000 for Muskogee Teen Center operations, $100,000 for continuation of the city attorney's juvenile and adult community service programs, $94,000 per year over five years for Police Department body cameras and $161,000 per year for five years for Police tasers.