Federal grant plans focus on inclusive park, public services and housing
Jun. 17—A planned inclusive park for special needs children and a program helping owners renovate homes would receive money under Decatur's proposed use of a federal grant that benefits low-income areas.
Allen Stover, city Community Development supervisor, said Decatur is receiving $442,646 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding for fiscal 2023. Service agencies and a down-payment assistance program also would receive money under the CDBG action plan Stover submitted this week. City Council will consider it for approval Monday.
The largest allocation in Stover's plan would provide $168,555 for the Everyday Sunshine Park planned for 1311 19th Ave. S.E. behind Oak Park Elementary School. It would serve special needs children as well as other kids.
Jeff Sharp, director of the Everyday Sunshine nonprofit, has been working with the city on the project since 2019 when GraceLife Church donated the 30,000 square feet of its property for the inclusive park.
An architect is working on a plan in which the CBDG money would pay for site work, a parking lot and signage, Sharp said.
"We had a meeting today," Sharp said Thursday. "And the key is for us to get the (architect's) plan ready as soon as possible so we can qualify for the grant."
Sharp said his plan is to then seek private companies to each sponsor one piece of playground equipment. He would like the playground to have two spinner features, including a merry-go-round that's wheelchair-accessible, five swings and a special slide.
"The slide is built on a hill so there's wheelchair access in which the child can move to the slide to slide down it," Sharp said.
One piece of equipment Sharp said he wants is an inclusive zip-line swing "that's amazing," particularly for wheelchair-bound children.
On Sharp's wish list for the project is an outdoor classroom that he said could be used by Oak Park while doubling as a small stage for concerts and events.
The action plan also would divide $66,039 between public service providers for low-income residents. Decatur Youth Services would receive more than half of the money at $34,739, and Morgan County Commission on Aging would get $15,000.
Other programs receiving money include PACT (Parents and Children Together), Decatur Youth Enrichment, Mental Health Association of Morgan County and the Volunteer Center for Morgan County.
A new program to receive money would be Community Action Partnership of North Alabama's Single Family Rehab, which Stover allocated $60,000.
Stover said this program would help a resident renovate a home in a low-income area. How much would be available for each approved resident has not been decided, he said.
Stover said one of the most successful parts of the city's annual use of CBDG funding, the down-payment assistance program, would get $60,000.
Over the past 17 years, Decatur has allocated $1.36 million for the down-payment assistance program, which provides up to $4,500 for qualifying people who purchased a home in Decatur, Stover said.
The remaining $88,052, or 20% of the grant, is allocated to program administration, which is allowed by grant rules. The funding goes toward salaries and benefits for three Community Development Department employees.
— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.
