Grant sought to replace Stanley Park lights

May 6—Daviess Fiscal Court is seeking a grant to install new lights at Stanley Park.

County commissioners approved a resolution Thursday for a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant to replace the lights at Stanley Park, and to add lights in additional areas.

The projected cost of the project is $291,616. The grant would cover half of the cost, with the remainder made up of local funds.

County parks and recreation director Ross Leigh said officials discovered an issue with the light poles after recent windstorms.

"Stanley did lose a couple of the older wooden poles," Leigh said Friday.

County Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen told commissioners Thursday that after the windstorm, officials discovered the rest of the light poles in the park weren't up to code.

"The county took down all the poles," Leigh said.

If the grant is approved, the county will replace the lights at the baseball fields and also install lights at the pickleball and basketball courts, Leigh said.

"The pickleball and basketball courts have never been lit," Leigh said.

The absence of light poles has not stopped use of the park's baseball fields. The park is being used for baseball, but only during daylight hours, Leigh said.

The county has received a Land and Water Conservation grant previously. For example, the county used the grant to build a playground at Horse Fork Creek Park, Leigh said.

The county will have to present the project to the state Land and Water Conservation Board for approval, Leigh said.

"It will be sometime this fall before we find out if we get the grant," Leigh said.

The Stanley Playground Association is raising funds to help with the local match. An official with the Playground Association said Thursday the group has already raised $12,500.

"It is a 50% match, so they worked themselves to offset the county for our portion of the match," Leigh said.