There were 1,662 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 414,119 in the last 365 days.

TDEC Announces Recreation Trails Grant for Henry Horton State Park

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced a $384,422 recreation trails grant for Henry Horton State Park for a greenway trail.

The grant is part of $1,892,642 in grants in Tennessee from the federally funded, state administered Recreation Trails Program (RTP). The state is also awarding $7,584,530 to communities throughout the state from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program.

“We are happy to announce grants that will enhance the outdoor experience in communities across our state,” Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of TDEC, said. “We want Tennesseans to enjoy recreational activity, and that includes meeting the needs of entities such as parks, natural areas and resource management.”

Henry Horton State Park will use the funds to build a 1.4-mile greenway trail around the day use and hospitality portion of the park. This will be a 60-inch-wide path paved with Porous Pave recycled tire material.

“I am very pleased these significant funds are going towards building a new greenway trail at Henry Horton State Park,” Sen. Shane Reeves, R-Murfreesboro, said. “This innovative trail made out of recycled tire material will be a tremendous value add to the state park. It will increase access to a new part of the park and will be enjoyed by many individuals and families in the community. I look forward to walking the trail myself when the project is completed and appreciate the work of local officials for securing these funds.”

“I am very pleased Henry Horton State Park was awarded this grant to enhance the park’s trails,” Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, said. “Our state park plays an important role in our community, providing recreational opportunities for our citizens as well as attracting a great number of visitors to our area each year. I appreciate the work of our local leaders for securing these funds, and I look forward to seeing how this addition to the park will benefit our community for many years to come.”

The RTP grant program provides funds for land acquisition for trails, trail maintenance, trail construction, trail rehabilitation, and trail head support facilities. These grants are distributed in the form of an 80-percent grant with a 20-percent match.

The LPRF program provides state funding for the purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreational facilities. LPRF funds also may be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas, and greenways. The LWCF program provides grants to states to administer to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. These grants require a 50-percent match.