The City of Blackshear could receive as much as $389,500 in grant funding for significant improvements and upgrades to the city Blackshear City Park.
The city was recently notified by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that its application for a grant under the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been approved.
Some of the improvements include new landscaping, new playground equipment in addition to that which is already present, a complete walking trail through the entire park, a pickleball court, additional parking areas and possibly even some exercise equipment.
As special projects director for the city in addition to his duties as chief of the Blackshear Police Department, Chris Wright described the next few steps as “mostly a formality.”
Even so, the next phase of the grant process will require an official application to the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service (NPS). According to an official communication from the DNR, “the NPS is the federal agency in which the funds are appropriated to by Congress”. There will also be multiple monthly meetings until the process is finalized.
Currently located in the center of the park, the war memorials were once the center of controversy. City officials feel confident the new location and presentation of the local monuments will honor veterans. photo by Jason Deal
A graphic showing the new layout and features of Blackshear City Park after improvements paid for by the LWCF grant.
The new layout of the park differs from previously proposed work ups. This is partially due to older plans receiving pushback from some veterans’ groups in regard to the placement of monuments currently located in the park.
Originally, the veterans memorials were to be moved across from city hall, adjacent to the “old hanging jail” for higher visibility. Some argued that it was better to keep with tradition and leave the memorial in the park. Others said that the central location of the memorials created an undue burden for older or disabled veterans. After meeting with local veterans a compromise was reached.
In the new conception of the park, the memorials will be located in the western quarter of the park in a circular arrangement, flanked on either side by parking for the convenience of visiting veterans and sightseers. In addition, Wright said he is working with Better Hometown director Bethany Strickland to update and preserve the monuments already in place, including having them rebronzed.
The old proposed location for the relocated monuments will instead be paved to provide additional parking across from city hall.
Asked if the recent freezes on portions of spending at the federal level dictated by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will have any effect on how quickly the grant is approved by NPS, Wright said he didn’t foresee any trouble.
“This money is going to actual Americans,” said Wright. “I think we’ll be okay.
