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    Ground broken for 20-acre, $15 million 'community destination' for area residents

    By Thomas B. Langhorne, Evansville Courier & Press,

    1 day ago

    EVANSVILLE — Southwest Indiana local and regional leaders broke ground Thursday on Ohio Township Park, a 20-acre park and green space in Warrick County.

    The project has funding from the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI).  Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb established the READI program in 2021. The READI grants were intended to make Indiana's communities more attractive places to live and attract workforce talent. At that time, more than half of Indiana’s counties had lost population during the last decade.

    READI 1.0 was boosted by $500 million worth of government funding for regional developments. According to a Thursday news release from READI, the organization "is bringing vibrancy to regions across the state to accelerate shovel-ready projects and programs that will transform Hoosier communities, attract talent and improve quality of life."

    READI's news release included a quote attributed to Holcomb.

    "Indiana’s READI program continues to accelerate new community destinations, bringing to life new assets and outdoor activities for residents and families,” the governor said. “This Ohio Township Park envisions 20 acres of green space with opportunities to gather, play and learn, creating a greater sense of community culture and vibrancy for Warrick County and the surrounding southwest Indiana region.”

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=167xRm_0ulKS28300

    According to READI, the $15 million Ohio Township Park project which it said includes a $3 million READI 1.0 contribution — will create a 20-acre "community destination" for residents along Libbert and Vann roads in Warrick County. The park, located one mile east of I-69 and alongside the Ohio Township Fire Station and Community Center, will include a playground; a splash pad and slide; outdoor fitness stations; running, walking and biking trails; yard games; sport courts; event lawns; a lake feature; shelter house with party rooms; and pavilions, among other features.

    "Each element is designed to challenge children to discover and explore, fostering cognitive, social, physical and creative skills," READI reported.

    The park will offer what READI says will be "easy access to the community and surrounding region as well as connections to the Warrick Wellness trail, shopping, restaurants, hotels and workplaces."

    Park amenities are expected to begin opening in late spring. “This park will be a vibrant community asset, offering diverse activities for all ages and promoting healthy lifestyles,” READI's news release quoted Chad Bennett, Ohio Township trustee. “It’s a place where families can create memories and our community can come together.”

    According to READI, READI 1.0 has awarded $487 million to 353 separate projects and programs in the state, "yielding $12.6 billion invested (26:1 investment leverage ratio) in quality of life, quality of place and quality of opportunity initiatives."

    READI says READI 2.0, part of Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda and bolstered with funding from the Lilly Endowment, is allocating another $750 million to accelerate community development investments statewide. It is expected to attract at least a 4 to1 match of local public and private funding, which READI says will yield at least $3 billion invested to "increase the vibrancy and prosperity of Hoosier communities."

    Warrick County is part of the READI Southwest Indiana region, led by the Southwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, that READI says was awarded $95 million in READI 1.0 and READI 2.0 matching funds to support quality of life projects across Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties.

    The region’s READI expenditures, including Ohio Township Park, are "designed to foster population growth and upward mobility by connecting the region’s riverfront with inspiring public amenities, attractions and housing; grow high-paying jobs; improve quality of place for healthier residents; build housing near employment clusters; and capitalize on the I-69 Ohio River Crossing to create new regional opportunities," READI says.

    Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, a Vanderburgh County resident, lent support Thursday to the new endeavor in Warrick.

    "Ohio Township Park is a testament to what can be achieved when state and local entities come together with a shared vision for community development,” Crouch said in READI's news release. “This park will be a cornerstone for recreation, community events and family activities, enriching the lives of residents for years to come."

    This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Ground broken for 20-acre, $15 million 'community destination' for area residents

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