City wins $500K to update Woodlawn Park with accessible features

A $500,000 state grant will help Greenville renovate Woodlawn Park with accessible equipment, the city announced on Monday.

The Accessible Parks Grant was awarded to help with improvements to the neighborhood park on North Woodlawn Avenue in the College View area.

The proposal includes the addition of outdoor recreational amenities such as a multisport court, outdoor table tennis/ping pong, cornhole, outdoor foosball and updated inclusive playground equipment. A $100,000 city match is required.

Woodlawn Park was identified as one of the highest priorities for ADA improvements in the City’s Comprehensive Recreation and Parks Master Plan adopted by the City Council in 2023, the city said. Woodlawn Park currently includes the city’s oldest playground equipment, installed in 1996, and the park does not currently meet ADA requirements with routes of travel.

“We are thrilled and grateful to receive this Accessible Parks Grant grant for Woodlawn Park,” Executive Director of City Projects and Recreation Services Don Octigan said. “Thanks to the continued support of the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, we can enhance the park and make it a more inclusive place that provides outdoor recreational opportunities for all.”

The Accessible Parks Grant Program, administered through the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, provides $12.5 million in matching grants for parks and recreation for people living with disabilities. This grant program funds the construction of special facilities or adaptation of existing facilities that meet the unique needs of people living with disabilities or that enable them to participate in recreational activities, regardless of their abilities.

Local governments can request a maximum of $500,000 with each application and must match the grant with at least one dollar of local funds for every five dollars in grant funds. The goal of the grant is to maximize access to recreation.