Lynn parks get major boost from $1M in grants

LYNN-Two Lynn parks have received more than $1 million in state grants from the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EEA) to improve recreational facilities and playgrounds.The grants were part of a $7.1 million award to 22 communities that included Peabody among the North Shore recipients.Lynn was awarded $500,000 to complete the restoration of the tower base and all stairs and walkways leading to the stone tower at High Rock Reservation, which affords panoramic views of the city and the sea beyond. The funds, spread over two years, were part of the state’s Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant program.In conjunction with the PARC grant, the city also received $30,000 for design and construction documents for the rehabilitation of stone steps in the vicinity of High Rock Reservation as well as to provide bus access. That funding was part of the state’s Gateway City Parks Initiative.Lynn received another $490,000 to install new athletic facilities at Flax Pond Park, including the installation of new play equipment, restoration of the tennis and basketball courts, and refurbishing of multi-use court surfaces.The Flax Pond project includes construction of a gazebo and boat dock, installation of an aerator and the creation of a water play area.In Peabody, the city received $329,417 for the construction of an entry plaza, pathways, benches, cafe tables, viewing platform, tot lots and education signage at Walnut Street Park, a former brownfields site suffering from environmental contamination.EEA Secretary Ian Bowles said the grants “go a long way toward helping communities across the commonwealth provide safe, attractive places for families to gather and children to play.”The PARC grants, originally established in 1977 as the Urban Self-Help Program, are offered on a competitive basis. Communities are reimbursed between 52 and 70 percent of the total project cost, depending upon income levels and other demographic factors.