City of Leitchfield Selected to Receive $149,150 Grant Award for Trail Improvements and ExpansionGrant Would Fund Improvements to the Beville Park Trail
FRANKFORT, Ky. (November 1, 2019) – The Department for Local Government (DLG) today announced that the City of Leitchfield, in Grayson County, has been selected to receive a $149,150 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) allocation for improvements to the Beville Park Trail. Upon federal approval, the allocation will provide for the development of a new trail, the creation of a new trailhead point in the center of the park that will connect the existing trail with the new trail, and other improvements.
“We are excited today to announce $149,150 in RTP grant funding for the City of Leitchfield,” said Gov. Matt Bevin. “Our Department for Local Government works closely with local officials to address priority projects that will most positively impact their communities. This significant investment is based on those discussions and will enable vital recreational improvements to be made.”
The City of Leitchfield would expand its featured trail in a new portion of Beville Park, which now encompasses a baseball and softball complex and a veteran’s memorial. The new trail extension would connect the existing walking trail that surrounds a lake and natural areas with additional recreational facilities.
The proposed new trail will build upon an existing popular trail facility and provide a more intensive experience for many people in the community that utilize the park, encouraging a more active and healthy lifestyle for many community residents. A portion of the new trail will include a multi-use path for walking and biking, which will bring a wider variety of users and expanded recreational opportunities for citizens.
The new trail will feature approximately 3,300 linear feet of multi-use path for walking and bicycling, and approximately 2,500 linear feet of multi-use path that will be designed to be fully accessible to those with mobility impairments. A portion of the new path is in an area with several changes in elevation that will require clearing of underbrush, grading, and staking and slope stabilization using landscape timbers.
A trailhead access point will be added below the baseball and softball field parking with a bench, bicycle rack, trash receptacle, and information kiosk signage. Three other benches and trash receptacles are planned for various points along the new trail.
“Community parks and trails provide important recreational opportunities for local residents,” said DLG Commissioner Sandra Dunahoo. “I’m very happy that we have selected the Beville Park project for funding.”
Recreational Trails Program
The Recreational Trails Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The funds are administered by the Department for Local Government, an arm of the Office of the Governor dedicated to supporting local officials and communities, to selected grant applicants for the creation and development of recreational trails. For more information, go to http://kydlgweb.ky.gov/.
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