LENRD Board Members Considering Financial Assistance for the City of Wayne Prairie Park Project

Discussions have been ongoing amongst Board members on whether to provide financial support to the City of Wayne for their ongoing Prairie Park Project. Due to the amount of funding requested, $250,000, the Project would be considered a “special project” which is different than a request for funding through LENRD cost-share programs.  

The Prairie Park Project is a Community Redevelopment Project which is allowing the City to clean up an old sewage lagoon and turn it into a recreational area with the possibility for the addition of workforce housing in the future. Once completed, the park will be the largest recreational area in City history and connects to a trail system that is already in use. The project will include a lake feature and camper pads as well as native prairie grasses and numerous trees.

The City of Wayne has already put roughly $2.7 million into the project and has received additional assistance from grants, sales taxes, and support from other entities. The LENRD has assisted the City of Wayne with funding in the past for a trail system and a City park through the Urban Recreation Program.

An amended motion to provide $100,000 in support over three years failed at the April 25th Board Meeting. The original motion, to provide $250,000 in support over a three-year term, also failed. The Board discussed establishing a policy, or specific criteria, that requests must meet to receive funding as a special project. Directors asked if the City of Wayne could come back before them with a different proposal to be discussed and voted on.