ST. GEORGE – The Children’s Justice Center, the Silver Reef Foundation and several parks in various Washington County smaller communities will see improvements through funding from the county Recreation, Arts and Parks tax distribution, commonly known as the RAP tax.
Distribution of the funding was announced at the regular Washington County Commission meeting Tuesday. The county previously approved RAP tax distribution for art-related projects at the beginning of February.
Read more: Commission awards RAP tax funds; talks tortoise ‘take’
The county requested applications from several entities, County Administrator Dean Cox said, and received requests that far exceeded the county’s allocation of about $70,000 for recreation and parks.
“I went through the list and broke it into pieces that we could … take one bite at a time, so to speak,” Cox said.
The Silver Reef Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, will receive $7,500 for ongoing operating costs for the county-owned Silver Reef Museum. The Children’s Peace Garden at the Children’s Justice Center will receive $5,000 for a bronze statue.
The towns of Brookside, Central, Diamond Valley, New Harmony and Veyo will also receive funds for community parks and trailheads.
“I like how we’re kind of spreading the love to the county,” Commissioner Zachary Renstrom said before making a motion to approve the resolution.
The largest of the distributions went to Central, which will receive $20,000 for the demolition of an old lodge that needs to be removed before a park can be built. The property where the lodge is located is owned by the Washington County Water Conservancy District, and the County Commission hopes the water district will provide matching funds.
Pine Valley will receive $9,074 for stone pylons, a gate, gravel and some roadwork at the parking area and entrance to one of the town’s forest trailheads.
In New Harmony, $8,000 will be spent on the first phase of a small park adjacent to the library.
The remainder of the funds went to improvements in Washington County community recreation and park areas as follows:
- Brookside will receive $7,399 for a pavilion, picnic tables and playground equipment.
- Veyo will receive $6,900 for a concrete slab, water fountain, sink and picnic tables.
- In Diamond Valley, $5,590 will be spent on picnic tables and a children’s slide.
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