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MONROEVILLE PARK IMPROVEMENTS GROUNDBREAKING – MARCH 25

Officials with the Town of Monroeville and the Monroeville Park Board are excited to announce a groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Monday, March 25th, to celebrate the official start of the Monroeville Community Park Improvements Project and the first of many quality of life improvements to be completed within East Allen’s Rural Revival Regional Development Initiative.

The ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Monroeville Community Park located at 421 Monroe Street, Monroeville, IN 46773. State and County Officials will also be in attendance, as well as representatives from AWS Foundation and the NewAllen Alliance.

“The end result of these park improvements will be a tremendous asset to the residents of Monroeville and southeastern Allen County. It will improve both the quality of life and the accessibility within our community. We would not have been able to complete this project without the support of the Allen County Board of Commissioners, AWS Foundation, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the NewAllen Alliance, and the Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council” said Don Gerardot, Monroeville Town Council President.

Park improvements will include a one half mile ADA compliant asphalt bike-ped trail, an ADA compliant splash pad/spray park, two (2) ADA compliant playgrounds with accessible surfacing, a new support facility with ADA compliant restrooms and future concession space, an ADA compliant fishing pier, a concrete bean bag toss game, and upgrades to parking and drainage. In addition to funding from the Town of Monroeville, the project will also utilize a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant from the Indiana DNR, an AWS Foundation Grant to assist with the accessible surfacing at the playgrounds, and funding support from the Allen County Board of Commissioners. Work on the entire project is scheduled to be finished by Fall of 2019.

“We are always pleased to be a part of projects like the Monroeville Community Park Improvements Project. As a result of this LWCF project, residents of all abilities from Monroeville and the surrounding area will be able to enjoy several new outdoor recreation opportunities as well as several more that have been renovated. We applaud Monroeville for improving the quality of life and the green infrastructure of their community” said Bob Bronson, DNR SCORP Section Chief.

“For a park to meet the needs of the community, it must give people of all abilities an equal opportunity to play, relax and meet their neighbors. Our funding helps to ensure that the Monroeville Community Park is accessible and inclusive, improving quality of life for everyone” said Patti Hays, AWS Foundation CEO.

“We are excited to have been able to partner with the Town of Monroeville to get to this point in improving the park. It is these very partnerships that help to grow the Allen County community. These quality of life projects are so important to the health and future of our communities and we look forward to seeing the completion of this project” said Commissioner Nelson Peters, Allen County Board of Commissioners.

This project was developed over a three year planning period, initiating with Monroeville’s 2016 Strategic Investment Plan completed by the NewAllen Alliance, then followed by the Monroeville Park Board completing a 5-year Master Park Plan in 2017 that led to multiple grant applications and two grant awards in 2018. The project was discussed and planned in coordination with other projects within the East Allen Rural Revival Project; which received an Indiana Regional Stellar Community Designation from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs in December 2018 and includes the communities of Grabill, Harlan, Hoagland, Leo-Cedarville, Monroeville, New Haven, and Woodburn. The Monroeville Community Park Improvements Project is the first project within the East Allen Rural Revival Project portfolio to reach construction.

The Waynedale News Staff
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