Massachusetts: Nearly $10 Million for Parks and Open Spaces Across 14 Communities
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced nearly $10 million in grants through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for 14 parks and open space projects across the state.
Projects receiving $1 million each include Barry Playground in Boston, Szot Park in Chicopee, the Park at Cleverly Court in Quincy, the new 1.33-acre ArtFarm park in Somerville, Five Mile Pond in Springfield, and Indian Lake Beach in Worcester. A 305-acre land conservation project in Halifax, led through the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, also received $1 million and will connect with about 3,000 acres of already protected land.
The remaining awards, ranging from $150,000 to about $631,000, fund splash pads in Lynn, parkland in Southborough, trails in Williamstown and Lee, woodland conservation in Provincetown, a riverfront park stage in Fitchburg, and park improvements in Easthampton.
Congress established the LWCF in 1964; it is funded largely by offshore oil and gas earnings and can cover up to 50 percent of a project's cost. In Massachusetts it is administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) on behalf of the National Park Service, and the program has invested more than $150 million in the state to date.
Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper said parks and open spaces are basic to quality of life, and that the awards will give more residents well-kept outdoor space close to home.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 波士顿公共花园湖心桥（资料图）。CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The lagoon bridge in Boston Public Garden, Massachusetts (file photo). CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
