Gentry awarded grant for Flint Creek nature area

— The dream of a nature area along Flint Creek with walking trails and fishing ponds is expected to soon become a reality, thanks to a $80,340 grant awarded to the city by the Arkansas Department of Rural Services through its Wildlife Recreation Facilities Grant program.

Official word was received last week that the naturearea project had been approved and the city would be receiving a 100-percent grant to prepare the city-owned property for public use as a recreational and nature observation area.

Items to be paid for out of grant funding to repair and clean out the existing ponds to make them suitable for fish habitat and fishing include: pond bank area repair, pondcleaning, silt removal and hauling, clay for pond lining, labor to replace and pack clay, water control box, fish habitat, liner, concrete, labor, engineering and design fees.

In addition to the grant funding, American Electric Power/Southwestern Electric Power Company has offered to provide labor and materials to help build parking and accesstrails to the ponds. The estimated value of these items is $4,845.

Illinois River Watershed Partnership has offered to supply and plant native tree species on the property to enhance development of the area into an outdoor nature and learning center. Local 4-H clubs have also offered to assist with the development and maintenance of the area.

Should there be leftover money from the grant, the city has requested permission to use surplus funding for three-rail fencingalong the side of the area adjoining Dawnhill East Road, a concrete parking slab to make the area handicap accessible and a grant writing fee.

The city had applied for the grant in its previous cycle, but money was short and the city was encouraged to reapply in the current cycle. Because of a shortage in money in the latest cycle, the city scaled back its grant request by 18 percent, decreasing the grant amount from $98,499 to the amount awarded.

News, Pages 1 on 03/28/2012