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By Chris Ingraham
Although the ballots from November’s elections have long been tallied, it’s just now that the results are coming into effect. In Washington, we’ve inaugurated a new president. And here in the Bay Area, we’re beginning to see the fruits of Measure WW. In case you don’t remember, Measure WW is the renewed version of Measure AA, the 20 year, $225 million bond proposal of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) that East Bay voters first passed in 1988. The original measure was responsible for the acquisition of some 35,000 acres of open space, along with hundreds of new park projects and trail improvements. Measure WW — which received 71.7 percent voter support last November — will provide $500 million from the sale of bonds and will furnish EBRPD with unprecedented access to funds allocated for the improvement of existing regional park lands, acquisition and development of new park projects, and per capita grants to all city park and recreation departments and special park districts in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
So what’s happening right now? Currently EBRPD is preparing to sell the first $50 million in bonds by June, and they have opened the local grant program for grant applications from parks and recreation agencies throughout the East Bay. Based on per capita allocations designated in the language of the measure, cities and special park districts with high priority projects may now apply for grants and will potentially be able to receive Measure WW funding by the end of this year — quite a success, given the complexity of implementing such a large scale grant program to distribute the funds. Of course, the success of grant applications will depend partly on what projects applicants have in mind, and how “shovel-ready” such projects are. Currently, local grant applications will be accepted through March.
Questions regarding the local grant program, its guidelines, and submittal deadlines may be directed to EBRPD Grants Manager Jeff Rasmussen at (510) 544-2204.