The Common Council met 10/81/2023. One of the items separated out for an individual vote was the request to award approximately $80,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds through the Neighborhood Grant Program to pay for upgrades to the Columbus Elementary School playground. Those upgrades include removing asphalt, planting grass, and installing swing, basketball hoops, and additional play equipment.
The Appleton Area School District will be carrying out the work and receiving the grant funds, but the grant application was actually submitted by the Historic Central Neighborhood that uses the playground as a neighborhood park when school is not in session. The Council voted unanimously to approve the request.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download.
Multiple neighborhood residents voiced their support of the project at the Community and Economic Development Committee meeting where this item was first taken up. Only one member of the public spoke at the Common Council meeting. She said that the project would make a huge impact on the quality of life in the neighborhood and stated the Columbus Elementary playground was used as a de facto neighborhood park. She highlighted the lack of grass on the current playground and the long-standing requests for more greenspace.
The discussion by the Council was brief. Alderperson Sheri Hartzheim (District 13) confirmed with staff that the Appleton Area School would be performing the work on the playground and asked why the city was paying for it if AASD was doing the work. Community and Economic Development Director Kara Homan explained that it was being funded through federal CDBG dollars. The city had a special allocation within the CDBG program for neighborhood-driven initiative. This grant request had come from the neighborhood in partnership with AASD, and the city would be reimbursing the district for eligible costs.
Alderperson Israel Del Toro (District 4) said, “It was really heartwarming to see a community come together to provide green space for a much-needed school.”
The Council voted 15-0 to approve the request.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1114841&GUID=F3ED4725-C245-4727-B8AD-CE4601954EAC
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