Council Approves Grant from 2006 to Fix Skate Park

The Town Council unanimously approved a $100,000 grant to make improvements to the skateboard park at Elm Ridge Park Monday night. However, the grant was awarded to the town back in 2006 and has been untouched ever since.  

 “This is almost stranger than fiction, but it really is true,” Town Manager Barbara R. Gilbert said.

A group advocating for the skate park approached Sen. Paul Doyle, D-Rocky Hill, back in 2006 and requested the funding, Gilbert said. However, no one ever told the town that the money had been requested or notified them when they received the money in 2006.

Economic Development Director Ray Carpentino found out about the grant last year by looking through a list of grants that the former Gov. M. Jodi Rell was removing. He discovered that this Department of Environmental Protection grant was not one of them, Gilbert said.

Staff at Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s office called State Representative Antonio Guerrera and asked if the town was going to use the grant, Gilbert said. Guerra then contacted the town to notify them about the grant money.

The money will be used to buy equipment for the skateboard park and to repave the basketball court, she said. If any money were left over, the town will look into the fencing needs of Elm Ridge Park.

“It can’t be used for anything new,” Gilbert said. The grant will also cost the town nothing, Gilbert added.

Deputy Mayor Philip J. Sylvestro said the process for grants wasn’t followed in this case. The town council is the last stop in the process before the grant application goes to the state.

Sylvestro wants the public to know that the town council is more organized then this.

“We feel a little foolish here,” Sylvestro said.