Albion grant application for Bullard Park includes online petition

Photo by Tom Rivers – Some kids watch the fireworks on Sunday from the top of the skateboarding ramp at Bullard Park in Albion.

ALBION – The Village of Albion is trying a new tactic for bolstering a grant application for improvements at Bullard Park.

The village has twice been turned down for state funds for the Bullard improvements. Besides a different scope of work at Bullard in the latest application – new playground equipment and a splash pad – the village and its grantwriter has created an on-line petition to show the state the community support for the project.

Since that petition went live on July 6, 231 people submitted their names in support of the Bullard upgrades with 56 writing comments as of about 7:45 this morning. Click here to see the petition.

The application is due in late July to New York State Office Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for a grant under the Environmental Protection Fund.

A Rebuild Bullard Committee has met in recent years to develop long-term plans for the park and try to raise funds for the improvements. Phase 1 includes the splash pad and playground equipment, as well as a changing area/bathroom and concession stand near the spray park.

The village in the future would also like to establish a recreational trail around the park, regrade and build up its ball fields and add other park amenities.

Some improvements are under way, including a regrading of the big sledding hill. Keeler Construction, the contractor for the Clarendon Street bridge removal, has moved soil from the bridge embankments to the sledding hill.

The Lions Club has been helping raise money for Bullard. The Lions Club last year had a music festival that raised $2,000 for the park with those funds helping to pay the grantwriter.

Another “Rock the Park” is planned for July 25 with bands performing from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.