Foundation Park Conservancy receives grants enabling big improvements to Ariel-Foundation Park
Foundation Park Conservancy is proud to announce that it has received a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Mount Vernon & Knox County and a generous grant from Ariel Foundation.
The Ariel Foundation grant will support the addition of beautiful smoked glass garage doors (similar to what is seen in the photo) to the Schnormeier Event Center, allowing the facility to be used in all weather conditions and minimizing the entry of rain and wind.
“The addition of these doors to the Event Center will be a huge improvement to the building, especially for brides and grooms worried about rain on their wedding day. That won’t be an issue anymore,” said Conservancy Member Michael Percy. “We anticipate the doors being added by June 1.”
A portion of the Community Foundation funds are earmarked for a new message center sign that will be located along South Main Street at the CA&C Depot. This allows the park to advertise upcoming events and thank sponsors for their support. A new outdoor flat screen TV and portable cart will also be purchased for the Schnormeier Event Center for a similar purpose, and will be available to brides and others who rent the facility.
Funds will also be used to complete a catering kitchen in the Community Foundation Pavilion, allowing for greater and varied use of that facility. Plus, an ice maker will be purchased for the Schnormeier Event Center for summer events.
Some funds will be directed to Movie Mondays at the park for specialized projection equipment. The Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), part of the Community Foundation, has also sponsored the summer Movie Mondays at the Park with $2,000 of financial support.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Community Foundation’s and YPI’s gift to the Park. We believe that these funds will enable us to better market park events while offering our sponsors a great way to promote their businesses as well,” said Executive Director Carrie Haver.
A few additional park updates include the planting of more than 50 trees—arborvitae, Norway spruce, regal prince trees and snow dogwoods—by the Shade Tree Commission, the fact that nearly 120 events/rentals are already scheduled at the park this summer, and that Columbia Elementary School’s playground is now accessible from the Heart of Ohio Trail heading west out of the park.
