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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 7, 2005 City official gives pitch for Liberty Park By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune There will be no mistaking Medford’s efforts to lobby for Liberty Park today, when parks director Brian Sjothun tries to persuade state and federal officials in Portland to help fund the long- delayed project. Medford has submitted a request for $500,000 to pay for roughly half of the planned park in northwest Medford. Never mind that there are 25 agencies vying for about $2.6 million in federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grants. Never mind that most of the other entities have submitted more modest proposals of $25,000 to $50,000. Never mind that suggested regional priorities focus on rehabilitating existing parks, not building new ones. Advertisement Sjothun said Wednesday he’ll travel to Portland to give the 20-minute grant presentation his best shot. "I’m going to put on my best sales pitch hat and lobby as hard as I can," he said. In particular, he planned to stress the point that the new park meets the goal of land acquisition, one of the top three statewide priorities for the Land and Water Conservation funds. He figured he’d soft-pedal regional priorities that include park rehabilitation, interpretive centers and supporting connected trails such as the Bear Creek Greenway between Ashland and Central Point. The federal grant would provide a half million dollars, which would be matched by a nearly equal amount from the Medford Urban Renewal Association. The funds would pay for purchase of eight parcels of property near Edwards and Beatty streets, as well as costs to relocate existing residents. Organizers have estimated the total cost at about $1 million for land and another $300,000 to $400,000 for construction. Medford officials were encouraged to apply for the federal money by Marilyn Lippincott, a state grants supervisor. But Sjothun acknowledged that such encouragement doesn’t guarantee success. "To get full funding will be a little tough, to be honest," he said. Partial funding is a more likely option, he said. If the city receives only part of its request, it might look at developing small "pocket parks" in the Liberty Park area, said Louise Dix, the city’s neighborhood outreach coordinator. "Something good is going to happen eventually," she said. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztechmedia Website Hosting Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Advertisement s