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Article Courtesy of The
Osprey Observer
By Kate Quesad
Published June 18, 2021
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Could your neighborhood use a dog park or an exercise
station? Nineteen local neighborhoods are able to fund projects designed to
enhance and complement their communities this month thanks to Hillsborough
County.
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The Hillsborough
County 2021 Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program recently awarded
up to $5,000 in grant funding to help communities with
specific projects, including the erection of bat houses and
the installation of a floating fountain to improve algae
control and increase the fish population in a pond.
The winning communities and neighborhood associations in
Southeastern Hillsborough County are the Bloomingdale
Neighborhood Association, which used the funds to improve
communication and visibility through its social media and
website; Lake St. Charles Community Development District;
Nottingham Villas at Kings Point Homeowners Association;
Osprey Landing of Ruskin Homeowners Association; Pavilion
Property Owners Association; River Hills Homeowners
Association; Sandhill Villas Homeowners Association, which
used the money to purchase park umbrellas, canopies, folding
tables, a park grill and a tiny library; Savannah Landings
Homeowners Association; and Valencia Lakes Property Owners
Association.
“These projects help bring neighbors together and foster
community pride,” said media contact José Patiño.
The River Hills Homeowners Association
was awarded a matching grant to build a 10-station Fit-Trail
in the community. |
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The River Hills Homeowners Association was one of 19
local groups awarded mini grants from Hillsborough County. The group
used the funds for a Fit-Trail in the community.
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According to River Hills resident Stefan Smith, the trail is a little over a
mile and will be used by residents of River Hills and members of the River
Hills Country Club.
“The equipment is all being installed by volunteer efforts,” said Smith. “We
are also partnering with the River Hills Country Club as residents and
members can also stop by the restaurant or traditional gym as part of their
Fit-Trail experience.”
Smith explained that this was the first time he had applied for a grant.
“It has been very easy and the county does a great job with communication,”
he said. “We ran through a Zoom call and then they worked the process
through a shared drive to manage the documentation and paper trail.”
As part of the grant requirements, each grant recipient must provide a
report and photos documenting the successful completion of their project.
The Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program is administered through the Customer
Service & Support department’s Neighborhood Relations team. To learn more
about the Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program and other neighborhood
initiatives, visit
HCFLGov.net/MiniGrant
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