Port Carbon and Saint Clair announed Tuesday that they received state grants for recreational parks.
The borough of Port Carbon received a grant to put up a basketball court at Francis E. Lubinsky Playground, borough engineer James S. Tohill of Alfred Benesch & Co., Pottsville, said at the council's workshop Tuesday night.
It's a $60,000 project. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Harrisburg, will contribute $40,000 to the proposed project and the borough will have to chip in $20,000, Tohill said.
"Per our application, we said we'd give a $5,000 in-kind match by offering equipment and borough services and that leaves a $15,000 cash match from the borough," Tohill said.
The playground is located near Pottsville and Commerce streets. The proposed basketball court will be at the south end of the park near the pavilion, Tohill said.
The borough will have three years to use the funding to do the project, Tohill said.
"If you don't have the money in the budget this year, it's something we can plan for next year," Tohill said.
First dedicated in July 1963, it was named after Lubinsky, who died in March 2011 at age 82. He served the borough for eight years as councilman, 15 years as council president and 12 years as mayor.
In 2008, the Francis E. Lubinsky Playground was dedicated to him for his years of service to the borough.
In 2008, the borough spent $40,000 to improve the park with new playsets, swings, a parking area and 325 cubic yards of mulch. That project was funded by a $20,000 grant from DCNR, which the borough matched with $20,000, Council President Harold "Bucky" Herndon said previously.
Also on Tuesday, the Saint Clair borough council announced that it received a $40,000 grant to rehabilitate the Third Street Playground.
"That's a huge win," said Brian Baldwin, borough engineer of Alfred Benesch & Co., Pottsville. "I think your Third Street Playground, once we're done with it, is going to be a really nice recreational area for all ages."
Baldwin said the total cost of the project will be about $60,000, so the borough's share is $20,000 toward the project.
It will include two new swing sets. The playground will be extended toward Route 61, there will be new structures and equipment for younger children, fresh soil and grass so there is field space and additional handicap parking will be added.
He also said it will take a while for all the necessary paperwork to be completed, so construction will most likely start at the end of 2013 or even sometime in 2014.
A special meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 20, when the council will consider adopting the 2013 Tax Ordinance and 2013 Budget.
It will precede the scheduled issues, review and finance work session.