On Monday, North Judson officials approved plans to apply for a grant from the Department of Natural Resources.
The grant could support a wide range of park improvements in the future.
During Monday night’s town council meeting, council members discussed applying for a 2026 Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant, which is offered through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources or DNR. Councilors approved moving forward with the application process.
Officials said the grant program previously helped to fund multiple park improvements in North Judson. It was explained that communities are only allowed to apply for these grants during even-numbered years, while the odd-numbered years are for state project funding.
During discussion, council members talked about several projects in the town’s Park Improvement plan. Ideas discussed included upgrades to athletic fields, more pickleball courts, improvements to parking, a skate park, and improvements to disc golf.
The grant could potentially cover costs up to $500,000, with the town to cover the remainder of the cost. It was noted that some project costs could potentially be reduced by using in-house work.
Council members also discussed project priorities. It was stated that additional pickleball courts could improve competitiveness during the grant process, and it was noted that previous park improvements did increase the public’s use of the areas.
The council approved moving forward with the grant application process, stating that additional discussions for planning and details will take place over the coming weeks.
