Say what you will about the Utah State Government and its dubious track record regarding outdoor recreation and land management. At least there’s the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation, which isn’t sitting on its hands. This week the office unveiled a new program designed to get new trails and recreation infrastructure built around communities. The Utah Waypoint Grant is a program that makes money available with a 50/50 match to communities to build recreation infrastructure.
With Utah’s population on the rise, and our favorite outdoor areas being overrun (like the Cottonwood Canyons for example) there’s a demand and serious need for more places to recreate. If you’re a community that has ideas for new recreation opportunities in or around your town or city, you can apply for the grant. According to the Utah Office of Outdoor recreation, examples of new infrastructure include trails, trailhead facilities, restrooms near popular rock climbing areas, ramps and launch sites that would improve water access along rivers, whitewater parks, yurts, infrastructure for wildlife viewing areas and more. The primary requirement is that the project should be open and accessible to the public.
The deadline for the first round of grants is October 30, 2015. Waypoint Grant applications will be taken twice a year: on or before Friday, October 30, 2015, and Friday, April 29, 2016.
For more information about the Utah Waypoint Grant, or to apply, check out their website.