Kaptur Announces $1.15 Million National Park Service Award for Toledo’s Harvey Savage Park Press Release

Washington, DC - Today, Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced a major $1,151,000 National Park Service award through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants Program (ORLP) to the City of Toledo for upgrades and improvements at Rev. H.V. Savage Park. This award will increase public access to high-quality outdoor recreation and natural space in Toledo's Junction neighborhood by rehabilitating the city's oldest park, Rev. H.V. Savage Park.The City of Toledo will provide a range of new and improved outdoor recreational opportunities. Decommissioned buildings will be removed, and rehabilitation and improvement of the remaining structures will occur. Improved amenities would include a new open-air gathering space, new splash pad and spray features in the water play area, and improved accessibility at the playground. The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program provides matching grants to cities for park projects in underserved communities. Through ORLP, the National Park Service (NPS) will invest $254.68 Million into 54 projects in 24 states for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks.These investments enable urban communities to create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks, and form connections between people and the outdoors. The award will be fully matched by the City of Toledo for a total investment of $2,302,000.

"I fought to bring this funding home so that we could improve park infrastructure and bring joy to the children and families of our Central City. I am glad to have worked closely with Mayor Kapskuiewicz and the City of Toledo on this project and to see it come to fruition," said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). "There will be no greater reward than to see the bright and smiling faces of the children who will be able to splash, play, and enjoy the new improvements to Savage Park. As Toledo's oldest park, it is important that we return it to a place where families and children seek respite and have the opportunity to have fun in the sun. I look forward to being on hand when these improvements are completed."

"Securing this grant will allow the city to completely transform the Rev. H.V. Savage Park and its splash pad. For too long, this space has not met the needs of our community. This funding will make the park into a vibrant, safe, and welcoming place for families and neighbors who rely on it for recreation and connection," said Toledo Mayor Wade Kapsukiewicz. "Thank you to the NPS, Senator Sherrod Brown, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, and the team of city employees who made this possible."

The park is an important community anchor, playing host to events such as Trunk-or-Treat and giving children a place to cool off in hot summer months. This award will allow for more proactive stewardship and conservation of the park's grove of native oaks, which are among the oldest trees in Toledo. The installation of green infrastructure will further strengthen the park's distinctive combination of active and passive recreation, a combination that has given the park its unique character throughout its 150-year history. By protecting and activating the park's unique natural assets and completing long-overdue repairs and upgrades, this project would provide a range of new and improved outdoor recreation opportunities in an area where such opportunities are currently lacking. This project is informed by more than five years of community engagement, and will serve more than 7,674 Toledoans.

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