Lowell Sun - National Parks Chief Plugs Fund in N. Chelmsford Playground Swing

News Article

By Grant Welker

The National Park Service chose Varney Play­ground for a location to mark the 50th anniver­sary of a key fund for park cre­ation and improvement on Mon­day, as the agency's director tours the country to mark the milestone this summer.

The federal agency chose Var­ney because of its active recre­ation offerings, including swim­ming, baseball, basketball and a playground, and because of its accessibility to so many.

Varney is one of three Massa­chusetts parks to receive fund­ing this year from the Land and Water Con­servation Fund, which is mark­ing its 50th anniversary. About $248,000 from the fund has been matched by the town, covering costs of renovating the North Chelmsford park.

The National Park Service, while marking the Land and Water Conservation Fund anniversary, has also been advo­cating for an extension of the pro­gram by Congress before it expires next year. "Believe it or not, the outdoors is actually good for you," National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis said.

With the fund's support, Var­ney will be undergoing renova­tions that will improve fields, add handicapped-accessible walkways and a new nature trail, and install a small ramp for canoes and kayaks. Later phases, which will need additional funding, would include a relocated basketball court and renovations of a bath­house that was built as part of the Works Progress Administration.

The park, bordered closely by homes on one side and Freeman Lake on the other, has been a popular recreation spot, particularly for swimming on hot days.

"It's a little gem," said Rebecca Haberl, who said she visits the park twice a week with her 2-year-old, Autumn, for swimming or using the playground. More than 40,000 parks in every state in the nation have received funding by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and $43 million was dispersed last year. More than 50 Massachusetts parks were created or have been enhanced by the fund.

"The fund has truly helped shape our state parks system," said Priscilla Geigis, the Massachusetts state park director and president of the National Association of State Park Directors.

Those who spoke Monday credited the fund for building a parks system that has environmental, health and economic benefits. U.S. Rep Niki Tsongas, a Lowell Democrat whose district includes the Lowell and Minuteman national parks, said she'll be a strong advocate for renewing the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

"There really is a divide in the federal government on government's role in protecting public land," she said. "We have to be an engaged partner."

The fund does not use taxpayer funding, instead using fees paid by oil and gas companies to drill offshore, according to the National Park Service. "If you're going to sell something, you have to save something," Jarvis said to explain the rationale for the program.

The fund has only once been fully funded, the director said, and in a few cases has not received any funding. President Barack Obama has called for full, permanent funding for the program in his proposed budget, the National Park Service said.

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