Thanks to a grant from the Alabama Department of Mental Health, the city of Atmore’s Westside Park will receive several noticeable improvements.

Chris Harrison, who represents District 5 on the Atmore City Council, said the $17,123 grant will be used to add lighting, shrubbery and some benches to the park. In addition, the grounds will be renovated and there will be a parking lot added.

Westside Park is located in District 5.

“The city had recently resurfaced the basketball court, and with this grant we will be able to continue to improve the area for the community,” Harrison said.

Atmore Mayor Jim Staff said the grant does not require a local match. Under the rules of the grant, all work must be completed by Sept. 30.

According to Staff, current city employees will be able to do the work. He said some of the plans include planting a row of shrubberies between the basketball court and the railroad track, filling several low spots with dirt to make the park surface level, and adding lights for the court.

“Before, the kids would pull their cars up to the court to have light when it got dark,” Staff said. “Now they won’t have to do that anymore. It’s going to look nice when the work is done.”

The grant is a “State Preventive Framework” grant awarded by the Alabama Department of Mental Health to the Escambia County Children’s Policy Council (CPC). It is designed to develop strategies and implement techniques that deter underage drinking, according to Karean Reynolds, CPC coordinator.

Judge David Jordan and Judge Jeff White are the chairmen of the CPC, who authorized the funding for the grant project.