The Hennepin County Board has approved nearly $250,000 in grants to help local cities and schools improve playgrounds and purchase equipment for sports fields and facilities.

The grant money is part of the county's Youth Sports Program, using proceeds from the county's ballpark sales tax (which pays for Target Field) to fund the local projects. Since the program began in 2009, the county has made $17.4 million in awards to build or renovate more than 100 facilities and fund 179 equipment projects.

Facility projects

• City of Dayton, city of Long Lake, city of Robbinsdale, Village of Minnetonka Beach, Intermediate School District 287: $25,000 each for playground improvements.

Equipment grants

• Minneapolis Public Schools: $61,283 for 13 projects at schools and parks, including $10,000 to refinish the gym floor at Martin Luther King Park, $8,500 for a wrestling mat at North Commons Recreation Center and $7,699 for a discus cage at Patrick Henry High School.

• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board: $10,000 for bleachers at Bossen Field.

• Richfield Public Schools: $10,000 for youth soccer goals.

• City of St. Bonifacius: $9,995 for ballpark equipment at Towns Edge Park.

• Elk River Area School District 728: $8,368 for gaga ball pits.

• Robbinsdale Public Schools: $7,500 for utility vehicle and a groomer.

• City of Richfield: $7,465 for six soccer goals.

• Three Rivers Park District: $5,464 for youth skis.

• City of Robbinsdale: $2,450 for field equipment at Lee, Spanjers and Manor parks.

about the writer

Kevin Duchschere

Team Leader

Kevin Duchschere, a metro team editor, has worked in the newsroom since 1986 as a general assignment reporter and has covered St. Paul City Hall, the Minnesota Legislature and Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington and Dakota counties. He was St. Paul bureau chief in 2005-07 and Suburbs team leader in 2015-20.