The Perry City Council recently approved a grant agreement that helped the City purchase a wetland area around Pattee Park, simplifying maintenance around the soccer complex.

At the most recent Council meeting, Parks and Recreation Director John Anderson presented the plans for purchasing 20 acres of land directly north of the soccer complex, which includes wetlands that feed into the stormwater pond. In order to purchase the land, the City had applied for a $100,000 Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) grant, for which they were approved. The grant included a local match of $57,800. Anderson says the area is currently overgrown and in a state of disrepair, and with the City’s acquisition they’ll be able to cultivate and improve that section of Pattee Park.

Perry Mayor John Andorf said the cleanup of the wetlands is merely step one, as Parks and Rec has some additional plans for the area. “What we’re going to do is maintain the stormwater and protect that pond, and work on getting that straightened out. And then what we want to do for the future is develop that area further down the road a little bit, and make more of a nature area that the citizens of Perry can enjoy. But right now, we need to dry it up a little bit and also help control the pond out there to maintain the water in there.”

The Council approved the grant agreement, and as such the City’s matching contribution, though it wasn’t unanimous. Council member Chuck Schott felt the price they were paying to purchase 20 acres of land was too high and voted against it. To hear more about this and other topics from the recent Perry City Council meeting, listen to Tuesday’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.