Territory receives grants for 4 Parks and Recreation projects

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The National Park Service has given notice of federal grant funding totaling $4.8 million ($4,782,160.96) from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for four projects in American Samoa. Three of the grants are for specific projects that are or will be located on park land.

“Congratulations to American Samoa Government and our Department of Parks and Recreation for these substantial federal funds, and thank you to everyone in the Department involved in the local work to qualify for and fulfill these grants,”  Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata said. “Thank you to the National Park Service for this focus on supporting American Samoa’s parks and recreational facilities.”

The three grants and their described projects are as follows:

1— $3,285,886 for Onesosopo Park Football Field. The project entails a new football field to serve the east side of the territory, to include restrooms, locker rooms, bleachers, a snack bar, and an observation booth.

2 — $712,030 for Lions Park Multi Courts to include netball, pickleball, and beach volleyball to promote physical activity, fitness and health in one of the territory’s most-used park sites.

3 — $500,000 for Vaitogi Park Recreation and Picnic Area, to include eight traditional fale providing shade and shelter for picnics and gatherings.

The 4th grant is a LWCF Administrative grant for implementation of the program:

— $284,244.96 LWCF Administrative Grants for implementation of the LWCF program, including grant applications and projects, site inspections, travel and trainings, vehicle, signs and supplies.

Samoa News should point out that the Lions Park Multi Courts and the Vaitogi Park Recreation and Picnic Area are projects that are already being used by the public.

The multi courts project looks like it needs to complete only its beach volleyball court(s).

The initial costs of both of these projects seem to have been part of the $36 million surplus funds that were used without Fono approval.

According to the ASG Supplemental Budget for FY2023, showing a breakdown of the $36 million, Lions Park work was done by 3 contractors, totaling a little over $1.9 million, and Vaitogi Park work, also done by 3 contractors, totaled over $800,000.

The Onesosopo Park project is a long awaited one and answers a long standing complaint of residents and lawmakers of the Eastern District that it has no playing field(s) or facilities.

The Director of Parks and Recreation Lagofaatasi Ken Tupua in March 2023 told talanei.com that the Honolulu-based architect Mark Lively was doing the design and engineering for a major upgrade at the park, which will include a mini stadium, a playground and basketball court. There’ll also be a playing field to accommodate sports training, a picnic area and walking trail, he added.

At the time, Tupua said the project is funded by a grant from the LWCF, but that they were hoping to get additional funding from ARPA.

On August 4, 2020, the landmark Great American Outdoors Act was signed into law, which Amata supported in the Natural Resources Committee, and now supplies $900 million annually for LWCF. Congresswoman Amata has also supported the program’s congressional reauthorization.

The LWCF was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources, and cultural heritage, and to provide recreational opportunities, while strengthening communities, preserving history and protecting the national resource of lands and waters.

This flagship conservation program is funded by royalty payments from offshore oil and gas drilling in federal waters, putting that financial support back into conservation.