MASSILLON – City Council gave a unanimous thumbs-up Monday night to a proposal authorizing the Parks and Recreation Department to pursue a grant for Reservoir Park work.

The H2Ohio grant via the Ohio Department of Natural Resources aims to help pay for a project to rehab the streambank along the north section of Sippo Creek from Phillips Road NE to Reservoir Drive NE.

Upgrades en route? City of Massillon looks for state grant to repair northern streambank at Reservoir Park

Councilwoman Julie Harwig-Smith, R-Ward 5, said getting a timely application to the state for funding is paramount for fixing the water bank.

“I think we want to get this going. It’s a time (deadline) thing,” she said.

Most of the work at Sippo Creek is to include installing a rock wall and planting vegetation to stabilize and preserve the bank, according to Parks & Rec Director Steve Pedro.

The goal is to have the project begin prior to the end of the year, said Pedro. Cost of the overall project may run more than the grant amount, which is around $200,000.

The five-member Massillon Recreation Board voted unanimously May 15 in favor of the grant.

H2Ohio grant separate from pond, pumphouse restoration at Reservoir Park

City Council’s approval of the H2Ohio grant is not related to a planned, future effort to recreate a small pond north of the Reservoir Park spillway and to rehab the old pumphouse at 770 Reservoir Drive NE.

The restoration project for the pumphouse and pond is on the city’s radar for down the road.

Massillon has applied for federal dollars to assist with funding the effort.

Reach Steven at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On X: @sgrazierINDE

This article originally appeared on The Independent: Massillon City Council approves H2Ohio grant for Reservoir Park effort