In June, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners awarded Paintbrush Hills Metropolitan District a $25,000 grant for Drayton Green Park.The $25,000 is from the county’s Urban Park Grant Program fund – not the county’s general fund, said Tim Wolken, director of the county’s community services department.Drayton Green Park will be located at the south end of Carrington Drive in the western part of Falcon Hills, said Paintbrush Hills administrator Ellen Robley. It will be the district’s third park, she said.The $25,000 grant is the maximum amount allowed by the program. The Paintbrush Hills Metropolitan District is kicking in $45,680, for a total budget of $70,680, Wolken said.The district has agreed to allow full public access to the park, which is a requirement of the county’s grant application, he said.Plans for the park posted at the district’s Web site include a playground, gazebo, green space, drinking fountain and an area for native plants. The metro district – not the county – will be responsible for park maintenance, Wolken said.He said the Urban Park Grant Program, set up in 2007, is funded by fees from developers who build more than one dwelling on 2.5 acres and do not dedicate land for parks.Cities, towns, school districts, metropolitan districts, special districts and nonprofit organizations can apply for urban park grants, but any developer fees collected for a particular area must be used in that same area, he said.
