The U.S. Department of Interior and the National Park Service have selected Hartford as the beneficiary of a $750,000 grant.
The money will be used for the renovation of Colt Park's 14 athletic fields.
“Every kid deserves the opportunity to get outside and play,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke in a statement. “Whether it's downtown Hartford or rural Wyoming, investing in public lands is an investment in communities.”
The money, which the Department of the Interior says comes from federal oil and gas royalties, will pay for drainage upgrades and irrigation work.
Colt Park's fields, according to the agency, are some of the most heavily used in the city. The grant, it says, will help Hartford complete the first step in a multi-year effort to restore Colt Park.
Meanwhile, the city of Hartford continues to face major financial issues. Its credit has been downgraded, lawyers have been hired to explore bankruptcy options, and the city faces a massive multi-million dollar budget gap.
