NORWICH – The City of Norwich has been awarded $810,000 through Governor Hochul's Municipal Parks and Recreation (MPR) Grant Program, securing one of the largest awards in this statewide funding round. The grant will support major upgrades at Bruchhausen Park, on the city's east side that local officials say is due for restoration.

The funding comes from the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, and complements the Governor's “Unplug and Play” initiative. "These grants will help communities with a range of projects to encourage New Yorkers to ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’ and enjoy healthy, active recreation,” Governor Hochul said in her announcement.

Norwich is one of 20 communities statewide awarded funding in round two of the MPR program. More than half of the statewide funding has been awarded to disadvantaged communities across the state that have been significantly impacted by environmental challenges, according to the governor's office.

"This new round of funding from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act continues New York State’s commitment to helping expand access to safe and welcoming parks and recreational facilities all across the state," Hochul said.

City of Norwich Mayor, Robert Jeffrey, said, “We're very excited to have this amount of money to reimagine, activate this space, and create another opportunity for active wellness for all residents and families in the City of Norwich.”