MONTICELLO — Plans to approve the Atwood Water Park have takena huge leap forward with the receipt of a $150,000 grant, aldermensaid.

The grant, issued by the National Park Service and theDepartment of the Interior, should cover the cost of severalimprovements to the park that the mayor and aldermen have tried toobtain for years, said District Two Alderman Steve Moreman.

The improvements include expanded and renovated restrooms, stagemodifications and a new parking area, boating dock and gatehouse.The old gatehouse will be relocated to the pavilion area andrenovated.

“It’s going to do a lot to enhance the park for county residentsand visitors,” said District Four Alderman Dick Reeves. “I’mpleased that we got it.”

The grant requires a 20 percent match, but the town should beable to cover that through selling timber in the proposed parkingarea, Reeves said.

The parking area, which will be paved for the first time in thepark’s history, will allow access to the entire park, but won’t beobvious from the park area.

“It will be hidden from the park area, but behind thegatehouse,” Reeves said.

A copy of the plans for the park can now be viewed by citizens,Reeves said.

“We have a master plan the engineer drew up that we’refollowing. People can see it at City Hall if they’reinterested.”

City and county officials are working together to spread thegrant money as much as possible, he said. Much of the work will bedone by city and county crews, but some of it will have to becontracted out.

Neither Reeves nor Moreman could say when the work maybegin.