A new public park in Ward 2 could soon be in the works after the Brookhaven Board of Aldermen approved funding Tuesday night.

The board approved up to $50,000 to go with a matching grant from the Pearl River Development District. The grant will be applied for by Lincoln County and then used toward the city park. Currently, plans are for the park to be built on Rushing Street just off Williams Street, pending the approval of PRDD and Lincoln County Board of Supervisors.

The motion was made by Ward 2 Alderman Terry Bates, seconded by Ward 1 Alderman Randy Belcher and was approved unanimously. Bates said he is proud whenever the board accomplishes something and is happy to see something grow while in office.

“Whatever we can do for our youth, it means a lot for the entire city,” Bates said. “Being an elected official, you can never do too much for the community or the city. You can never do enough for the youth and children [especially].”

Bates, now in his seventh term as alderman, said the City of Brookhaven and Lincoln County are working great together on this project. The park’s construction hinges on a grant from the Pearl River Development District, which must be applied for by the county.

“Whenever the city and the county work together with stuff like this it benefits everyone,” Bates said.

The same grant has funded a park in Brookhaven before: Bethel Spray Park that opened in 2014. Currently, Wards 1, 3 and 6 have parks.

Planning for the park is in the very early stages. The city is working to determine if it owns the roughly two acres that the park would go on. Bates said city and county officials should know around September or October if the grant was awarded.

“Building this little park for the citizens, it would mean a lot for me,” Bates said. “Not just for my ward but all citizens and all the kids in Brookhaven. Go to one of these parks and you see kids and families out from all over the city. When we do things like this in a certain ward, it’s for everybody.”

Bates praised the work the city and Parks and Recreation Department have done to build great parks and keep them maintained. He said that the more positive or constructive activities for children and youth that become available, the better.