During the April Middlesboro City Council meeting, the council and public received an update from Bell County Director of Tourism Jon Grace on the upcoming events and grant opportunities for the city and Bell County.

A meeting concerning the grant opportunity is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Middlesboro City Hall.

The meeting will discuss more ways of gaining eligibility for Middlesboro to receive Kentucky Trail Town status.

“If you are interested in helping, please try to attend,” Grace said. “We will have these meetings the first Tuesday of the month until the project is completed.”

Grace explained the latest grant that tourism is in the process of applying for.

“On the interest of the improvements to the historic canal walk, this has been something that we’ve looked at for several years and we’ve looked at it a bit more seriously,” he said. “After doing some of the leg work, there is obviously a lot of work that needs to be done on the canal walk, but there is still a lot that needs to be done.”

Grace told the council that he has spoken with engineers that worked on the original project, and they recommended that they do the work in phases.

The Recreational Trails Grant is up to $250,000 and a minimum of $25,000 and is an 80/20 match. The grant availability would be this fall and is a reimbursement grant that the city would pay for then get 80 percent of the cost reimbursed back. The match can be used for any kind of labor.

“The phase one improvements that have been included in the grant, that I would like to ask the council if they would like me to proceed to applying for, include improved lighting, benches, waste containers, security cameras along the trail and trail side signage, and interpretive panels. All together that comes to a total of about $41,000,” Grace explained.

For more information, email jon@bellcountytourism.com or call 6060-248-2482.