GOSHEN – Orange County will be spending over $480,000 to fund park upgrades for local municipalities.

The matching funds will go to 21 communities to enhance parks and recreational facilities.

“If you drive around the county on any given day, you’ll see that our local parks are well used by our residents,” said County Legislature chairman William Lahey. “County legislators want to make sure that these parks maintain their natural beauty and their usefulness.”

County Legislator Wayne Decker, the Democratic Party leader, said some of the funds will be used to purchase new and replace old playground equipment, upgrade ball fields, nature trails and construct restrooms in parks where there are none.

The grants, awarded on a competitive basis, include:

• Town of Blooming Grove, $37,500, Mt. Lodge Park
• Town of Cornwall, $12,500, Angola Road Park
• Town of Crawford, $5,000, Crawford Park
• Village and Town of Goshen, $15,000, Salesian Park
• Village of Greenwood Lake, $40,000, Village Park
• Village of Harriman, $5,000, Vet. Field #3
• Village of Highland Falls, $20,000, Roe Park
• Town of Highlands, $25,000, Brooks Park
• City of Middletown, $30,000, Watts Park, Fancher Davidge Park
• Town of Minisink, $40,000 William Lain Road Town Park
• Village of Monroe, $12,000, Crane Park
• Town of Montgomery, $4,960, Walden Trails Connection
• Village of Montgomery, $15,000, Memorial Park
• Town of Mount Hope, $50,000, Town Park
• Town of New Windsor, $30,000, Mt. Airy Sports Complex
• Town of Newburgh, $50,000, Chadwick Lake Park
• City of Newburgh, $45,000, New Fishing and Observation Pier
• Village of Walden, $8,480, Wooster Grove Park
• Town of Warwick, $10,500, Union Corners Park
• Village of Washingtonville, $20,000, Vern Allen Park, Softball fields
• Town of Wawayanda, $4,400, Shannen Park