The cities of Alliance and Sidney, Neb., are using funding from ACE’s (Public Alliance for Community Energy) revenue return to help fund playground projects in their communities.
Alliance will use its ACE funds for an after-school playground project at the Alliance Recreation Center. Sidney is using $40,000 of its ACE funds for a new playground in Legion Park.
Alliance’s playground project is expected to be installed this summer and will be accessible for all community children and families.
Sidney has used its ACE funds for park-related projects in the past, including installing new lights at the softball fields in Legion Park.
The ACE revenue return program provides funds to its 75 ACE member communities. Through the years, more than $3.2 million has been returned to Nebraska ACE member communities and has been used for a wide range of projects such as park improvements, swimming pool and playground equipment, public transportation, recreational trails and community infrastructure projects.
The ACE Board of Directors approved a $400,000 revenue distribution to be allocated among ACE member communities earlier this year. Alliance received more than $27,000 of that distribution and has received more than $238,000 overall since ACE formed in 1998. Sidney received more than $31,000 this year and more than $226,000 overall.