HARMONY — The borough plans to apply for grants for various projects.

It has applied for a $7,500 grant from Butler County to help beautify community parks.

“We continually have a program to maintain the park and work with what’s there,” borough council President Greg Such said.

Improvements include new chips for under swing sets, mulch and safety maps.

Such said the borough has been “reasonably successful” in getting grants each year.

The grant will cover all four parks, which include Wood Street Park, the canoe launch at the end of Jackson Street, the playground behind the borough building and Swampoodle Park.

The borough also will look at other grants to apply for.

Such said one area the borough is looking at is the Harmony Trail, which was closed last summer due to construction. A portion of the mile-long trail was reopened in August.

A portion of it runs beside the Connoquenessing Creek where the construction is taking place. Entrances to the trail are on Wise and Mercer Roads.

The borough is in talks with Jackson Township to reopen the trail in its entirety.

Township manager Chris Rearick said the township is looking for funds to development of the rest of property owned by TCDR Associates for recreational purposes.

“The foremost funding objective is the reconstruction of the Harmony Trail,” Rearick said. “TCDR Associates has indicated a willingness to donate the balance of the property, extending from the Connequenessing to Wise Road, consisting of an estimated 23 to 26 acres.”

The trail, part of the historic Washington’s Trail, runs through developer Don Rodgers’ property by Creekside Manor.

Rodgers closed the trail to the public in late June for safety reasons before negotiations led to a portion of the trail’s reopening.

The township also is developing a parks and recreation plan.

Rearick said, “The scope of the plan includes a comprehensive trail system as well as other passive and recreational needs which will determine, in part, planned passive recreational improvements to the TCDR Property.”

Improvements may include a boardwalk, enhancement of the wetland areas, additional trails, pavilions, fishing area and parking.