YOUNGSTOWN  The Youngstown City Council is set to consider legislation Tuesday that would authorize projects to improve Spring Commons Park and a nearby launch area on West Avenue along the Mahoning River.

The proposed ordinances, which are being considered as emergency measures, would authorize the city's Board of Control to seek bids and enter into a grant agreement for the projects. The legislative session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

One ordinance would greenlight the city to advertise for bids and contract with the lowest bidder for the construction of the Youngstown Spring Commons Park and West Avenue Launch Improvements Project. The total cost of construction is not to exceed $2,315,331.

The second piece of legislation would authorize the Board of Control to enter into a sub-recipient grant agreement with the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments to fund the projects. The total cost of the overall project, as outlined in the second ordinance, is not to exceed $2,978,000. The additional funds will be used to pay for project administration, engineering, and design.

Both ordinances state that the funds for the project would come from State ARPA funds administered through Eastgate.

The Mahoning County project is part of the Appalachian Community Grant Program, an economic development initiative by the Ohio Department of Development to improve waterfronts, trails, parks, and historic downtown districts.

The Ohio Department of Development announced earlier that the Spring Commons Park project was awarded $3,891,475 for plans that include constructing new active play equipment, pavilions and shelters, as well as a riverfront path and a boulder terrace to serve as a beach stop-off point for kayakers.

An existing asphalt lot will be repurposed into an agriculture center to support community garden programming. The park will also be physically connected to the West Avenue boat launch by a trail.