Four Highland County communities — Greenfield, Hillsboro, Leesburg and Lynchburg — will receive a total of more than $12.5 million as part of a new Appalachian Downtowns and Destinations Initiative, state Rep. Bob Peterson (R-Sabina) announced Wednesday.

In total, $154 million will be disbursed into communities across 12 counties to revitalize historic downtown districts, create new recreation opportunities, and amplify the experience for those visiting the region’s cultural sites.

The village of Greenland will receive $5,371,410 that will be used for Greenfield Felson Park to create a hillside playground, amphitheater, rental venue, a livery access and more.

The city of Hillsboro will receive $5,204,536 for Hillsboro Crossroads Park to construct a new park downtown that includes an outdoor gathering space, amphitheater and a farmers’ market.

The village of Leesburg will receive $1,052,995 to transform a defunct park into a vibrant, usable space for the community. The project includes new amenities such as a footbridge, playground area, lighting and restrooms.

The village of Lynchburg will receive $1,001,390 to revitalize its downtown park with new amenities focused on empowering residents to maintain healthy lifestyles. Installation of a shelter house will create access to fresh produce by housing a regularly occurring farmer’s market. Additional park improvements include a walking trail, pedestrian bridge, play area, ADA parking and community-use raised garden beds.

“After years of hard work, we’ve secured the keys to revitalize Felson Park,” the village of Greenfield said on its Facebook page. “The envisioned quarry project will not only rejuvenate the park but also serve as a magnet for our youth, Ohioans and even international visitors drawn to our neighboring UNESCO sites.

At Felson Park the enhancements aim to transform it into a regional hub along the Paint Creek bikeway, offering a venue for cultural events, festivals and civic gatherings. Additionally, the park will function as a trailhead for bikeway enthusiasts, linking with the Tri-County Triangle Trail. With livery access to Paint Creek, the village will establish a canoe and kayak blue-way trail leading to Paint Creek Lake, expand opportunities for camping and outdoor recreation and facilitating multi-activity trips, the Facebook post said.

“The vision of Crossroads Park has been years in the making with every inch of the park planned through local collaborations,” the city of Hillsboro said on its Facebook page. “The city took action with acquisition, completing environmental assessments, renderings, community input and began planning events to have evidence-based metrics to gauge the impacts and sustainability. Crossroads Park will include an outdoor gathering space, amphitheater, renovation of an existing building to serve as a community center, water feature, playground and beautification of the surrounding streetscape.

“The amphitheater area will include a stage and restrooms, a separate restroom/concession stand, a light/sound booth, and several lawns with paths to facilitate movement and seating. In addition to Crossroads Park, the surrounding area was also incorporated into the planning to further the overall visual and regional impact. Nearby basketball courts received over a $50,000 facelift and fundraising efforts are paving the way for future pickleball courts. Also, the city was recently awarded a 1.2-million-dollar grant for a Rails to Trails project, with over 2.4 miles in trails leading to the park. Crossroads Park will also serve as a trail head for the trail.”

Ross County will receive even more funds for transformative economic development projects that will improve the region for residents and boost experiences for travelers, a news release from Peterson said.

“The 91st House District has so much to offer,” said Peterson. “We are continuing to make historic investments in the Appalachian region to show the natural beauty of the region and highlight the unique experiences in our area.”

Projects in Ross County are as follows:

City of Chillicothe, $35,362,990: The city of Chillicothe’s central gathering place, the Yoctangee Riverside District, will be transformed by four projects:

• The underutilized armory will be renovated to house the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Visitors’ Center, community meeting spaces, and a large recreational facility. A large pavilion will be built next to the armory to house the Chillicothe Farmers Market.

• Major improvements will be made to the park’s recreational fields, including the construction of an amphitheater, pickleball courts and refurbishment of the baseball field.

• The road network surrounding the park and downtown will be reconfigured to improve access and add a shared-use bike path.

• The Mighty Children’s Museum will be renovated and expanded to add STEM-related programming for older children.

Village of Bainbridge, $2,145,275: Building upon recent entrepreneurial investments in downtown Bainbridge, the village will enhance the public space by making several improvements to the infrastructure.

Concord Township, $1,933,740: Ross County Park District will make improvements and repairs at the Paint Creek Trail to improve its current condition and prevent further erosion.

Paxton Township, $705,319: The area surrounding the earthworks will undergo infrastructure improvements, including new restrooms and the renovation of the Blackstone House into a visitor center.

Springfield Township, $952,497: The Hopeton Earthworks site will receive driveway and parking improvements.

Union Township, $792,593: The historic site at Mound City will be enhanced to include a pavilion and shelter to serve larger groups, including students.

Union Township, $320,542: An existing bike trail will be expanded and completed to connect the Hopewell Mound Group to the adjacent Maple Grove Prairie Park.

Village of Frankfort, $3,079,793: Bump outs will be installed to calm traffic and enhance pedestrian safety, in addition to new ADA-compliant ramps. Lightle Park will also be improved by adding a trailhead with a bike repair station, wayfinding signage, new playground equipment, sports fields and a dog park.

Nearly $200 million in remaining Appalachian Community Grant Program funding will be announced in the coming weeks. In total, approximately $2 billion has been invested in Ohio’s Appalachian counties since 2019, the news release from Peterson said.