CLARKSVILLE, IN (August 20, 2024) – The Clarksville Town Council is throwing its support behind plans for a new outdoor education pavillion at the Falls of the Ohio State Park.  Representatives from the Falls of the Ohio Foundation approached the Town Council during its last meeting, asking for the Town of Clarksville to support the project.  That support includes endorsing a grant application submitted by the foundation, and pledging the town’s bonding authority for the issuance of Economic Development Revenue Bonds, the source for the grant dollars.

The Clark-Floyd Counties Convention and Tourism Bureau provides grants to promote tourism and development tourism related opportunities. Historically, the Town has applied for these grants for items including parks, wayfinding signage, and providing funding to the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center for visitor programming and facility remodeling. The Falls of the Ohio Foundation has developed an outdoor education pavilion project that would be constructed adjacent to the Interpretive Center and available for hosting large groups of visitors. The project is estimated to cost $1,500,000.

The Foundation already has local donations pledged in the amount of $600,000, and plans to apply for a $250,000 grant from the Tourism Bureau.  The foundation has also applied for funding through the Regional Development Authority’s READI program.  During Tuesday night’s meeting, the Town Council unanimously approved the request for support.  The bonds would be repayable from the Clark-Floyd Counties Convention and Tourism Bureau Capital Development Tourism Fund (the hotel/motel tourism tax fund).