Dan Govero, a surveyor and president of the Jefferson County Growth Association, has launched a nonprofit corporation dedicated to enhancing the county’s parks and trails.
Govero, who owns Govero Land Services in Imperial, said the nonprofit’s mission is to provide quality public spaces in the county that contribute to building a healthy community and a better environment.
The nonprofit is called Friends of Jefferson County Parks and Trails.
“We’re just barely getting started,” Govero said. “There’s been talk for years and years of how to get money for the parks, because the county doesn’t give them much, and so I went ahead and set up a nonprofit corporation.
“A lot of people think this is a great idea, but nobody has done anything, so I took the bull by the horns and made it into a nonprofit.”
Govero said he’s looking to recruit members for the nonprofit, especially those to sit on the board.
Govero said he was inspired to form the Jefferson County nonprofit by Forest Park Forever, a private nonprofit conservancy founded in 1986 to maintain the 1,300-acre park in St. Louis.
The nonprofit manages capital projects, such as renovating the park’s entrances and updating the Boathouse restaurant and deck. Separated from the Zoo Museum Tax District, Forest Park Forever receives its funding from private donors.
While it’s still early in Friends of Jefferson County Parks and Trails’ existence, Govero said the plan is to seek grant funding and private donations to benefit the county’s public parks.
City-operated parks would also be eligible to receive funding, Govero said.
Once enough funding is raised, Govero said the nonprofit will begin accepting applications for projects from park managers.
The Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Department manages 12 publicly accessible parks spanning roughly 280 acres.
These parks include hiking trails, fishing and boating opportunities, playgrounds and sports fields, according to the Parks website.
The county’s municipalities also boast numerous public parks, including Larry G. Crites Memorial Park in Festus, a 100-acre park with a fishing lake, pavilions and ball fields.
Arnold’s 68-acre City Park also has a fishing lake and is home to the city’s farmers market, which runs May through October.
Govero said he wants to ensure Jefferson County’s parks remain a destination and said there’s room to grow at many parks.
“We want to upgrade things in our parks and trails, keep them up-to-date,” he said.
For information, call Govero at his office, 636-464-9380.