Canton receives $1 million state grant as it plans to build recreation center along riverfront

CANTON, Mo. — The residents of Canton recently received news that will lend itself to the future of the town’s own tourist attractiveness.

A grant totaling nearly $1 million has made it possible for Canton to begin looking into building a recreation center. City officials applied for a Tourism Enhancement Grant, which helps fund things the Department of Economic Development believes will further tourism in the area. This recreation center falls under the area of sports tourism.

The recreation center plans are not finalized, but it could include weight training facilities, an indoor track and multiple courts for sports like basketball, volleyball and pickleball. A variety of activities will make it easier for people of all generations to use the recreation center.

The recreation center is planned to be built near the Mississippi River at the location of the old MFA building near the observation tower overlooking the river. It is expected to attract traveling athletic teams for tournaments. These teams will have an incentive to visit Canton and spend their money, boosting the economy.

This recreation center would not be possible to build using the tourism enhancement grant alone. Local investors have contributed to the project with an additional $1 million in a public-private partnership.

However, the recreation center cost is not covered. It is estimated to total $2.5 million by the time construction is finished. The remaining funding and how it will be raised will be arranged by the private parties involved with the project.

Canton Mayor Jarrod Phillips hopes construction begins later this year.

“That’s going to be dependent on material availability, the timeframe for contractors and architects, and everybody to get stuff together,” he said.

Phillips says the recreation center will be built quickly, because the city has to use the money within a couple of years.

Residents of Canton won’t complain if the recreation center is completed quickly. Having this center will give them another place to go during the day to stay active.

Noah Klauser is a Quincy native and a Culver-Stockton College student serving as an intern for Muddy River News during the spring semester.