PHILADELPHIA — The city of Philadelphia Board of Aldermen approved a request to provide matching funds for a $30,000 federal grant that will help provide new playground equipment at the city’s parks.

    Young said council approval was needed to provide the matching funds before the project could proceed.  

    “I would call it a success because we approved to match the amount we get from the grant,” Young said. “It moves the process forward. We still have some work left on the grant, so we don’t know the time frame when we will make the bids, and purchase and install the equipment, but we do have our match.”

    Young said the grant should be ready about the time the city begins work on its budget for 2016.

    “We start that process in June and it will go into July and August,” Young said. “Once we get the new equipment, it will be issued to all the parks, but most will go to West Side and Booker T.”

    Young, the first African-American mayor in Philadelphia’s history, is in the second year of his second term. He was elected in 2009 by a 46vote margin and reelected in 2013.

    Young said bringing credibility back to city government has been his biggest priority.

    “To bring back the credibility and integrity of the office,” Young said. “Do what is right and fair and do things the right way.”

    The adding of playground equipment is another step in Young’s goal of cleaning up the city.

    “I would say its one of our best accomplishments,” Young said. “Removing dilapidated structures and cleaning up the city.”

    Young said his primary focus for the last two years of his second term will be to get more jobs for Philadelphians.

    “To increase our manufacturing base and put people back to work,” he said.

    Two weeks ago, at the Mississippi Economic Council’s Philadelphia Regional Roundup, the need for a bypass connecting Highway 19 and 15 was discussed.     Young expressed the need for Philadelphia to maintain some traffic through its downtown area.

    “A bypass would be good for the heavy trucks, but we would like to see the car traffic continue because that helps our downtown businesses,” Young said. “We have a great small town and we continue to grow.”