Hood River County Commissioners gave the go-ahead to submit an application to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department seeking a $500,000 grant to purchase and develop property around Punchbowl Falls for a county park. The County has made a similar request in the past, but County Administrator David Meriwether says recent public interest generated through public forums over the last couple of months give this application a much better chance for approval. Western Rivers Conservancy currently owns the property, and is willing to sell it to the County for development of a park for $500,000.