READING, PA — Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11) shared that 20 11th Senatorial District projects received a total of $4.62 million in grant funding from the Commonwealth Financing Authority.
The Local Shares Account-Statewide program was established by the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004, which provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the CFA to support projects in the public interest within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, economic development agencies, and redevelopment authorities are eligible to apply for LSA funding. Projects are only eligible if they are owned and maintained by an eligible applicant or a nonprofit organization.
Schwank said she is proud to support the projects listed below and thanked local leaders for putting together strong applications that address crucial needs in their communities.
“Having a lengthy list of projects that are forward thinking and worthy of funding is a good problem to have,” Schwank said. “When you have great projects that fill important local needs, it’s easy to make a case for why they deserve support. With this funding, the state is improving public safety, boosting access to recreational areas for disabled individuals, investing in the preservation of iconic Berks County venues, and more. Today is a great day for Berks County.”
Schwank added that many of the projects listed are being funded at levels to complete or substantially complete them.
- Spring Township — $800,000 for the Wyomissing Sewer Project, which will upgrade sewer pipes and alleviate wastewater concerns.
- City of Reading — $500,000 for the construction of a modern, multi-purpose training and special operations facility located in Cumru Township.
- Laureldale Borough — $482,255 to construct ADA-accessible bathroom facilities at Dominic Manzella Park.
- Kutztown Community Partnership — $450,000 in support of the rehabilitation of the historic Kutztown Strand Theatre.
- Wyomissing Borough — $400,000 for ADA and safety improvements at Stone House Park.
- Antietam Valley Municipal Authority — $376,379 for vehicle equipment upgrades for use in Alsace Township, Mt. Penn Borough, Exeter Township, St. Lawrence Borough and the City of Reading.
- Muhlenberg Township — $294,000 in support of streambank restoration and to install a riparian buffer at Laurel Run Creek.
- Mount Penn Borough — $275,000 for the reconstruction of ADA-compliant handicap ramps to be constructed on various streets throughout the borough.
- West Reading Borough — $264,750 to upgrade security cameras along the main commercial area, at the police department, and at the municipal building.
- Fleetwood Borough — $225,000 for phase two of construction to stabilize and restore the Willow Creek streambank located at Fleetwood Park.
- Mount Penn Borough Municipal Authority — $207,100 for upgrades to an existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system located in Exeter Township.
- Reading Water Authority — $165,649 for monitoring upgrades for the Maidencreek Filter Plant.
- Ruscombmanor Township — $100,00 for ADA accessibility improvements in Strauss Park.
- Mount Penn Borough — $60,000 for renovations to the Mount Penn Fire Company’s heavily used day room.
- Lyons Borough Municipal Authority — $29,260 to upgrade its current water and mapping system and to conduct a leak detection test.
In addition to the LSA-statewide awards, five Berks County entities received $580,791 in LSA-Category 4 Facilities Program grant funding. Projects in counties with Category 4 licensed gaming facilities are eligible for this stream of funding (Berks, Westmoreland and York Counties).
- Greater Reading Chamber and Economic Development Corporation — $142,346 for the Franklin Street Transit-Oriented Development Strategic Plan.
- Berks County Redevelopment Authority — $125,000 to convert an old building located on Gregg Avenue in the City of Reading into office space.
- West Reading Borough — $113,552 for streetlight replacements.
- West Reading Borough — $100,000 for the redevelopment of gateway signage.
- Sinking Spring Borough — $99,893 for a brush chipper at the community yard waste site.
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