Upper Schuylkill group seeks $1M grant
BY LESLIE RICHARDSON STAFF WRITER
03/06/2008
FRACKVILLE — Upper Schuylkill Downtowns is hoping
to get an additional $1 million to help fund improvements to the six
boroughs under its umbrella.
During a steering committee meeting Wednesday
at Frackville Borough Hall, Upper Schuylkill Executive Director Patty
Rader asked for approval from the committee to apply for a $1 million
state Department of Community and Economic Development grant.
“They increased the amount that each individual
Main Street Program can get to $500,000 which is double from other
years, so I asked if our regional program could apply for $1 million
and was told to go ahead,” Rader said.
If approved, the grant would give each of the non-Main
Street designated communities — Frackville, Girardville, Mahanoy
City and Ringtown — $200,000 each for downtown improvements while
the boroughs of Ashland and Shenandoah, already designated as Main
Street communities, would each receive $100,000.
Upper Schuylkill would have to come up with matching
funds for the grant.
According to Rader, the match would come from PennDOT
Home Town Streets/Safe Routes to School program grant money available
to the boroughs.
In other business, Rader announced that the next public
meeting will be held at 6:30 April 17 in Frackville and will feature
“A Taste of Upper Schuylkill.” This meeting is a requirement
of the Main Street program, and each of the six communities must have
at least 2 percent of its population in attendance.
“We will present our market plan and talk about
our streetscape and facade improvement projects,” Rader said.
“We will also offer a taste of what Upper Schuylkill has to offer
by having food from area businesses. We are hoping to have this well
attended.”
Representatives were asked to begin planning for homecoming,
which will be held Labor Day weekend. Plans need to be finalized so
marketing can be done.
Each of the boroughs plans an event during the weekend
that is built around Ashland’s annual ABA/Mummers Parade. Last
year’s events included a dinner theater in Mahanoy City, breakfasts
in Ringtown and Girardville, a restaurant sampling in Shenandoah and
a car show in Frackville.
Concerning the facade program, all of the municipalities
have completed projects and more are in the works. Anyone interested
in doing facade improvements using Upper Schuylkill funding can contact
their borough downtown organization.
Upcoming Meetings
Regional meeting: All day March 10, Sovereign Majestic Theater, Pottsville
Steering Committee Meeting: 6 p.m. April 2, Downtown
Shenandoah Inc. office, Shenandoah
Taste of Upper Schuylkill: 6:30 p.m. April 17, Frackville
Borough Hall
DCED and PA Downtown Regional Assessment 6 p.m. May
7, Downtown Center Mahanoy City
© The REPUBLICAN & Herald
2008
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