Harrisburg – Oct. 21, 2014 – Grants totaling $350,000 for two recreation projects in state Sen. Jim Brewster’s district were approved today by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA).
A grant of $250,000 was approved for the City of New Kensington while $100,000 was earmarked for North Versailles Township. The funding was granted through the CFA’s Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program.
“The grant money provided by the state will help improve recreation facilities in these communities,” Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) said. “Finding resources at the state level to improve a community’s quality of life is critical and I am pleased that this funding has been made available.”
Brewster said that the grant for New Kensington will be used to upgrade Memorial Park. The renovations include rehabilitating the tennis courts and building a new deck hockey rink. The funding from the state will also enable new lighting to be installed and drainage improvements completed. The total cost for the Memorial Park project is estimated at $300,000.
“The CFA’s support of park rehabilitation projects helps economically hard-hit areas cope with the costs of refurbishing community resources,” Brewster said.
In North Versailles, the $100,000 will be used to update structures in West Wilmerding Park. These improvements include resurfacing basketball courts, adding two deck hockey courts in addition to installing a 4-seat swing set with rubber safety surfacing underneath the play area. The grant is also to be used for removing graffiti and for the creation of a walking trail.
The total cost for the North Versailles project is $170,600.
“As a former mayor, I know well the needs of communities and how difficult it is to find resources to pay for park improvements,” Brewster said. Brewster served as mayor and a member of council in McKeesport prior to his election to the state Senate.
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