November 24,2014
Conneaut Lake gains new Town Hall/Civic Center with Conneaut Lake Borough Council approval of the donation of the former High Street Community Church
The beautifully-remodeled, historic, landmark building will become the new Town Hall / Civic Center for Conneaut Lake while providing Conneaut Lake Borough Council with new office space and income generating potential through rentals of lower-floor office space and the upper-floor town hall space that can accommodate 125 people.
Plans are already underway for the rental of two of the available offices to 17th District State House Representative-elect, Parke Wentling, and his staff.
As previously announced, the 100 year old church was unveiled and gifted to the borough and community by the family of Ron and Gayle Anderson during an open house Saturday, October 25, 2014.
The new town hall is tangible evidence of the beginning of revitalization of Conneaut Lake Borough.
Please refer to the November 20, 2014 Meadville Tribune front page article in the “Media Coverage” tab of this website.
November 14, 2014
Important PennDOT grant award announcement for Conneaut Lake Revitalization Project: $400,000!!
News Release
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
11/10/2014
Fifty-six Projects Receive Federal Funds to Improve Transportation Alternatives
Fifty-six projects to improve transportation alternatives are in line for $33 million in federal funds, PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch announced today.
Transportation alternative projects enhance pedestrian and bicycle facilities, improve access to public transportation, create safe routes to school, preserve historic transportation structures, provide environmental mitigation, create trails that serve a transportation purpose, and promote safety and mobility.
“These awards represent yet another way PennDOT is working to broaden the reach of transportation investments in Pennsylvania,” Schoch said. “Combined with awards from the new state Multimodal Fund and the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Fund, this program opens the door to an even wider variety of improvements for the people of Pennsylvania.”
PennDOT evaluated the applications and made selections based on such criteria as safety benefits, reasonableness of cost, readiness for implementation, statewide or regional significance, integration of land use and transportation decision making, collaboration with stakeholders, and leverage of other projects or funding.
Following is from the published list of awards for the Transportation Alternative Projects:
Crawford County: Crawford County Commissioners – $400,000 for comprehensive updates to Water Street between First and Second Street in Conneaut Lake Borough. Improvements include: crosswalks, concrete sidewalks, concrete driveways with curb cuts, ADA compliant pedestrian ramps, lighting and relocation of utilities.
Please refer to the November 13, 2014 Meadville Tribune article in the “Media Coverage” tab of this website
October 29, 2014
Gift of new town hall (formerly the High Street Church) to Conneaut Lake; a tangible early step in the revitalization of Conneaut Lake Borough.
The 100 year old church, renovated over the past six months, was unveiled and gifted to the borough and community by the family of Ron and Gayle Anderson during an open house Saturday, October 25. The modifications to the historic building provide office space structure and area for public and private functions.
Please refer to the October 26, 2014 Meadville Tribune front page article in the “Media Coverage” tab of this website
October 17, 2014
Conneaut Lake Revitalization Project receives approval on $375,000 state grant targeted for the rehabilitation and further development of Fireman’s Beach.
The grant was awarded to the project by the state Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC), Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) through its Community Conservation Partnerships Program (CCPP). The BRC awards grants to help communities conserve natural and cultural resources, provide outdoor recreation, enhance tourism, and foster economic development. BRC works to assure that connections between natural resource conservation and community revitalization, and between the citizens and the outdoors, are realized.
Please refer to the October 14, 2014 Meadville Tribune front page article in the “Media Coverage” tab of this website
July 29, 2014
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1 Million to Boost Business and Tourism Capacity in Northwest Pennsylvania
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Atwood
Monday, July 28, 2014
202-482-4085
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1 million grant to the Borough of Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania. The funding will support critical infrastructure improvements in the town’s central business district, which are to create 78 jobs and leverage $950,000 from local tourism industries, according to the grantee.
“The Obama Administration is committed to helping communities leverage their unique assets to grow and be competitive in today’s global economy,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA investment announced today will help Conneaut Lake make needed critical infrastructure upgrades that increase tourism and support the business community in Northwestern Pennsylvania.”
Conneaut Lake has a robust business community and is a major regional tourist attraction. To support redevelopment and the town’s ability to attract new businesses and amenities, infrastructure upgrades are needed to replace dilapidated sidewalks and other failing infrastructure. EDA’s investment will support improvements to the central business district to remove worn out public infrastructure, including the water and sewer systems, to help the community leverage private investment and create new jobs for local residents (please refer to July 29, 2014 Meadville Tribune headline article in the “Media” tab of this website).
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20500
202-456-1111
July 19, 2014
National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) grant approval to bring community arts component to the Conneaut Lake Revitalization initiative.
Conneaut Lake Borough is one of 66 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) “Our Town” projects selected nationwide to receive an area-based community development investment.
The NEA is an independent federal agency that funds and promotes artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities.
NEA Chairman Jane Chu announced plans to award 66 “Our Town” grants totaling $5.073 million and reaching 38 states in the “Our Town” program’s fourth year of funding.
Conneaut Lake is one of those recommended organizations and will receive $75,000 to facilitate arts engagement and planning for a public art trail adjacent to the Water Street business district. Funding will be used to bring regional artists, storytellers and ethnographers into collaboration with local youth and community residents and will result in a comprehensive fully engineered plan for a public art trail and implementation of community-inspired public art installations along the proposed art trail.
Bill Eldridge, Chairman of the Conneaut Lake Community Development Committee, and Amara Geffen, Professor of Art at Allegheny College and Director of the Art & Environment Initiative of the greater Meadville area, are both pleased and honored that this collaboration will move forward with support from the NEA. According to Mr. Eldridge, “These funds will allow us to incorporate a community arts component into the revitalization plans for Water Street and Fireman’s Beach.” Geffen, who will serve as lead artist for the grant, will work with artists Steve Prince, Ian Thomas and ethnographer Emily Yochim, all of whom are colleagues at Allegheny College, to implement arts-based community engagement leading to design and implementation of sculptures for the proposed public art trail. Nationally known community organizer, storyteller and founder of the Community Building Storytelling Project, Davd Hunt, will assist with arts-engagement events.
The NEA received 275 applications for “Our Town” this year. Recommended grant amounts ranged from $25,000 to $200,000. This year’s “Our Town” projects demonstrate again that excellent art is as fundamental to a community’s success as land-use, transportation, education, housing, infrastructure, and public safety, helping build stronger communities that are diverse in geography and character. “Our Town” funds arts-based community development projects in a way that is authentic, equitable, and augments existing local assets. Since “Our Town’s” inception in 2011, and including these projects, the NEA will have awarded 256 “Our Town” grants totaling more than $21 million in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
“The Borough of Conneaut Lake demonstrates the best in creative community development and whose work will have a valuable impact on it community,” said Chairman Chu. “Through ‘Our Town’ funding, arts organizations continue to spark vitality that support neighborhoods and public spaces, enhancing a sense of place for residents and visitors alike.”
For a complete listing of projects recommended for “Our Town” grant support, including project descriptions and grants listed by state and by project type, please visit the NEA website: http://arts.gov/news/2014/2014-nea-our-town-projects-receive-more-5-million support.
Please refer to the July 21, 2014 Meadville Tribune article in the “Media” tab of this website.
July 15, 2014
Approval given by Borough Council to enter Contractual Engineering Agreement
At its July 9th, 2014 meeting, the Conneaut Lake Borough Council agreed by unanimous vote to enter into a contractual agreement with E.G.&G Consultants of Mentor, OH to provide Geotechnical Surveys and Preliminary Engineering Documents for the Water Street portion of the revitalization project. This contract follows the Council’s action at its June 2014 meeting to select E.G.&G. for these types of services as a result of a competitive selection process that was advertised both locally and nationally. Under the terms of the contract, the Borough will have options to continue to utilize E.G.&G. for preparation of Final Construction Documents and Construction Bidding Services. The value of the contract work agreed to at the July 9th meeting is $90,289.00 to be funded by a combination of funding from grants, Conneaut Lake Community Development Committee, and from the Borough.
CLCDC now a 501(c)(3)
There are now two ways you can make a donation to the CL Revitalization Project. Conneaut Lake Community Development Committee (CLCDC) has established the “CLCDC Fund” in conjunction with the Community Foundation of Western PA and Eastern OH. We are now accepting donations for the CL Revitalization Project via this fund. Your donations into this fund are fully tax deductible under IRS 501(c)(3). Also, as in the past, we are continuing to accept donations made directly to the Conneaut Lake Borough for the CL Revitalization Project and these donations are fully tax deductible under IRS 170(c)(1) as support to a government entity. For details, please refer to the “Donate Today” tab in this website.
And we will soon be announcing a third way for you to donate via a link through our website to a secure on-line donation site providing you the opportunity to donate directly to the CL Revitalization Project via your choice of Pay Pal, MC, VISA, or AE.
May 30, 2014:
We were recently notified that our grant application for $1,000,000 through the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA), has reached the final list for approval.
We expect their decision soon.
Detailed surveying has been continuing throughout the town and completion of that work is expected by month end.
We expect to soon receive the first payout from our recently approved $400,000 grant for Fireman’s Beach through the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) (please refer to the May 22, 2014 Meadville Tribune article in the “Media” tab of this website). We are continuing our tracking and follow-up on several other pending grant applications.
May 14, 2014
The Conneaut Lake Community Development Committee, Inc. (CLCDC, Inc.) and Conneaut Lake Borough Council have been making steady progress on the revitalization project since we kicked off the project three years ago.
We have built a public/private partnership that includes financial support from the Borough, County, Commonwealth, and private citizens. We have a nationally recognized consultant, E.G.&G. Inc., who developed our master plan and is working to finalize the construction design leading to the construction phase which will be managed by E.G.&G.,Inc. Pennsylvania Representative Greg Lucas, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Robbins, U.S. Representative Mike Kelly, and U.S. Senator Pat Toomey have endorsed our construction grant funding applications that are now being decided. The prospects for major funding from the Commonwealth and Federal Government are good.
Since early 2013, we have prepared and submitted a number of grant applications. As we have already announced, we received our first commitments, including 1) $150,000 from the Conneaut Lake Borough Council, 2) a planning grant for $25,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and 3) $210,000 from Crawford County (please refer to May 11, 2013 Meadville Tribune article in the “Media” tab of this website).
We were awarded $375,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for improvements to be made along Water Street (please refer to the November 19, 2013 and March 22, 2014 Meadville Tribune articles in the “Media” tab of this website). Also, we have been awarded $400,000 through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) (please refer to the December 7, 2013 Meadville Tribune article in the “Media” tab of this website). This grant is targeted for improvements to Fireman’s Beach.
Regarding our efforts to secure funding through the Federal Government, we have been awarded $150,000 from the federal Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The grant covers storm-water improvements along Water Street (please refer to the October 19, 2013 Meadville Tribune article in the “Media” tab of this website).
Also, we are progressing through a grant process to obtain funding from the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA). In November, 2013 CLCDC officers traveled to Philadelphia, PA. to meet with EDA decision makers. Also attending were our project consultant, from E.G.&G., and a representative from the office of U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania, Pat Toomey. The meeting objective was to gain support for our funding request by demonstrating the significant economic potential that the revitalization project represents to Conneaut Lake Borough. The formal presentation, which included a project overview, project plans and needs, project status, and projected results, was well received. An application was then submitted in December.
CLCDC will continue to pursue grant applications from a variety of sources (local, private, state and federal) as they become available.
Since the beginning of the revitalization project, CLCDC and E.G.&G. have been primarily focused on grant applications and fund raising. As we have been achieving success in these efforts, we are now beginning to focus attention on the actual construction. Along these lines, E.G.&G. has begun work on critical engineering and design studies. A detailed, formal survey was recently completed. To remain on our master plan schedule, which points to actual construction beginning in 2015, detailed bids will need to be created and then acted upon by numerous bidders in early 2015.
NOTE: Once the on-sight work begins, construction will intentionally be staggered along Water Street to allow for traffic flow and to avoid bottlenecks.
To assure the engineering process is not delayed, we embarked on yet another local fundraising project in 2013 to raise additional needed funds to cover the costs of engineering studies. This initiative focused on over 200 local businesses in the immediate Conneaut Lake area. CLCDC members personally met with representatives of these businesses to present and inform about the project, encourage participation, and to inform business owners and managers of the special recognitions that are planned for contributors. Thanks to great response to this fund-raising effort, we exceeded our goal by $8,000, reaching $58,000.
One aspect of this fundraiser involved a new level of support recognition (refer to donor recognition tab in this website). We offered the sale of streetlights (lampposts consistent with those already in place along Ice House Park). These are available for a donation of $5,000 and, in return, the buyer will receive a plaque mounted prominently and permanently on the lamppost which may include wording chosen by the buyer; a nice way to create a lasting memory. Although these were initially offered to the businesses, we still have a number of the lampposts available for anyone interested.
The CLCDC is encouraged by the progress that has been made so far on the Revitalization Project and by the positive response we have received from Borough, County, State and Federal governments, but none of this could have been possible without the local support received since the onset of the project. Three years ago we had only a concept. There were many unknowns and questions, but many interested and concerned members of our community realized the importance of the project and stepped forward to help us generate the initial funds needed to launch the program. For this, we are grateful.