Press Releases
04/08/2015
Gov. Malloy Announces Small Town Grants to Assist Six Communities with Capital Improvement Projects
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that, in the second installment of several rounds of grants this year, six towns throughout Connecticut are being awarded funding under the state's Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) to assist with infrastructure improvement projects.
"Delivering these grants today will improve the outlook for small towns across the state tomorrow. We are partnering with our smaller communities so that we can rebuild infrastructure, improve quality of life for residents across our state, and put Connecticut on a brighter path," Governor Malloy said. "These grants will help towns grow, remain competitive, and have a lasting impact for years to come."
The grants announced today are:
- Bethany: $500,000 to convert the old Bethany airport hangar into a recreation building and emergency shelter. The building will become the hub for recreation grounds serving over 1,100 participants in outdoor and indoor activities. The new addition of indoor space would significantly expand the number of recreation programs and participants. It will be an accessible, conveniently located community asset in an area being considered as a "village center," that will be an incentive for expanded and new businesses. Importantly, the building will serve as an emergency shelter during severe storms and extensive power outages.
- Hebron: $391,000 for the replacement of Marjorie Circle Bridge over Jeremy Brook. The bridge has served the Town of Hebron for over 50 years, but is in need of upgrades. This project will restore a vital element of the area travel for a surrounding residential community, a group home, a church and access to the town hall complex. The improved infrastructure will also provide better, safer access for emergency vehicles to reach other parts of town that may be unreachable during high-volume traffic times in surrounding major intersections.
- Farmington: $350,000 to improve the access and usability of Farmington Avenue through the Bioscience Corridor and the historic Farmington Village. The Governor's investments in bioscience have brought Farmington to the forefront of modern, innovative science with the expansion of the UConn Health Center and new presence of the Jackson Laboratory. The project includes improved signage to welcome and inform visitors entering Farmington from I-84, and improvements to streetscapes and bus shelters. Additional bus shelters will protect riders from the elements and encourage increased usage of bus transit that runs on Farmington Avenue.
- Greenwich: $250,000 for the construction of a two-story facility to house the food and clothing distribution services of the non-profit organization Neighbor-to-Neighbor. The project will allow for expanded services, increased space for volunteers, and overall improvement to the delivery of food and clothing to low-income Greenwich area residents. The facility will be ADA-compliant and energy efficient. Plans include an elevator, greater assortment of products, a conference room for on-site meetings and activities and adequate parking. All improvements ensure the continuance of this essential service for thousands of adults and children in need.
- New Milford: $498,253 for the expansion of the highly-utilized recreational room at the New Milford Senior Center. The Senior Center currently provides a variety of services, programs and activities to over 49% of the senior citizen population in New Milford. This expansion will grow the recreational space to double its current square footage, increasing the safe level of maximum capacity. The project will enable the center to keep more activities on-site, alleviating any transportation or logistical issues for the growing population of New Milford Seniors.
- Simsbury: $150,000 to complete the construction of the Simsbury Veterans Memorial. The memorial will recognize and honor the 104 Simsbury residents who gave their lives to serve and protect this country. The memorial is designed to represent democracy with four ten-foot, white granite columns engraved with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, symbols of American Democracy and the 104 names of Simsbury's deceased veterans. The memorial will provide visitors and Simsbury natives alike with the opportunity to share in remembrance of their brave soldiers.
The first installment of this year's STEAP grants was announced in March. There will be additional STEAP announcements made in the near future.
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