BELLEFONTE – Centre County Commissioners recently adopted three resolutions, each one authorizing the county to apply for grant money.
The first two grant applications are destined for the state Dept. of Community and
Economic Development’s Local Share Account Statewide Grant. Eligible uses for the LSA grant money include supporting projects in public interest, specifically those that
will improve citizens’ quality of life.
Centre County Government is applying for LSA funds in partnership with Friends of Talleyrand and Centre Care, Inc. These applications will request $250,000 for the stage at Talleyrand Park and $217,210 for vehicles, equipment, and renovations at Centre Care, respectively.
Currently, the Talleyrand Park project has approximately 80% of the necessary funding, and the LSA grant money would help to close the financial gap.
This is the second time the county has applied for LSA grant money for the stage at Talleyrand Park, believing in the value of the project and the improvement in cultural offerings the stage would bring.
In recent years, Strawberry Fields, Inc., was awarded LSA grant money for a project similar to a portion of Centre Care’s proposed grant-funded work, which aims to purchase an ADA van, equipment for snow removal and ground maintenance, and floor renovations to enhance residents’ safety.
The third resolution authorizes the county to apply for the Keystone Recreation, Park, and
Conservation Fund Library Grant. Under this grant, the County is requesting $750,000 for
renovations to the Centre Hall Library.
The grant money would support the expansion of the Centre Hall Library from a 2,915
square-foot building to a 5,365 square-foot building. New multipurpose rooms and added
quiet areas account for the bulk of the added square footage.
Other enhancements would also be made to the library using the grant money. Most
notably, the HVAC system will be upgraded and the technology offerings of the library will
be updated.
