Pa. grants totaling $10.6 million awarded to 41 projects in Berks

Forty-one projects in Berks County will receive a combined $10.6 million in state funding through a program overseen by the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

Local lawmakers announced this week that the financing authority had approved a list of Local Shares Account Program grant recipients. The funds are intended to support essential services, improve public safety and invest in housing projects.

This program was established by the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004, which provides for the distribution of gaming revenues to support projects in the public interest.

Counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, economic development agencies and redevelopment authorities are eligible to apply. Projects must be owned and maintained by an eligible applicant or a nonprofit organization.

The following received grants:

• Greater Berks Development Fund, $800,000 for Friend Inc. Community Services to renovate a Kutztown blighted building  into a social services center.

• Greater Berks Development Fund, $688,709 to support the Schuylkill River Greenways Association in establishing a trailhead at Buttonwood Street in Reading and making improvements to the Schuylkill River Trail.

• Mount Penn Borough Municipal Authority, $591,712 for the Crystal Lake Restoration Project. This includes restoring 1 mile of walking path and installing a viewing and fishing platform compatible with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

• Fleetwood Borough Authority, $570,000 for a new return‑activated sludge control box.

• Lyons borough, $524,460 for improvements to Lyons Park, including pond and streambank restoration, ADA parking, a new trail loop and park equipment.

• Shartlesville Community Fire Company, $500,000 to purchase a fire engine.

• Exeter Township, $400,000 to support construction of an emergency services building.

• Rockland Township, $362,478 to purchase an ambulance for Topton Ambulance.

• Cumru Township, $350,000 for Lancaster Pike Master Site Plan project.

• Reading Area Water Authority, $350,000 toward the purchase of a hydrovac truck.

• Hamburg Municipal Authority, $350,000 for construction of a building to store authority-owned vehicles and water resource equipment and have climate-controlled space for vehicle repairs.

• Muhlenberg Township, $304,106 to replace a culvert along Hill Crest Avenue.

• Douglass Township, $300,000 for improvements to Ganshahawny Park, including parking lot paving, accessible footpaths, gravel truck and boat parking, separate concrete ramps for boats and emergency vehicles and creation of a picnic/fishing area.

• Womelsdorf, $265,000 to purchase communication equipment for the volunteer fire company.

• Spring Township, $250,000 toward expansion of the public works building.

• Wyomissing, $250,000 for fire station renovations.

• Upper Tulpehocken Township, $215,841 for improvements to East Fort Road.

• Douglass Township, $202,100 to purchase a backhoe for its public works department.

• Reading Regional Airport, $200,000 for terminal renovations and safety and security upgrades.

• Shillington, $199,567 to construct an access lane at Shillington Memorial Park.

• Hamburg, $191,060 for public works building upgrades, including roof replacement, installing concrete flooring, updating restrooms and adding office space.

• Muhlenberg Township, $175,000 to assist Muhlenberg Township Fire & Rescue with the purchase of new fire apparatus.

• Upper Tulpehocken Township, $161,200 to pave the municipal office parking lot.

• Sinking Spring, $160,000 toward a new wheel loader for construction activities.

• Heidelberg Township, $160,000 to purchase a work truck.

• Hereford Township, $157,998 to purchase a backhoe for public works.

• Oley Township, $155,026 for the Oley Fire Company to purchase a utility truck.

• Mount Penn, $150,000 for Central Berks Regional Police station renovations.

• Kenhorst, $149,999 to renovate borough hall.

• Robesonia, $140,000 to purchase a  municipal truck to improve operational efficiency, reduce maintenance expenses and improve capacity to maintain safe roads.

• Muhlenberg Township Authority, $136,480 to extend water mains to the Wawa store under development along the Fifth Street Highway.

• Mount Penn, $109,764 for renovations to basement space at borough hall, including ADA-compliant restrooms, offices, meeting rooms and other improvements.

• Greater Berks Development Fund, $104,328 to assist Opportunity House in replacing a section of roofing at its 430 N. Second St. location.

• Berks County Redevelopment Authority, $100,000 to restore sections of the Colebrookdale Railroad, including a bridge rehabilitation project.

• Centre Township, $100,000 to purchase a utility tractor and loader for mowing, cleaning debris from roads and loading salt.

• Mount Penn, $84,807 for the Mount Penn Volunteer Fire Company to purchase a light‑duty emergency response vehicle.

• Western Berks Fire Department, $84,000 to purchase portable radios to replace outdated units. Updated radios will provide improved audio, stronger signal performance and enhanced safety features.

• Berks County, $75,000 to replace an aging hazardous materials response vehicle.

• North Heidelberg Township, $57,924 to purchase a skid loader for maintenance activities.

• Kutztown, $51,669 to purchase and install 12 radar signs to reduce speeding and improve pedestrian safety.

• Maxatawny Township Municipal Authority, $49,401 to purchase two sampling stations and pumps.