Twenty-seven projects in Berks County will receive a combined $5.6 million in state funding through a program overseen by the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

The Department of Community and Economic Development announced this week that the financing authority had approved a list of recipients that have been awarded Local Shares Account Program grants. These grants directly support essential services, improve public safety and invest in housing projects.

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

Counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, economic development agencies and redevelopment authorities are eligible to apply for this funding. Projects are only eligible if they are owned and maintained by an eligible applicant or a nonprofit organization.

The following received grants:

• The Greater Berks Development Fund will receive $600,000 to support the second phase of the GoggleWorks Art Park, which aims to transform a neglected urban lot in downtown Reading into a cultural, educational and food hub.

• Exeter Township will get $563,214 to buy an asphalt roller and dump truck for the public works department, which maintains 115 miles of public roads.

• Laureldale will be awarded $538,286 to conduct sanitary sewer inspections and improvements.

• Spring Township will receive $507,704 to buy a street sweeper and two police vehicles.

• The Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority will get $406,575 to support the third step of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program in the City of Reading.

• Lower Alsace Township will be awarded $401,649 to buy two new ambulances for the Lower Alsace Volunteer Ambulance Association.

• Fleetwood will receive $374,495 to buy Tasers, police radios and body cameras for the police department.

• Berks County, on behalf of the Reading Regional Airport Authority, will get $291,944 for wastewater system upgrades.

• West Reading will be awarded $232,612 to support the replacement of a water main pipe on Olive Street between Elm and Buttonwood streets.

• The Berks County Emergency Response Team will receive $200,000 to buy new equipment for SWAT operations. This funding will be used to buy essential equipment such as helmets, radios, robotics and optics.

• Boyertown, in partnership with the Greater Philadelphia YMCA, will get $200,000 to make capital improvements to the Boyertown YMCA. This funding will be used to expand and modernize the locker rooms to create additional spaces for families.

• Washington Township will be awarded $200,000 for its park playground improvement project. This funding will allow the township to expand trails and install new playground equipment at the 47.6-acre Washington Park.

• Amity Township will receive $180,722 for odor control improvements at a pump station. The money will be used to construct a new building with odor control equipment and a chemical storage tank to abate malodorous conditions.

• The Greater Berks Development Fund, in partnership with Building a Better Boyertown, will get $150,000 to buy land and pave a parking lot for the development of a new trail in Colebrookdale Township. These improvements represent the first phase of Building a Better Boyertown’s Secret Valley Trail project.

• Topton will be awarded $124,428 for its water main replacement project. This funding will allow the borough to replace the aging water lines under East Barkley Street, reducing the need for costly emergency repairs in the future.

• Muhlenberg Township will receive $110,683 to buy a traffic control truck for Muhlenberg Township Fire & Rescue.

• Mount Penn will get $109,565 to convert a garage into a map, file and archive room at borough hall.

• Bally will be awarded $100,000 to buy and install an emergency generator at borough hall for uninterrupted services during power outages. The borough also intends to install ADA ramps to ensure all residents can access the building, and renovate floors, plumbing, lighting and HVAC systems.

• Mount Penn will receive $91,466 to support the buy three vehicles and a standing mower for the public works department.

• Lower Heidelberg Township, on behalf of the Western Berks Fire Department, will get $77,746 to buy an incident command vehicle.

• Bern Township will be awarded $76,520 to buy a new vehicle for the public works department.

• Bechtelsville will receive $69,102 to buy and install new playground equipment at Bechtelsville Park.

• Heidelberg Township, on behalf of the Womelsdorf Volunteer Fire Company, will get $52,737 to buy rescue and extrication tools.

• Womelsdorf, on behalf of the Womelsdorf Volunteer Fire Company, will be awarded $50,608 to upgrade the fire station exhaust extraction system.

• The Berks County Redevelopment Authority will receive $45,000 to cover demolition costs at 3925 Perkiomen Ave. in Exeter Township.

• Penn Township will get $40,000 to buy a stainless-steel dump truck body for use by the public works department

• Mount Penn will be awarded $31,717 for information technology infrastructure upgrades.

State lawmakers representing Berks County in Harrisburg expressed pride in supporting these initiatives.

State Sen. Judy Schwank said the awards will promote public safety, improve infrastructure and support economic development efforts.

“It’s exciting to see such a strong mix of meaningful investments heading back to Berks County,” the Wyomissing Democrat said. “These grants will fund critical public safety equipment, emergency response vehicles, municipal infrastructure upgrades and economic development projects that our communities deserve.”

She said the wide range of initiatives supported by this funding is a prudent investment by the state that set our communities up for long-term success.

State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick said the funding represents a powerful commitment to the future of our communities.

“I’m proud to have supported these proposals and will continue my work to bring state funding back to the 24th Senatorial District,” the Montgomery County Republican said. “With over $7 million being invested, we’re advancing projects that will drive economic growth, expand recreational opportunities, strengthen infrastructure and promote public safety across our region.”

State Sen. Chris Gebhard, a Lebanon County Republican, noted in a release issued jointly with state Reps. Eric Weaknecht and Jamie Barton, that many of the projects are fully funded.

Barton said using online gaming funds to pay for public works projects helps ease the burden on taxpayers and delivers real results for our communities.

“This funding will go a long way toward covering the cost of critical projects in our communities,” Weaknecht said. “I’m grateful to have worked together with Sen. Gebhard to bring these gaming revenue funds back to the district to help defray costs that otherwise would have been passed to residents.”

State Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz said she’s proud to support these projects and will continue to fight to ensure her district gets the resources it deserves.

“This funding will bring meaningful improvements to our community — from critical infrastructure repairs and railroad development to stronger support for local law enforcement and new, safe places for our children to play,” the Reading Democrat said.

State Rep. Manny Guzman said he’s happy he could deliver the investments.

“From advancing passenger rail service between Reading and Philadelphia to revitalizing downtown through arts and culture and strengthening public safety across Berks County, these projects will create opportunities, improve quality of life and move our region forward,” the Reading Democrat said.