By Brent Addleman | The Center Square
Spurring economic recovery is the focus of new investments in the Green Mountain State.
A second round of Community Recovery and Revitalization grants will be dispersed to 23 programs in 10 counties, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said, that will support housing, child care, agriculture, education, arts and entertainment, and municipal water and wastewater projects.
“My administration remains focused on increasing economic opportunity in communities across the state,” the Republican governor said in a statement. “These grants are an investment in the revitalization of our county economic centers and their surrounding communities that have been left behind for far too long, helping make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we have as a result of historic federal funds.”
The program, administered by the Department of Economic Development, focuses on strengthening communities throughout the state to stem harm created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants feature capital investments designed to help communities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations recover, retain jobs, and improve the economy.
According to a release, 23 projects will receive a share of $9.5 million which is anticipated to support $92 million in project costs. On the jobs side, 844 existing jobs will be preserved, and 115 will be created. The funding will support 29 new affordable housing units and open 146 childcare slots for low- to moderate-income families.
“This second wave of approved applications represents projects that will provide assistance to households, help businesses in impacted industries to recover, and strengthen communities throughout the state,” Department of Economic Development Commissioner Joan Goldstein said in a statement.
The Bolton Valley Resort, situated in Bolton, will receive $500,000 toward a $5 million project to upgrade the wastewater treatment system while decommissioning the old system. Enosburgh’s Learning Tree Childcare Center will see $166,733 as part of a $934,000 project to build a new facility to expand childcare to serve 45 preschool students. According to a release, the funding will also secure 14 new childcare slots, helping low- to moderate-income families while funding two new jobs.
In Brattleboro, the Tri-Park Cooperative Housing Corporation will garner $500,000 from the project to permanently relocate homes out of flood areas to higher ground as part of a $7.3 million project, according to a release.
“Tri-Park is Vermont’s largest mobile home community and is also Vermont’s oldest and largest cooperatively owned MHC,” Daniel Ridlehoover, development consultant for M&S Development, said in a statement. “Its 900 residents make up almost 8% of Brattleboro. In addition to helping residents relocate out of the flood hazard area, Tri-Park is developing projects to replace wastewater systems at two of its three locations, assessing the repair/replacement of two aging bridges, and planning numerous other capital infrastructure projects.”
According to a release, Wilmington will receive $753,510 for the construction of water and wastewater infrastructure for redeveloping commercial/residential area that has been underutilized. The total project cost of $3.76 million.
The $40 million grant program is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.
