Fayette County announces recipients of $680K in LSA grants
A blighted property being brought back as a polished ballfield.
An inlet and other upgrades for an area dealing with flooding.
Site improvements that will give a township its first community park, complete with a playground.
Numerous communities across Fayette County will see their lives improve through Local Share Account grants announced Friday morning at the Gallatin Building in Uniontown.
LSA money comes to the county from the proceeds from gaming at the Casino at Nemacolin, as provided for under the Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act.
This year saw about $680,000 in grants distributed to 19 projects across the county, said Andrew French, executive director of the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority.
“We like to focus on community and economic development projects, with an emphasis on projects that will have a significant impact on our communities,” he said.
The grant awardees, winnowed down from a pool of 87 applications seeking $3.3 million, were picked with the help of the Fayette County Board of Commissioners.
Grants are distributed widely around the county, with an eye toward not clumping them in one area, Commissioner Vince Vicites said. Projects that can leverage the grants with other sources, such as the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau or the county’s demolition fund, also score high.
“We wish we had more money, but the money’s growing,” he said, noting that it was the most the county had given out since 2022.
Over the past 11 years, 211 projects have been funded, receiving a total of $19 million.
That translated to new playgrounds, infrastructure and equipment for communities and non-profits that sorely need it, said Chairman Scott Dunn.
He harkened back to his days as a borough council member in Dunbar.
“Some of these small boroughs, an infrastructure project might not get done over $20,000 or some small amount of money, and to have access to those funds through LSA was always very important,” he said.
Recipients said they were thrilled to receive the help with their projects.
Brownsville Township received $40,000 to reconstruct Barnett Avenue, Mill Road, Euclid Avenue and Kramer Street — the oldest roads they haven’t been able to fix yet in a road rehabilitation project stretching back 20 years.
With the potholes, cracking and divots, “it was time to fix it,” said township Chairman Homer Yeardie.
“When you’re a small community like Brownsville Township, have a small budget, so we got to save money, and that,” he said. “This will help us with money that we have saved already to do the project. That’s what we need. Without this, we couldn’t do it.”
North Union Township received $15,000 for ADA improvements at Eberly Park, including wheelchair swings.
Assistant Secretary Susan Filicky said the township was looking to help players in the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a baseball league geared toward children and adults with physical and mental disabilities.
“They use our facility during the summer every Sunday, and they really have a good group of kids that come in, so we’re looking to do some improvements, so they have facilities they can use,” she said.
The $45,000 for the West Leisenring Volunteer Fire Department will fund improvements to the station’s garage doors, as well as a dishwasher and other kitchen upgrades at their social hall, where they host a fish fry every year, said Assistant Fire Chief Frank Mutnansky.
“Some of these things are pretty critical,” he said. “Our garage doors, they’re falling apart, and it’s just one more thing you’ve got to figure out a way to generate funds for. So this is going to be huge for us.”
LSA Grant Recipients
Crime Victims Center — $25,000 for operation, equipment and administrative funding to support prevention, education and counseling services for clients dealing with intellectual disabilities
Franklin Township — $25,000 for upgrades to the Franklin Township Park
Georges Township (Fayette Business Park Recreational Park) — $25,000 for preliminary site improvements to develop the township’s first recreational park
German Township (Ada and Tower Hill No. 2 Volunteer Fire Department) — $10,000 for improvements to the Ada and Tower Hill volunteer fire department social hall
German Township — $20,000 for municipal park and ballfield development
Brownfield Community Center — $40,000 for HVAC system upgrades
North Union Township — $15,000 for ADA accessibility improvements at Eberly Park
West Leisenring Volunteer Fire Department — $45,000 for physical improvements to the fire department property
Colonial No. 3 Athletic Club — $30,000 for recreation improvements at the playground in Redstone Township
Smithfield Borough — $14,000 for accessibility improvements at the Smithfield Borough Park
Pennsylvania Classic Foundation — $11,000 for beautification of the watering trough on the National Road
East End United Community Center — $47,000 for construction and engineering of a full-size basketball court
Greater Uniontown Heritage Consortium and State Theatre Center for the Arts — $50,000 for repair of roof drains at the State Theatre
Hope Works of Uniontown Recovery House — $20,000 for the purchase of furniture, appliances, safety equipment, finishes, electrical and HVAC computer workstation supplies and contingencies
City of Uniontown Redevelopment Authority — $50,000 for improvements to Storey Square Park
Brownsville Township — $40,000 for the reconstruction of several roads within the township
Dawson Borough -$40,000 to install a storm inlet, new stormwater piping, restoration and paving along Laughlin Street to alleviate area flooding
Masontown Borough — $50,000 for reconstruction of Middle Alley as part of the borough’s Main Street improvement project