Hempfield to seek $3 million state grant for public facility improvements
Hempfield officials want $3 million in state funding to develop municipally-owned properties, including Hempfield Park.
Township supervisors this week authorized manager Jason Winters to apply for a $3 million grant through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
The township heard from T.J. Black, president of the Hempfield Area Soccer Club, that there is a need to create more fields fat Hempfield Park.
Black told the supervisors there is a large demand for use of the fields, not just from the soccer club but from other sports such as lacrosse. More field space would benefit the soccer club and other sports, he said.
“We want to use Hempfield Park for all of our games,” Black said.
The club uses fields at Stanwood Elementary, Wendover Middle School and Hempfield Area High School, as well as Swede Hill park, Black said. Having games played at one site would be easier on the referees who have to travel to different fields and a concession stand could be open at Hempfield Park during multiple games.
Winters said he expects to submit an application for the funding within a month.
Neither Winters nor the township supervisors offered any details on what specific projects or improvements they want the state to fund.
The state’s budget office administers the program, designed for projects that can’t obtain primary funding under other state programs. The money is to be directed at constructing regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects, according to the state government website. RACP-funded projects have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues or other measures of economic activity.
Pennsylvania typically receives applications far exceeding money that is budgeted for the RACP. That leaves state legislators competing for a limited pot of money to get a project funded within their legislative district.
The comprehensive plan that the township is developing would address recreational needs, the supervisors said.
The first community outreach for the comprehensive plan will be held Aug. 27 and a town hall meeting will be held the first week of September.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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