Safety upgrades at Fairwold Academy in Fort Washington and a bike path extension near Plymouth Township are among Montgomery County projects splitting $8.4 million in state grants.
State Sen. Maria Collett, D-12th District, and State Rep. Greg Scott, D-54th District, announced the Local Share Account grants on Tuesday, Sept. 15. The program distributes Pennsylvania gaming revenues through the Commonwealth Financing Authority to fund local projects, according to the state Department of Community and Economic Development.
Collett secured more than $6.1 million for 20 projects in her district, which includes Whitpain Township. Scott obtained roughly $2.3 million for projects in his district, which covers Plymouth Township, Conshohocken and Norristown.
In Fort Washington, $200,000 will pay for safety and security installations at Fairwold Academy, a school serving students with complex emotional and intellectual needs. State Rep. Ben Sanchez, D-153rd District, said the investment would help ensure students learn in a secure environment prepared for emergencies.
Scott highlighted a $400,000 grant to extend the Norristown Farm Park bike and walking path through the Elmwood Park Zoo campus, calling it a link between the Farm Park and the Schuylkill River Trail.
The largest single allocation in the package was $990,000 for the Mitzvah Circle Campus Safety Assessment Implementation Project in Montgomeryville, The Reporter first reported. That grant flows through the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority, which received more than $2.2 million total. Mitzvah Circle Foundation is a nonprofit that delivers diapers, clothing and other supplies to families facing crisis.
No project details were released.
State Rep. Melissa Cerrato, D-151st District, praised the Mitzvah Circle allocation in a statement, calling the organization a vital resource for families facing hardship.
"I was excited to secure over $6 million in state funding for projects that reflect our communities' real needs and priorities: making sure our parks are accessible, our utilities run efficiently and local police have the tools they need to protect our neighbors," Collett said in a statement.
Other grants in the package include:
- $942,211 for the Norristown Municipal Waste Authority to repair aging sewer infrastructure
- Nearly $1.2 million for Lansdale park improvements, split between Memorial Park ($824,174) and York and Susquehanna Park ($366,432)
- $609,690 for a new inclusive play structure at Oxford Park in Lower Gwynedd Township
- Nearly $800,000 for Horsham Township and the Horsham Water and Sewer Authority, including $600,000 to replace a water main at Summer and Cottage avenues
- $350,000 for an all-abilities gym at Variety, the Children's Charity in Worcester Township
- $250,000 for renovations at the Peter Becker Community Courtyard in Harleysville
No timeline for grant disbursement or project completion was included in the announcement.
