Putting it Together

A new park project in Old Forge is another step closer to completion, thanks to receiving an additional $100,000 in funding.

The Old Forge Recreation Park, located adjacent to the borough's high school on Marion Street, was started in 2008 when the borough put a bulk of the work out for bid.

Initial funding from the Department of Community and Economic Development in the amount of $500,000 was awarded to Old Forge for the new park in 2005.

According to Old Forge Borough Manager MaryLynn Bartoletti, the $100,000 recently received will go toward building a maintenance and storage building with restroom facilities.

"These funds will help with the completion of phase two," she said.

Bartoletti explained that an additional $500,000 was received from the state's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Project.

"We applied for a $100,000 grant through the state's Local Share Assessment Fund, administered by the state's Department Of Community and Economic Development program," Bartoletti said. "The funds are collected from the gambling facilities in the state. Municipalities are able to apply for grants from those funds."

State Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich explained that the funds come into Lackawanna County via the Mt. Airy Casino.

"The money can be applied for every year through the state," he said. "The application process is from June through Oct."

"This is great because now that project can go forward," Kavulich added. It's going to be a project that everybody in the borough is going to be able to enjoy and take advantage of and utilize. It's really going to be a good community gathering place."

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