Valley projects get $13.8 million boost from US House appropriations
Some of the nearly $14 million in new federal funding coming to the Mahoning Valley will go toward rehabilitating the Youngstown Air Reserve Station runway, improving Niles’ Waddell Park, creating new electric vehicle learning programs at Eastern Gateway Community College and expanding the emergency room department at Akron Children’s Boardman campus.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, requested $19 million through the House Appropriations Community Projects Funding process for 15 projects in the 13th Congressional District — all of which were funded.
“These investments will prioritize the mental and physical well-being of our citizens, improve transportation safety, guide small businesses to success, and allow extracurriculars for children in community parks,” Ryan is quoted in a news release. “The hospitals, schools, government agencies and nonprofits that applied for this money will use it to put people to work, provide better health and educational benefits and build out our infrastructure to provide a better quality of life for all.”
Of the total funding, $13.8 million is for eight projects in Mahoning and Trumbull counties:
Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna Township
Western Reserve Port Authority, which manages the airport and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, is expected to receive $5 million to resurface one-third of the airport’s 9000-foot runway — which is now in “poor” condition — upgrade its drainage system and add required pavement markings.
The project is expected to attract new commercial and cargo service to the airport and support the future sustainability of the airport, which employs 1,900 people and has an $140 million annual impact on the region’s economy.
“This investment is critical towards promoting the longevity of our most valuable asset, and will allow [the airport] to continue to promote itself as a hub of commercial and general aviation, as well as military operations of the 910th Airlift Wing, which are critical to national security,” Anthony Trevena, the port authority’s executive director, is quoted in the release.
Waddell Park in Niles
The city of Niles is set to receive $2.5 million for various improvements to the park at 213 Sharkey Drive.
They include a new splash pad water park with gazebo and comfort station restrooms; an accessible playground; an “overhaul” of the water and sanitary systems to address failures; new artificial turf for fields; fencing; and asphalt repairs.
Though the park is “essential public infrastructure” in the city, it has faced “decades of disinvestment and insufficient maintenance” as the city has aged, according to the release. It now has “serious infrastructure challenges.”
“These improvements will serve as quality-of-life enrichments for our citizens,” Niles Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz is quoted in a release. “This is outstanding news for the city as we continue our efforts to build a vibrant park system.”
Akron Children’s Hospital Beeghly Campus in Boardman
The Valley’s only pediatric hospital is set to receive $2 million for renovations to expand its emergency department.
The expansion would grow its footprint from 8,300 square-feet to 30,800 square feet, create six new rooms for a total of 23, and include space for six more rooms. It would also create 20 full-time jobs.
The hospital’s number of patient visits has grown consistently since 2008 and its ER visits have doubled over the last 25 years, according to the release.
“Each day, we are surpassing the capacity our ER was designed to accommodate. Federal funding, as well as private donations, will help us better serve the children of the Valley who are ill, injured and in emotional and behavioral crises,” Chris Gessner, president and CEO of Akron Children’s, is quoted in the release.
The Community Literacy Workforce and Cultural Center in Campbell
The Campbell City Schools facility is expected to receive $2 million for its final expansion, establishing the Mahoning Valley Wellness and Rehabilitation Center, which would expand access to health care and improve training in its medically underserved area, according to the release.
The funding will go toward the purchase of medical equipment used in vision, dental and other health care services.
The expansion is expected to “increase the pipeline of health care employment with specialized training programs” and “decrease the number of local and regional residents and families who are currently not receiving a living wage,” reads the release.
On-site partners would include Southwoods Health and Akron Children’s Hospital, said Matt Bowen, city schools superintendent.
Eastern Gateway Community College in Youngstown
The college is set to receive $914,000 to expand training programs that teach students how to repair and service electric vehicles and charging stations.
The programs would “open the door” for students seeking more advanced skills in a job market that’s seeing growing demand, according to the release.
Trumbull County Educational Service Center
The center is expected to receive $650,000 to develop Trumbull County’s Voltage Valley Young Dronepreneurs Program.
The funding would help expand its STEM education drone racing program from six teams to 50. It would bring 44 new middle- and high-school teams into Trumbull County’s Youth Drone Racing League and help the schools and the drone industry collaborate on 20 new STEM lessons on drones and entrepreneurship.
It would also design and incubate six new STEM Dronepreneur college-career pathways in area high schools.
Sight for All United in Struthers
The vision care agency, in partnership with the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, is set to receive $550,000 for the Sight for Kids Vision Van.
The van would have specialized vision care equipment, which can be taken to schools. Purchasing the vehicle would allow the agency to expand service from three school districts to 18.
Students who are unable to see “simply cannot learn,” reads the release. “Financial hardships, poverty and inaccessibility prevent many students and families from seeking out medical care, specifically vision care.”
Warren Police Department
The police department is set to receive $170,000 for mobile forensic survey equipment and mobile license plate readers.
The mobile forensic survey equipment is expected to help criminal investigators precisely identify the location of mobile phones when they make calls or send messages, according to the release.
Mobile license plate readers, which are mounted on marked patrol cars, instantly alert officers when plates are scanned, improving officers’ effectiveness, according to the release.