Community Development Projects

Pennyrile Communities Receive Recreational Trail Funds

First Lady Jane Beshear joined Secretary Marcheta Sparrow of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet and Commissioner Tony Wilder of the Department for Local Government in the announcement of grants for local communities to develop and maintain recreational trails across Kentucky. As part of the Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program, local governments use these funds for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and other types of trails. The following Pennyrile communities were awarded funds under the 2011 grant cycle:

Grantee	Project	Award Amount
City of Princeton	Dodson Park Recreational Trail	$9,990
City of Hopkinsville	West Side Walking Bridge Project	$62,500
City of Dawson Springs	Dawson Springs City Park Recreational Trail	$12,896
City of Earlington	Earlington ATV Park Project	$50,662
Livingston County Fiscal Court	Livingston County Park Trail Project – Phase II	$19,197
City of Central City	Central City Trailhead Facility Project	$54,735

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2012 Recreational Trails Program until March 30, 2012. For more information concerning this program, please contact Amy Frogue at 270-886-9484 or amy.frogue@ky.gov.

City of Earlington Receives Yamaha OHV Access Initiative GRANT

The City of Earlington is pleased to announce it has received a Yamaha OHV Access Initiative GRANT of $10,000.00 for the Earlington Loch Mary Lake ATV Park. The GRANT was awarded as part of Yamaha’s OHV Access Initiative promoting safe, responsible riding and open, sustainable riding areas.

Recycling and Household Hazardous Waste Grants Announced

On June 14, 2011, Governor Steve Beshear announced recycling and household hazardous waste grants for the Pennyrile region. Those communities receiving awards include the following:

Recycling Grants

• City of Central City – $38,800.00
• City of Dawson Springs - $21,499.95
• City of Madisonville - $26,900.00
• Pennyrile Reg. Recycling Corp. (Trigg, Livingston, Crittenden, Caldwell, and Lyon Counties)-$70,694.61
• Pennyrile Solid Waste Management Authority (Christian County) - $37,292.22

Household Hazardous Waste Grants

• City of Madisonville and Hopkins County - $30,000
• Pennyrile Solid Waste Management Authority (Christian County) - $21,500

Green River Academy Restoration Project

The Todd County Fiscal Court has been awarded $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CGBG) funds for the Green River Academy Restoration Project.  The Green River Academy Restoration Project consists of a plan for the stabilization, restoration and adaptive use of the existing historic building exterior and interior. The goals outlined in the plans for the building rehabilitation include the restoration of the exterior of the building to its original 1835 appearance in accordance with the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation and the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for the Treatment of Historic Buildings. The plan will include the restoration of compromised structural components, a new roof and reconstruction of a compromised section of the building’s rear wall, replicated windows and entry doors, the restoration of many of the building’s interior rooms and the adaptive use of a portion of the building to serve modern purposes including business incubators and a special collections library and museum. When completed, the Green River Academy Restoration Project will alleviate the blighted conditions that pose a health and safety threat to the citizens of the community. 

Hanson Sewer System Improvement Project – Phase II

The City of Hanson has been awarded CDBG funds for the completion of the Hanson Sewer System Improvement Project.  The first phase of this project was completed in 2007.  Completion of phase 2 will bring 100% of the residents of the City of Hanson onto a new gravity flow sewer system.  Approximately 65% of the residents were put on the new gravity system during phase 1.  This new system replaces a “grinder pump” system that was installed in the early 1980’s. Approximately 19,000 feet of gravity sewer lines and force mains will be constructed in phase 2.  Two new lift stations will be constructed that will be equipped with back-up generator power.  A $400,000 line item grant has been awarded to the City of Hanson for phase 2.  The city has also made application to USDA-Rural Development for approximately $469,000.

Guthrie Jenkins Building Renovation Project – Transportation Museum

The City of Guthrie has been awarded a CDBG grant in the amount of $500,000 for the Jenkins Building Renovation Project.  In addition to these funds, the City has also been awarded $907,000 in a series of Transportation Enhancement grants for the project.  The purpose of this project is to stabilize and renovate the existing historic Jenkins Building in the Downtown Renaissance District of the City of Guthrie.  The restoration phase of the project will include conversion of the 8,000 square foot building into a museum dedicated to the transportation history of the community and will serve as a welcome center for those entering Kentucky on the National Trail of Tears Tour Route.  The museum/welcome center will have a direct economic impact on the community through tourism attraction and the creation of jobs.

Ledbetter Senior Citizens Center Project

Livingston County has been awarded $500,000 in CDBG funds for the Ledbetter Senior Citizens Center Project.  This project consists of the construction of a new ADA compliant 4,700 square foot senior citizens center.  The center will be located on a site donated to the Livingston County Senior Citizens Inc. by a deceased Ledbetter resident for the purpose of a senior facility on Rudd Spees Road in the Ledbetter community in Livingston County.  The proposed center will provide the underserved senior citizens of southern Livingston County adequate dining, recreation, parking, kitchen, and restroom facilities.  The new facility will contain a large activities room, a standard kitchen, a dining room, offices, storage rooms, a meeting room and restrooms. 

Caldwell County Health Department Project

The Caldwell County Fiscal Court, in partnership with the Caldwell County Board of Health, has been awarded $500,000 in CDBG funds for the construction of a Health Department in Caldwell County.  The project consists of the construction of a new Caldwell County Health Department building located at 101 Hospital Drive, Princeton, Kentucky at the site of the old Caldwell County Hospital.  Space limitations and suitable facility standards at the department's current location necessitated the need for a new facility.  The proposed facility will meet all regulatory standards as well as provide space for current staff, increased productivity, better service capabilities, centralized operations and an opportunity for growth in the future.