State announces new funding for Wayne-Pike

HAWLEY — A $250,000 investment from the state’s Main Street Program to the borough of Hawley is the latest way the Rendell administration is helping the area reach its full potential, Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Yablonsky said Friday. “As the host community for Lake Wallenpaupack, Hawley residents are well aware of the positive impact tourism has on an area’s economy,” Yablonsky said, speaking from the borough’s bandstand. “Our investment will help create more opportunities for the hardworking citizens of Hawley.” The $250,000 investment he announced is part of more than $25 million Governor Edward G. Rendell has directed to be invested in th region since 2003. The new funding will help with the installation and construction this fall of sidewalks, period lighting fixtures, landscaping, benches, a kiosk and sidewalk extensions to better ensure pedestrian safety. Established in 1980, Main Street is one of the commonwealth’s oldest financial resources for communities, with more than $31 million allocated during the Rendell administration. Building upon its success, the Rendell administration created other resources such as the Elm Street Program, which helps residential areas near downtown districts; and the Community Revitalization Desktop Guide, which uses state-of-the-art technology to help local officials during every stage of a project’s process. While in northeastern Pennsylvania, Yablonsky also visited the Hawley Bridge Project and participated in groundbreaking ceremonies for the Sterling Business Park, which at full capacity, could bring 1,500 jobs to the area. Pennsylvania has invested in each project through site preparation and infrastructure programs, which provide resources for upgrading roads and bridges, installing utility lines, and upgrading water and sewer facilities. “Companies looking to expand need to move quickly to secure capital and a viable site for their project,” Yablonsky said. “Our successful programs like Business in Our Sites, the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, and the Infrastructure Facilities Improvement Program, need to be replenished so we can offer shovel-ready sites and make Pennsylvania an even more logical choice for business expansion or relocation. “Infrastructure and site preparation funds lay the foundation for some of Pennsylvania’s most successful projects, and it’s these projects that lay the foundation for an exciting future,” Yablonsky said, noting that there are 5,200 more people working today in Wayne and Pike counties than five years ago. “Additional funding to our site preparation and infrastructure programs will ensure that Pennsylvania’s economy stays on the fast track.” More information on funding programs available through DCED is available by calling 1-866-466-3972 or www.newpa.com. For additional information on the Governor’s proposed budget, visit www.pa.gov.