Repair of a historic community center in Williamsville, completion of a career center in Doniphan and street improvements in Dexter are just a few of the benefits the region will see from more than $3 million in recently-announced grant awards.
“The improvements for us are extremely significant and we are very, very appreciative of approval of our applications,” said Williamsville Mayor Sandy Joy.
The Missouri Department of Economic Development announced Wednesday that 22 communities across the state would receive almost $11 million to assist with various projects through the Community Block Development Grant program.
Locally, that includes:
• Holcomb, street and drainage improvements, $566,303
• Williamsville, community center roof replacement, $255,280
• Dexter, street improvements, $611,896
• Morehouse, street and drainage improvements, $509,964
• Ripley County, Current River Career Center renovation, $614,000
• Dunklin County, road improvements, $569,862
The funds mean a lot for the communities of Williamsville and Doniphan, officials involved with those projects said.
This is one of three grants for the city of Williamsville, all from the DED, which the community is currently in the process of utilizing, Joy said.
The current one will replace the roof on the historic Williamsville Community Center, which was once home to the town’s high school.
It is still the center of activities for residents, now hosting celebrations at Christmas, Easter, Halloween and other events for families. It is also available to rent for special occasions.
“It still has the original roof and has a number of leaks,” Joy said. “It is in desperate need of replacement. There’s no way we could do it without the grant.”
The city additionally has DED grants of $190,000 to improve the Wayne County Nutrition Center, which also needs a new roof and accessible bathrooms, and $260,000 for drainage and street paving.
The community center and nutrition center projects are about to be put out for bid, while the drainage and street paving are done, Joy said.
This grant is also one of multiple grants Doniphan has received to complete the Current River Career Center renovation, said Doniphan Superintendent Brad Hagood.
This approximately $10 million building project has been ongoing for the district for about three years, he shared.
Costs have risen for everything involved during the process, and it became more than what the district originally planned to spend, or could afford, Hagood said.
This grant will help complete the B portion of the new building.
“This is going to be used to build the classrooms needed in the shops,” Hagood said, including welding, ag sciences, auto mechanics and carpentry.
The new 45,000-square-foot career center will also be home to the district’s programs for digital media, business, computer, health occupations, criminal justice and more. Those programs will be housed in the A portion of the building, which the district expects to complete in March.
The building will not open until the next school year, Hagood said, when construction is completed on both portions of the project.
Doniphan has also received a $400,000 Missouri Area Career Center Opportunities Grant from the state to help finish the B portion of the building.
The programs that will relocate are moving out of an older building that is in poor shape, according to Hagood. No decisions have been made concerning what to do with the older building.
All grants awarded through this program help strengthen the state, according to Michelle Hataway, acting director of the Department of Economic Development.
“Projects funded through the Community Development Block Grant Program help Missourians prosper by making needed improvements to the infrastructure and facilities they rely on every day,” Hataway said in a press release. “As a result of this program, communities are provided opportunities for growth that strengthen our entire state’s economy.”
Maintaining infrastructure is vital to keeping Missourians safe and communities strong, said Gov. Mike Parson.
“The Community Development Block Grant Program is another way we’re investing in critical infrastructure and improving public safety statewide,” he said. “These grants are funding projects that benefit communities’ wellbeing while increasing their capacity for future economic growth.”