(File Photo of a Dollar Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Three Beaver County community projects were recently awarded a total of $237,500 by the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to encourage outdoor recreation in those Pennsylvania municipalities. The Commonwealth Financing Authority awarded the grants on behalf of the DCED’s Greenways, Trails and Recreation Grant program, which distributes funds from gas well impact fees that are unconventional under the Act 13 of 2012 Marcellus Legacy fund. According to Ambridge Borough Manager Mario Leone, Ambridge received a $42,000 grant to fund a feasibility study for its future wellness and recreation center. The borough of Ambridge is planning to build a wellness and recreation center on a former steel mill brownfield site that is along New Economy Drive. The grant application for Center Township confirms that it received $120,500 to construct a 2,400-square-foot pavilion at Center Municipal Park, which will add another outdoor gathering area that will also serve as a central location for events in that community. Construction on that pavilion should start this summer and will be completed by this winter. Monaca also received $75,000 towards its phase two upgrades at John A. Antoline Memorial Park, which is intended to offer its residents more options for outdoor recreation. According to Monaca Borough Manager David Kramer, this new project includes the addition of both a pavilion and the two bocce ball courts as well as the installation of new fencing both along the hillside area of the park and around the new pickleball and basketball courts of the park.