The City of Jasper will receive $1,000,000 for improvements at Perrow Park
The City of Rockmart will receive $1,000,000 to renovate the Rockmart Theater
Dade County will receive over $600,000 to upgrade 8,000 feet of water mains
Investment made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Appalachian Regional Commission
Senator Reverend Warnock: “North Georgia is in the midst of an infrastructure revolution thanks to the continued benefits of the bipartisan infrastructure bill.”
Washington, D.C – Today, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) announced a series of new federal investments totaling $1.6 million for Dade County and the City of Jasper, made possible by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). In the City of Jasper, the $1,000,000 investment will be used for improvements to Perrow Park, allowing the city to host more events and increase visitor traffic, spending and revenue for the 78 downtown businesses. The project includes construction of a 950-seat amphitheater with 25 additional handicap-accessible seats, accessible parking and sidewalks, food truck parking and seating areas, public restrooms, stormwater control and new green space.
In Dade County, the $618,250 investment will go toward a two-part project that includes the installation of 8,000 feet of new water main upgrades along Vanguard Industrial Road and State Route (SR) 299 near Trenton, Georgia. This water distribution system serves residential and commercial customers as well as a medical facility. The project will improve service to 139 businesses and 1,409 households and increase water capacity in the Trenton-Dade Industrial Park to create capacity for new businesses to locate there.
“When Georgians sent me to the U.S. Senate, they sent me to serve all Georgians in every part of the state. That’s why I’m thrilled that this federal funding will help improve the infrastructure of our vital communities in North Georgia.” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “North Georgia is experiencing an infrastructure revolution thanks to the continued benefits of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I will continue to work to see these investments through.”
The City of Rockmart will receive $1,000,000 to renovate the Rockmart Theater. The project will result in increased visitor capacity, an improvement to 10 local shops open in the evenings and improved infrastructure covering over 9,500 square meters. The funds will be used for renovation measures to preserve this important cultural asset and stimulate economic activity in the city center. In 2022, the City of Rockmart made a long-term commitment to improving its central business district by establishing the Rockmart Downtown Development Authority to address the downtown vacancy rate of 50 percent. A key project in Rockmart’s downtown redevelopment strategy is the renovation of the Rockmart Theater and the restoration of this cultural resource as a destination for local residents and tourism. The city expects fifteen new performances in the first full year after renovations are completed.
The City of Gainesville and Georgia Mountains Regional Commission will receive $100,000 to hire new contract staff to provide expertise in grant development and administration for a 12-county service area in the Georgia Mountains Region. The increased capacity will allow staff to focus technical assistance on economic development and planning. The work will help build the capacity of local governments to develop and implement new projects enabled by increased available funding and other new economic development programs. Funding for this project is provided by Ready Appalachia, a community capacity building initiative funded by the bipartisan Infrastructure Act and additional support from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focused on 423 counties throughout the Appalachian region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity, strengthen economic growth in Appalachia, and help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.
###
