MONTGOMERY – Residents of Pell City and Oak Grove (Talladega County) will soon see improvements to facilities that accommodate community functions and services for seniors, thanks to Community Development Block Grants awarded by Gov. Robert Bentley.
“Community centers and facilities that serve seniors strengthen the community by giving residents an opportunity to enjoy events and connect with each other,” said Bentley. “I am pleased to help Pell City and Oak Grove officials make upgrades to their facilities in order to better serve their residents.”
Pell City, in St. Clair County, is receiving $250,000 to renovate a facility known locally as “the old armory building” on 19th Street. Since the city was given the building in 1949, it has served as a National Guard armory, a temporary City Hall, a home for the city’s Public Works Department, and most recently, a community center. Roofing problems led the city to spend $300,000 in 2012 to replace the old roof. Then, a flood in June damaged the building’s interior. The grant, along with $100,000 in local funds, will pay for new flooring, windows, energy efficient lighting, heating and air conditioning units and modifications required to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
A $135,171 grant will enable the town of Oak Grove, in Talladega County, to add a 900-square-foot exercise room to the town’s senior center. Currently, a treadmill and one exercise bike located in the main area must be moved to make room for other events or activities. The expansion will provide a permanent location for these items and up to eight additional pieces of exercise equipment. The town is providing $30,000 in matching funds to complete work on the senior center, which serves about 70 residents.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, workforce development, energy conservation, economic development, water resource management and recreation.
