City Of Fairbury Applies For The Rural Community Recovery Program

By Theodore BallThe Fairbury City Council has approved an application requesting $900,000 from the Rural Community Recovery Program (RCRP). The city is requesting the grant to make recreation and tourism-oriented improvements. Fairbury claims in the application that city projects for improvements in the city were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to opportunity.nebraska.gov, the Rural Community Recovery Program (RCRP) is a one-time $10 million fund to provide grants to political subdivisions to build strong, healthy communities through investment in neighborhoods across Nebraska. Projects must be located in a rural county that has been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects will address and re-purpose vacant or abandoned properties for the installation of neighborhood features to promote improved health and safety outcomes or site development of future affordable housing.T he City of Fairbury aims to use this grant to install neighborhood features for public use. The city’s claim for the grant is that it has had a decrease in tourism since the pandemic and had an increase for the need of outdoor recreation opportunities. Fairbury says the city’s timelines for these improvements and the estimated costs needed to complete these projects were increased by the lasting effects of the pandemic.The city has provided an unofficial list of projects that Fairbury plans on completing. The projects are the following: Park security cameras, trail dam railroad bridge, city park sidewalk trail, McNish Fountain repair, McNish south shelter with ADA parking, trail to Crystal Springs, downtown and park Wi-Fi, Conrad Park shelter, trail head at Beatleys, Welcome to Fairbury Sign, skate park, dog park, splash yard, Optimist shelter and playground, McNish waterfalls, Crystal fish cleaning station, bridge expansion of trails, trail lighting and pole replacement at the city park, Girl Scout cabin rafters, McNish bathroom upgrade, ADA parking and sidewalk to waterfalls at McNish, Boy Scout cabin and tennis courts.The application is due July 22, 2024. However, the award announcements will not be until October 2024. All projects must be completed by September 30,2026.

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