Berks County municipalities, agencies, and nonprofits are set to receive more than $13 million in state grant funding through multiple Commonwealth Financing Authority programs, according to recent announcements from state lawmakers representing the county.
The funding includes awards through the Local Share Account (LSA) Statewide Program, which is supported by gaming revenue, as well as grants through the Watershed Restoration and Protection Program, funded by the Marcellus Legacy Fund. The projects span public safety, transportation, water and sewer infrastructure, recreation, economic development, and environmental restoration.
Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11) announced that 14 projects in the 11th Senatorial District were awarded a combined $4.21 million in LSA Statewide funding. Among the largest awards, the Greater Berks Development Fund received $600,000 to support Phase 2 of the GoggleWorks Art Park project in downtown Reading, which aims to redevelop a vacant lot into a cultural, educational, and food-centered space.
Exeter Township was awarded $563,214 to purchase an asphalt roller and dump truck for its public works department, while Laureldale Borough received $538,286 for sanitary sewer inspections and improvements. Spring Township was awarded $507,704 for the purchase of a street sweeper and two police vehicles.
Other projects funded through Schwank’s announcement include $406,575 for the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority to advance work under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program in Reading, and $401,649 for Lower Alsace Township to purchase two ambulances for the Lower Alsace Volunteer Ambulance Association.
Additional awards include funding for police equipment in Fleetwood Borough, a water main replacement in West Reading, equipment upgrades for the Berks County Emergency Response Team, a traffic control truck for Muhlenberg Township, multiple public works and facility projects in Mount Penn Borough, and demolition costs for a property in Exeter Township.
Separately, Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24) announced that over $7 million in LSA Statewide funding was secured across the 24th Senatorial District, with several projects located in Berks County.
Projects funded through that announcement include $180,722 for Amity Township to construct odor control improvements at Pump Station No. 1, $100,000 for Bally Borough to complete borough hall improvements, ADA renovations, and install an emergency generator, and $69,102 for new playground equipment at Bechtelsville Park.
Additional Berks County awards include $200,000 for capital improvements at the Boyertown YMCA, $150,000 for the first phase of the Secret Valley Trail project in Colebrookdale Township, $124,428 for water main replacements in Topton Borough, and $200,000 for trail expansion and playground improvements at Washington Park in Washington Township.
The Berks County Emergency Response Team also received $200,000 through this round of funding to purchase equipment for countywide SWAT operations, including helmets, radios, robotics, and optics.
A third round of LSA Statewide funding impacting Berks County was announced by Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48), Rep. Jamie Barton (R-124), and Rep. Eric Weaknecht (R-5). Projects in Berks County funded through that announcement include $291,944 for wastewater system upgrades at Reading Regional Airport, $76,520 for a public works vehicle in Bern Township, and multiple grants supporting fire companies and emergency services in Heidelberg Township, Lower Heidelberg Township, and Womelsdorf Borough.
Additional awards include $40,000 for a public works dump truck body in Penn Township, $70,000 for a truck purchase by the Hamburg Municipal Authority, $136,700 for parking lot improvements at Tilden Park, and funding for equipment, vehicles, and a digital community message board in Upper Tulpehocken Township. Windsor Township also received $30,000 for park improvements.
In addition to the gaming-funded awards, Pennycuick announced a separate $143,703 grant for the Berks County Conservation District through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Watershed Restoration and Protection Program. The funding will support a streambank restoration project along Oysterdale Road in Pike Township, addressing concerns related to roadway safety, stormwater management, and environmental degradation.
The Watershed Restoration and Protection Program is funded through the Marcellus Legacy Fund and supports projects aimed at restoring and protecting Pennsylvania waterways from nonpoint source pollution.
Collectively, the grants represent a wide-ranging investment in Berks County communities, supporting projects that address long-term infrastructure needs, emergency response capabilities, recreational access, economic development, and environmental sustainability.
