Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Gov. Andy Beshear has announced that $8.5 million will go to 12 projects across Kentucky to improve community facilities, including building new community centers, building a new fire station and building a new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) station.

“Kentucky is seeing amazing strides in industries like health care and tourism, which are supporting our booming economy,” Beshear said. “When we invest in our communities, we are making investments that help improve the lives of our families and support economic growth and new jobs.”

The projects and funding amounts include:

• The city of Berea will use $750,000 to help build a community center in the predominantly Black Farristown neighborhood. It will include meeting space and a place to display historic objects.
• Cynthiana will use $750,000 to help the renovation and expansion of Fire Station 1. It will allow the station to provide shelter for the entire fire department fleet and provide a new kitchen space.
• Gallatin County Fiscal Court, in conjunction with Triad Health Systems, will use $750,000 to help build a pharmacy that will adjoin the existing Triad Health Systems Clinic located on US-42 in Warsaw.
• The city of Glasgow, along with the Barren County Family YMCA, will use $750,000 to build an addition to the YMCA’s main building, including an already successful senior citizens meal/exercise program.
• Marion County Fiscal Court and the Marion County Board of Health will use $750,000 to build a health center on Spalding Avenue in Lebanon. Current demand exceeds the existing building’s capacity. 
• Nicholas County Fiscal Court will use $750,000 to help build a new station to house their Emergency Medical Services. This follows a flood that caused significant damage in the summer of 2021.
• The city of North Middletown will use $750,000 to help build a new fire station. The city recently received a FEMA grant to construct a community safe room/tornado shelter adjacent to the new station.
• The city of Wayland, along with the Wayland Historical Society and the Mountain Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, will receive $750,000 to help build an addition to the existing Wayland Gymnasium.
• The city of Corbin will use $351,000 to help renovate the kitchen of the senior citizens center, which currently provides 80 meals (on site and home delivered) a day and is in need of upgrades.

The funding for the projects comes from Kentucky’s Community Development Block Grant – Community Projects program, which is administered by Kentucky’s Department for Local Government.