Contact: Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608/267-9661
MADISON — Governor Jim Doyle announced today that the City of Evansville, Rock County, will receive a $500,000 grant from the Community Development Block Grant–Public Facilities (CDBG-PF) program of the Department of Commerce (Commerce) to help fund a new senior center to be known as Creekside Place.
“It is essential for Wisconsin communities to have quality, energy-efficient homes,” said Governor Doyle. “This project makes sense economically, and will help improve the overall quality of life for senior citizens in the Evansville area.”
“The citizens of Evansville place great value on building a vibrant, close-knit community and have made a strong financial commitment to Creekside Place,” said Evansville Mayor Sandy Decker. “The Community Development Block Grant from Commerce puts us well within reach of our fundraising goal.”
The city will use the grant to construct a 10,000-sq.ft.-facility to serve the area’s senior citizens. It will include a 230-seat meeting area and a kitchen. Services the center will provide include the Rock County senior lunch program, a wellness clinic, senior computer classes, an adult day care, and classes in senior nutrition and exercise. The center will also be rented on weekends for weddings, meetings and other social events, and that income will help defray operating expenses. Total project cost is $2,156,500.
CDBG-PF grants play an important role in helping communities finance a wide range of projects designed to enhance the economic vitality of the community through the provision of community infrastructure, the expansion of tax base, job creation, and increased private investment in downtowns.
For more information on Commerce programs and services, contact the Division of Housing and Community Development at jason.scott@wisconsin.gov or 608-261-7714.
