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Two grants up for City Council approval today are seeking state money to help build a pump track at Jackson-Taylor Park on Washington Street.
According to Parkitect, a pump track is a track for wheeled sports equipment that, when ridden properly, does not require pedaling or pushing, but a "pumping" action to maintain momentum. City officials want to submit two state Consolidated Funding Application requests related to the pump track project -- one through the Environmental Protection Fund Grants Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage and another through the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. The grants, if awarded, would come with a required 15% and 25% local match requirement. In total the city is requesting $3.5 million for the pump track project.
There are three additional CFA approval requests on the council's agenda today. One is a $20,000 grant to study the feasibility of reuse projects for buildings downtown that would require a 5% match if the city receives the money. Another grant requests $2,850,524 for further renovations to Tracy Plaza that comes with a 10% required local match and a $400,000 Healthy Homes Inspection Capacity Building grant that would require a 10% local match.
Also up for approval is an emergency roof repair for Fire Station 5, 195 Fairmount Ave.. The roof partially collapsed in early March after flooding on the roof deck put too much weight on the roof. Fire Department staff have worked with city Public Works officials and insurance carriers to create a plan to replace the roof. Council members are being asked to spend $4,000 to hire Greenman-Pedersen Inc. to create specific repair drawings that are required before a general contractor can be hired.
Council members are also being asked to approve the full $150,000 for the first phase of a project to improve the area underneath the North Main Street railroad viaduct. Surdyk, Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson and Dave Leathers, Board of Public Utilities general manager, are seeking use of the city's remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds toward the "North Main Street Viaduct Public Safety and Placemaking Project." The area is under the railroad tracks, with the downtown area to the north and the Chadakoin River and Brooklyn Square to the south.
Council members were provided with conceptual images of what the area under the viaduct could look like once fully formed. Described as a "public parklet," Surdyk said the area could feature seating, landscaping and public art as a means to turn what has been a dark and underutilized area into a gathering place.
The project's overall budget could be "up to" $150,000. Lighting alone is expected to cost $50,000.