State announces STEAP grant awards

Winchester, along with several other Northwest Corner towns, is expected to receive tens of thousands of dollars in Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) funds this year.

The state grant program, administered through the Office of Policy and Management, provides financial assistance for economic development, community conservation and quality-of-life projects to Connecticut’s smaller towns.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced late last week that grants slated for the towns of Winchester, Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Hartland, New Hartford and Norfolk were all expected to be approved by the state Bond Commission during a special meeting today, Sept. 25.

To be eligible for a grant, a town must have a population of fewer than 30,000 residents, not be designated as a distressed municipality or a public investment community and not have an urban center.

According to the governor’s office, the town of Winchester will receive a $130,000 grant to enhance the public’s accessibility to Walker Field and improve the pavement of its existing parking lot.

“The $130,000 grant will improve both parking and handicapped access to the fields. The improvements to the park will also play a critical role in the town’s effort to revitalize its business district,� Rell said in a release announcing the grant.

The town of Barkhamsted will receive a $100,000 grant to make improvements to Riverton Park, including the installation of public restrooms.

“Tourists to this quaint community are treated to the natural beauty of the area as well as a special slice of the state’s Colonial heritage,� Rell said.

Hartland will receive three separate grants totaling $153,188 for renovation and energy projects.

The town will receive a $89,625 grant to renovate and expand the West Hartland Community Center. The project involves building and health code improvements, a new bathroom, replacement of the existing septic system, expansion of the library space and the installation of new energy-efficient windows.

Hartland will also receive a $43,563 grant to purchase and install a generator at Bethany Lutheran Community Parish Hall. The new generator will allow the hall to serve as one of the town’s emergency areas, the governor’s office said.

Hartland is expected to receive a third STEAP grant this year for $30,000. The funds will allow for renovations to the Hartland House — which serves as the home of the town’s historical society — including insulating the cellar hatchway, attic, windows and doors, stone repair and repointing in the basement, and correcting drainage problems.

The town of New Hartford will receive a $250,000 grant, the largest individual award among the sevenWinsted-area towns this year, to repair two sewer lines in the downtown area.

The grant will enable New Hartford to replace two eroded sewer lines, the governor’s office said.

“The installation of a new sewer line along Brook Street will help safeguard the sanitary integrity of the Farmington River,� Rell said in her release. “The repair of the lines along Main Street will prevent the leeching of seepage into the surrounding area, preventing possible contamination of the ground water.�

The town of Norfolk will receive a $250,000 STEAP grant to help finance the extension of water and sewer lines from Route 44 to Old Colony Road to connect to the town garage and create an extension for a planned 22-unit affordable housing project.

The state Bond Commission is expected to approve a total of $20 million in STEAP funds for 100 towns this year, allowing for 114 projects across the state to move forward, Rell said.