U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that she secured $120,000 in the draft Fiscal Year 2022 Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill to support economic redevelopment and community revitalization in Danforth. Senator Collins is the Ranking Member and lead Republican on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. The bill, which was officially released by the full Appropriations Committee this afternoon, must still be voted upon by the full Senate and House.
"The construction of a park, and pavilion in downtown Danforth provides a unique opportunity for revitalization," said Senator Collins. "This visionary community-driven project will set the stage for economic growth, particularly through an expansion of the successful farmers' market, and provide a new gathering space for the town for other local events. I will continue to champion this funding that will benefit Danforth as well as the surrounding region as the appropriations process moves forward."
If the Fiscal Year 2022 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill is enacted into law, Danforth will use this funding to construct a public community pavilion, relocate an existing playground, and conduct property surveys to inform future plans on the site.
The downtown project is comprised of surveying for easements and property line issues, creating an original boardwalk connecting the pavilion to the park, demolition of a building within the boardwalk path, refurbishing deteriorating sidewalks on the main street, resituating an existing playground just to the west of the pavilion, and construction of the pavilion. This request concentrates on the relocation of the playground, surveying, and construction of the market-in-common pavilion. The growing Danforth Farmers' Market will anchor the pavilion's year-round use.
The Town of Danforth is committed to hiring regional-based contractors for surveying, engineering, construction, and landscaping for the project, an estimated 20+ positions.