Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Bids were opened during Tuesday’s Bradford City Council for the Callahan Park Ice Rink renovation project. They ranged from $1.8 million to $2.1 million. The project engineer is looking over the bids and council expects to award the contract during its next meeting. Council also authorized the advertisement of bids for the Pine Street Parking Lot Improvement Project, and approved the placement of additional temporary directional signs for the Holiday Inn Express. The signs must be approved by DPW Director Chip Comilla. Also, a Rockland Avenue couple who rent several properties in the city expressed their displeasure with the NewBury Commons housing project, saying “it’s a constant struggle” to find good tenants and there are “only so many decent people to rent to.” They feel that approving the project “literally takes food off our table.” Council observed a moment of silence for former councilman Frederick Proper, who died earlier this month. Mayor Tom Riel also read a certificate o...

Pending approval by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program the proposed NewBury Commons project in Bradford will receive $50,000 from the state’s Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund and Marcellus Shale impact fees. The money will be sent to McKean County, which would then turn it over to developer Housing Visions, according to OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency recently announced that $7.6 million is being distributed for 25 projects in 19 counties to improve the availability and affordability of housing in the Marcellus Shale region of the state. “We did a lot of listening to arrive at this outstanding group of award recipients,” said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Brian Hudson Sr. “I think this money can do a lot of good to improve the availability of quality, affordable housing in these affected communities.” The LIHTC Program is an indirect federal subsidy used to finance the development of affordable rental...

On Tuesday Bradford City Council held a work session concerning a proposed housing project in the Elm Street/Project Pride area. Ben Lockwood of Housing Visions of Syracuse gave the presentation. You can listen here . Following the meeting Elm Manager Lisa Keck said the name "NewBury" comes from the names of an early settler and prominent citizen, Daniel Kingsbury, and his wife, Mary Newell. ( Note: I assumed this was obvious, but I guess I should not assume things. Her maiden name was Newell. ) Listen to Tuesday's council meeting here .