By the Alliance Recreation Center
Thanks to the Department of Economic Development’s Shovel Ready Grant program, community members in Alliance, Nebraska are currently enjoying ARC Park, a community accessible playground for 2–12-year-olds, new weight room equipment, better facility temperature control, and most recently, an expanded classroom space for ARC After School – all located at the Alliance Recreation Center.
The Alliance Rec Center’s project was selected by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to receive a Shovel Ready grant to support capital projects that were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We began raising funds in 2019 for ARC Park and had plans to continue addressing capacity and facility projects when the pandemic shutdown delayed our progress,” shared Mara Andersen, executive director of the Alliance Recreation Center. “When the work resumed on the remaining projects, costs were approximately 30% more than originally anticipated.”
The shovel ready program funds were made available through a combination of America Rescue Plan Act funds and state general funds and were intended to help nonprofit organizations complete projects that would aid economic development.
In June of 2022, the Alliance Rec Center received award notification in the amount of $113,000 for the completion of their capital projects. “The award we received resurrected our capacity projects and matched the funds we had worked tirelessly to raise. This grant – which really celebrates our community’s support by matching it dollar-for-dollar – was the saving grace we needed to ensure our projects were completed,” said Andersen. All shovel ready projects are now complete and currently in use at the Alliance Rec Center.
A community open house and ribbon cutting ceremony is tentatively planned for August 2023. Andersen says the application of this award has already made an future positive impact at the facility with weight room expansion currently under construction.