BURRILLVILLE – Once complete, the new athletic complex at Burrillville High School will include a field house with locker rooms and more for athletes thanks, in part, to a $500,000 federal grant secured by U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner.
The field house was one of nine community projects included in an annual government funding package at Magaziner’s request in the federal Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill.
“Rep. Magaziner is dedicated to bringing federal resources back to Rhode Island for important local projects in our communities like this one,” noted Town Manager Michael Wood in a release on the grant.
It is the second grant the U.S. representative has secured for the project, which features amenities surrounding the new synthetic turf field. Magaziner previously secured a $500,000 grant for a handicap viewing plaza overlooking the new sports field to include a concession area, press box and rest rooms.
In a letter in May to the federal subcommittee in charge of the funding, Magaziner originally requested another $750,000 for the project.
“The funding would be used for the construction of a new Field House building (locker room, restrooms, storage, utility controls) to support an artificial turf field project at Burrillville High School,” he noted. “The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because town residents and students who attend community and recreational events will benefit from the field house building.”
Magaziner announced the grants approved by Congress earlier this month, to be used on various projects statewide to prevent flooding, build new recreation facilities, support affordable housing development, improve waste management, and repair roads and bridges throughout the Second Congressional District.
“One of the best ways I can help make life better and more affordable for Rhode Islanders is by delivering funding for local community projects that improve quality of life in cities and towns across the District,” said Magaziner.
Additional approved funding requests were as follows:
$1,500,000 for the Town of Coventry to repair sidewalks and prevent flooding on Wood Street.
$750,000 for the Town of Coventry to establish a central municipal collection facility for efficient waste management, storm debris management, and infrastructure material storage.
$850,000 for the Town of Johnston to reconstruct two little league baseball fields at Woodlake Park and perform flood mitigation by creating a retention pond. This project was secured in partnership with Senators Reed and Whitehouse.
$620,000 for North Kingstown to revitalize the historic Old Town Hall into a public community center. This funding will ensure the building is fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and was secured in partnership with Senators Reed and Whitehouse.
$1,000,000 for the City of Providence to renovate the A. Vincent Igliozzi Recreation Center. This funding was secured in partnership with Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse.
$250,000 for the City of Providence to make improvements to Conley Stadium by repairing its aged concrete bleacher structure. This project was secured in partnership with Senators Reed and Whitehouse.
$250,000 for the Town of South Kingstown to improve infrastructure at and around the South Kingstown Town Beach. The funding will be used to reduce flooding along Matunuck Beach Road, relocate a playground and restroom facility vulnerable to storm damage, make the beach more accessible to people with disabilities, Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility improvements, and implement shoreline resiliency measures to restore the coastline.
$850,000 for the South Kingstown Housing Authority to construct a community center serving residents of low-income and senior housing. The center will provide on-site wraparound services and case management, as well as a dedicated meeting space for residents.
The appropriations bill was passed as part of a larger package of funding bills, which Magaziner voted against due to his concerns over the Department of Homeland Security portion of the package.
Thank you, Rep Magaziner. Can you do something about the $2000 tariff rebate check? Still waiting on that…
Nothing like making things “more affordable” for residents like helping pay for something that is uneeded, and will be a perpetual maintenance burden on the town.
Should have secured a grant to pay for the dam repairs that the town had to get a loan for, because they blew all their ARPA funds on an unnecessary vanity project field.