ADECA grants to help local communities

A new round of Community Development Block Grants will help 25 communities across the state.

Russellville officials have been notified they will receive $89,415 for renovations to the Canteen in downtown Russellville. The Canteen is a limestone building on Washington Avenue next to the A.W. Todd Center. The property it's on used to be Five Oaks Park, or the Moody Lot, as it was also called.

Through the years, local clubs, groups and families used the building for different occasions. It was closed more than two years ago.

"It's been there for so many years that it's a sentimental thing for a lot of people in Russellville and Franklin County," Russellville Mayor Johnny Brown said.

The city of Moulton was awarded $241,000, which will be used to convert the city hall building into a senior citizens center.

Moulton Mayor Ray Alexander said that city hall has been in the building since 1975.

"It will be a good move for everybody," he said.

Moulton city hall will be relocated to the Bank Independent building in downtown. Officials expect to be in that building by late March or April.

Alexander said the bank building would provide two large vaults to store records.

Cherokee officials have also been notified that they will receive $250,000 for the construction of a new community center.

Town clerk Melinda Malone said the building would be built on Second Street near the site where Colbert County commissioners plan to build a safe center.

The new center will also house senior citizens' programs that have been held in a city-owned building on Main Street.

The town of Double Springs was awarded $224,894 for expansion and renovation of a senior citizen center, while Winston County received $250,000 for road projects.

The grants were awarded from funds made available to the state through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants, which total more than $5.6 million across the state.

The grants do require local matches. Cherokee will be required to pay $63,000 on the new community center while Russellville officials set aside $10,000 in this year's budget that will allow them to complete the $100,000 project at the Canteen.

But, Russellville Parks and Recreation Director Chad Sears said the project would be well worth the costs and provide residents with another facility to use for recreational purposes.

"It would be perfect for things like dance classes and karate lessons that are at the recreation center right now," Sears said. "When basketball season is going on there, it puts the karate classes in a bad situation because of the room we have."

The facility needs a new roof, floor and bathroom and kitchen amenities.

Almost 400 people signed a petition asking the city to look into repairing the structure, Sears said.

Obtaining a new senior center in Lawrence County has been a joint effort.

Alexander said the Lawrence County Commission will match $25,000 for work on the building that the city is donating.

"It is all on ground level and will be a lot more accessible for them and closer to the center of everything," Alexander said. "We think it will be 100 percent better than where they are now."

The senior center is currently behind Lawrence County High School by the coliseum.

The gas, water and police departments will all also re-locate to the bank building when city hall moves.

Jonathan Willis can be reached at 332-0140 or jonathan.willis@timesdaily.com.