A view of the Sherman Minton Bridge and the New Albany shoreline along the Ohio River. News and Tribune file photo
NEW ALBANY — The New Albany Redevelopment Commission will use American Rescue Plan funding to support a number of projects along the city’s shoreline and assist several local nonprofits.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the commission voted unanimously to approve bids to complete three projects that would increase connectivity and recreation along the city’s riverfront.
One project includes the extension of the Ohio River Greenway trail to the former QRS Recycling site, which is the future site of the city’s planned River Recreation park.
The trail’s lower level currently stops in front of the New Albany Flow Park, and the higher level trail stops on the top of the flood wall west of the overlook. The redevelopment commission approved a $1.3 million bid from MAC Construction & Excavating for this project.
The commission also approved funding for two phases of the Silver Creek Landing project, which is in the area once home to Glenview Park. The commission hired MAC Construction to build the trail for $1.4 million.
This trail would branch off from the Ohio River Greenway, which would go from the Loop Island area of the Greenway, along the flood wall and north along Silver Creek. It would extend all the way to Spring Street. It would connect with Market Street and Beharrell Avenue.
The second phase of the Silver Creek Landing project includes recreational access to Silver Creek near the Glenmill Dam. This will allow for activities such as kayaking, canoeing, fishing and hiking along the creek.
The commission hired E-Z Construction for phase two of the project for $965,000.
New Albany Redevelopment Director Josh Staten said these shoreline projects will provide connectivity to the community, and he is happy to invest in local neighborhoods.
“These are big projects, but they’re also neighborhood-level projects,” he said. “These projects will connect neighborhoods that otherwise would not have an immediate connection to the Greenway, to Clarksville, to Louisville, to beyond.”
“There’s so much potential for this, and it’s about connectivity, it’s about allowing people to get on a bike and experience nature without having to come all the way across town, without having to fight a bunch of traffic,” he said. “Now you can hop on your bike, hop on the Greenway.”
Staten said that amid the pandemic, outdoor spaces are “invaluable” to people’s mental and physical health.
New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan said in a Tuesday news release that the ARP funds “will move into high gear in New Albany, as the Redevelopment Commission prepares to improve connectivity to our waterfronts, neighborhoods and nature.”
“These new additions and improvements will move the city forward in many ways, and they will especially bring more opportunities to improve mental and physical health for the residents of our river city and beyond,” he said.
Staten said the city hopes to get started quickly on the two trail projects, and he expects that work will begin in February or March with a goal of completing the trails in 10 to 12 months.
“This is something that people could be able to use by the beginning of 2023,” he said.
Since the second phase of the Silver Creek Landing project is in a floodway, some of the work will wait until June “when it dries out a bit,” Staten said. This will also be a 10- to 12-month project, so it should be open by summer of 2023.
The commission approved $100,000 in ARP funding for two New Albany nonprofits at Tuesday’s meeting, including $50,000 for Blessings in a Backpack Floyd County and $50,000 for St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities.
Blessings in a Backpack Floyd County provides meals and snacks to students facing food insecurity in New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp, including any student who qualifies for free and reduced lunch.
Stephanie Watson, board member for Blessings in a Backpack Floyd County, said the funding from the city will allow the organization to expand programming to fifthand sixth-grade students.
“We have seen the results of kids who come to school that have been hungry all weekend, and they are lethargic, and it takes several days for that energy to be built back up so they are focused on learning,” she said. “We want to take that burden away.”
Elaine Murphy, president of the NAFCS school board and non-voting member of the redevelopment commission, said the organization’s work within NAFCS “truly is a blessing” as it provides food for them to take home during the weekend.
“You’d be surprised by the number of students whose last nutritional meal was lunchtime on Friday, and they don’t get another nutritional meal until Monday at school,” she said.
The ARP funding will support programming at St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities, which provides women and children with a variety of services, including emergency shelter for those who have faced domestic violence. It is focused on helping these women and families achieve self-sufficiency.
St. Elizabeth Agency Director Mark Casper said the nonprofit has seen an increase in needs for its service during the pandemic.
Jason Applegate, a member of the redevelopment commission and city council, said the nonprofit is helping the “entire community” through its programs, including its Culinary Teaching Kitchen to train women to work in the culinary field.
The commission also approved $100,000 in ARP funding for the city’s Emergency Repair Program, which offers assistance with emergency repairs for incomequalified homeowners within the city. This helps with issues that threaten residents’ safety and health.
Staten said the city has used about half of its $16.83 million in ARP funding so far.
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