COUNTY OF LEHIGH

Office of Public Information

Government Center

17 South Seventh Street

Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101-2401

Phone: 610-782-3001

Fax: 610-820-3615

Donald T. Cunningham, Jr., County Executive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                               CONTACT:

Date: May 1, 2007                                                    Frank Kane

(610) 782-3001        

Lehigh County Awards Grant to City of Bethlehem

City to receive funds for streetscape planning

BETHLEHEM:  Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham today announced another in a series of grant awards under Lehigh County’s newly-created Main

Street Initiatives Fund.

            “We created these funds to help pay for needed improvements and to develop ways to save through regional cooperation,” said Cunningham.  “Lehigh County wants to support our municipalities in their efforts to improve.”

The City of Bethlehem received a $30,000 grant from Lehigh County’s Main Street Initiatives Fund.  The funds will be used to complete streetscape design work and plans for West Broad Street that were recommended in the city’s Elm Street plan. 

“The City of Bethlehem is only as strong as its neighborhoods,” said Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan.  “We are committed to improving the stability and quality of life of our neighborhoods, and I applaud Lehigh County for being a partner in this important neighborhood revitalization effort.” 

The Regional Partnerships and Main Street Initiatives Funds were proposed by Cunningham last year and adopted by the Board of Commissioners to supplement municipalities’ community and economic development activities.   In the next few weeks, Lehigh County will announce $106,500 in community and economic development grants to municipalities.

The deadline for municipal applications for the next round of funding is May 31, and information for all of Lehigh County’s grants can be found on Lehigh County’s website at www.lehighcounty.org .

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