Rockville Centre to get more than $217,000

On Tuesday, County Executive Ed Mangano announced that the Village of Rockville Centre will be receiving $217,250 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money.

The funds have already been earmarked for different organizations and services around the village, including renovations at the Rev. Morgan Days Park and downtown revitalization.

“The Village of Rockville Centre has always prided itself with having the best in parks and community programs,” said Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray in a release. “The securing of these Community Development Block Grant funds will go a long way towards continuing to make that possible, and will allow us to keep providing the residents of the Village with a high quality of life.”

Morgan Days park is the recipient of the largest portion of the CDBG money. It will go toward repaving the parking lot at the park, which is cracked and has drainage problems.

The Sandel Senior Center also received a large portion of money, which is earmarked to improve the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the building.

More than $31,000 of the grant is going to downtown revitalization in the village. The village will use the funds mainly for streetscaping, which will include some new lights and repairing or replacing any damaged signs on village streets.

The Hispanic Brotherhood of Rockville Centre received two separate grants totaling $12,000. One will be used to build an enclosure for the front of the building. The other will be used to fund the organization’s Hispanic Outreach Program.

“This Federal funding allows my administration to partner with Village of Rockville Centre Mayor Murray to improve the downtown shopping area and designate parking for shoppers,” Mangano said in a release. “From the Sandel Senior Center, to the Hispanic Brotherhood of Rockville Centre and MLK, Jr. Community Center After School Program, these funds help ensure our children and seniors have programs throughout the community.”