新闻

韦恩堡，印第安纳州. – The Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority has officially recommended Regional Cities Initiative funding for projects in all 11 counties in the region.  

在一次董事会会议上 Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) 今天, the RDA board voted to support the Grow 井 County project, which requested funding in January for the creation of an outdoor plaza in downtown Bluffton 和 a pavilion/amphitheater in Ossian. Both projects will serve as crucial access points 和 amenities on the regional Poka-Bache Trail, connecting Northeast Indiana from Steuben County to 井 County.

The board voted to fund $423,183 for the project, representing 20 percent of the $2.该项目总成本的100万美元.

As of April 2019, the Northeast Indiana RDA has recommended more than $40 million 为IEDC提供区域城市倡议资金, leveraging more than $258 million in total investment in the region through a total of 24 projects. 点击这里查看所有项目的列表.

“Recommending funding for projects in all 11 counties in Northeast Indiana is a huge accomplishment for the RDA board 和 the region. The spirit of regionalism is truly alive here in Northeast Indiana, 和 the Grow 井 County project 和 the leveraged funds allocated by the RDA are great examples of what we can do when we work together to grow the region’s economy 和 population,布拉德·毕晓普说, president of the Northeast Indiana RDA board 和 executive director at OrthoWorx.

The proposed outdoor plaza will be located next to the 井 County Courthouse in downtown Bluffton on a lot now occupied by a building damaged in a November 2011 fire. 该项目包括一幅壁画和绿色空间 和 拟建的法院广场的座位, which was designed after reviewing similar spaces across the state. The pavilion/amphitheater will be built in Ossian's Archbold Wilson Park, 占地60英亩，靠近奥西安小学. 整修公园的计划包括一条步道, 五英亩的野花, 一个操场, an 18-hole disc golf course 和 a hillside-sitting area for the amphitheater.

“格罗韦尔斯县项目, we want to continue to see investment in our regional communities 和 enhance the 质量 of place in 井 County. 在印第安纳州东北部RDA的支持下, we can leverage these funds to get over the finish line 和 get this project completed as early as 2020,Michael Lautzenheiser说, 现在是布拉夫顿的总裁!. 

About 55 percent of Regional Cities Initiative funds went to 艾伦 County with the remaining 45 percent shared between the other 10 counties.

乍得克莱恩, executive director at kok娱乐经济发展, said it’s important for regional communities like 井 County to be a part of this investment 和 momentum championed by the Northeast Indiana RDA 和 the Regional Cities initiative.  

“像布拉夫顿、奥西安这样的农村社区 和 others throughout 井 County 和 Northeast Indiana must benefit from investment in 质量 生活要不断吸引和留住人才. I applaud the RDA board 和 the individuals behind the Grow 井 County project for securing this critical funding,克莱恩说。.

The next step in the funding process goes to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). The IEDC will review the funding application submitted by the Northeast Indiana RDA on behalf of Grow 井 County. 如果得到IEDC的批准, this 井 County project will be the final county in the 印第安纳州东北部区域伙伴关系’s 11 counties to be awarded Regional Cities Initiative funding. Historically, the IEDC has approved each project application submitted by the Northeast Indiana RDA.

The Regional Cities Initiative was created to provide funding for 质量 of place projects meant to spur talent attraction 和 retention in regions throughout Indiana. This funding provides financial support for game-changing 质量 of place projects that will increase economic growth, lead to 人口增长 和 enhance the region’s national br和 identity. Northeast Indiana won a Regional Cities grant of $42 million in 2015 with its Road to One Million Plan that outlines more than 70 projects 和 $1.在未来10年投资50亿美元.

To learn more about the Northeast Indiana RDA, visit the new website at www.neindiana.com/rda.