Burns: Johnstown leaders should reconsider pricey Central Park redo
Blight removal, police/fire station, grocery store more impactful projects
Rep. Frank Burns May 9, 2024 | 11:59 AM
EBENSBURG, May 9 – Noting that removing residential blight, building a new police/fire station and bringing a grocery store downtown are far more impactful projects, state Rep. Frank Burns wants Johnstown City Council to reconsider spending $6 million to $8 million to completely redesign Central Park.
Plus, in an identical letter sent to every member of council and Mayor Frank Janakovic, Burns cited his own research that concluded the city’s $24.5 million RAISE grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, is off limits as a park-improvement funding source.
“I’ve confirmed that federal transportation funding cannot be used to pay for things inside the park, such as a splash pad, pavilion, landscaping, etc.,” Burns wrote, adding that consequently nearly all Central Park redesign funding “must come from the city’s remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.”
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“I’m sure the public would be satisfied with some minor upgrades to the park … but spending $8 million when the city has so many other pressing needs seems ridiculous to the average person in Johnstown.” – State Rep. Frank Burns.
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Burns wrote that he undertook the clarifying research because City Manager Ethan Imhoff, who recently announced his resignation, “blurred the lines” between the two funding sources, and “often caused confusion among council members and the public” as to how the park renovation would be funded.
“We represent the same people and I assure you the majority of the people do not think Central Park should be the city’s top priority,” Burns wrote. “True leadership is showing the courage to change direction.
“I’m sure the public would be satisfied with some minor upgrades to the park … but spending $8 million when the city has so many other pressing needs seems ridiculous to the average person in Johnstown.”
Stressing that he supports investment in downtown Johnstown and believes opportunities exist to strengthen the community, Burns asked each of the elected city leaders – Janakovic, Deputy Mayor Michael Capriotti, and Councilmembers Charles Arnone, Marie Mock, Rickey Britt, Laura Huchel and the Rev. Sylvia King – to “listen to the public” and reconsider the park’s complete redo.
Burns concluded that when it comes to such significant investments, it is “crucial to ensure” that they “meet the needs of the public and are sustainable in the long term.”