Burns: $2.89 million awarded to improve broadband access in Johnstown
Burns worked with both groups from the beginning
Rep. Frank Burns October 10, 2024 | 12:38 PM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 10 – State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, today announced that nearly $3 million in funding has been awarded to two organizations in Johnstown to increase broadband access in the city.
The Cambria Library Association will receive $2 million, while Bishop McCort High School will receive $897,612. Both organizations will use the funding to improve their facilities to make the internet more accessible to the public.
“I’ve seen firsthand the efforts of the library and Bishop McCort and their plans to create dedicated spaces for students and adults alike to have easy access to broadband, whether it be for school, work or to learn about computers or find a job,” said Burns, a graduate of Bishop McCort. “Because they are important projects, I brought a member of the leader’s staff from Harrisburg to Johnstown earlier this year to demonstrate why these efforts are so vital to the city’s connectivity in the hopes of directing this funding to our region, and now we are reaping the benefits.”
The Cambria Library Association will use its award for a community facility improvement project to address the community’s need for space with broadband access for residents to focus on work, education and health monitoring. Focus rooms, meeting rooms and study areas will allow people to work at the library as well as to access vital resources and counseling through the state’s CareerLink office, which is located in the library.
Bishop McCort Catholic High School will use its grant to acquire a property across the street from its campus and transform it into a publicly accessible hub for education, computer access, computer training and community use.
“We are grateful for the bipartisan efforts of Representative Burns and Senator Langerholc for their support and advocacy for Bishop McCort,” said Thomas A. Smith, chief administration officer for Bishop McCort Catholic Academy. “This grant will give Bishop McCort Catholic High School the opportunity for expansion of our Blended Academy and the HEAL program. In addition, the former AmeriServ building will be available to the community as an internet café during specified times throughout the week. This is a win-win for both area students and the Johnstown community.”
These Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program grants are funded from the federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund and distributed by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority.