West Chester, Pa (December 18, 2025) – Fifteen municipalities and three organizations in Chester County were awarded state grant funding for projects to address flooding, strengthen infrastructure, support emergency services, upgrade public works, improve parks, prevent homelessness, promote local history, and enhance health and human services, state Senator Carolyn Comitta announced today.
“From repairing roads and bridges to upgrading public works and public safety equipment to expanding parks and recreational opportunities, these investments can make a big difference to ensuring a strong quality of life in communities across Chester County,” said Comitta. “As a former mayor and borough council member, I know just how important these investments are to ensuring health, safety, and opportunity for all residents and families.”
The funds, which come through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Local Share Account Program, were approved today by the Commonwealth Financing Authority.
In addition to Comitta, the 18 projects that were awarded funding are represented by State Representatives Christina Sappey, Chris Pielli, Dan Williams, Danielle Friel Otten, Melissa Shusterman, and Kristine Howard.
In total, they amount to a $5.8 million state investment in Chester County municipalities and local communities. They are as follows:
Infrastructure:
- $375,000 for Downingtown Borough to support engineering costs for the Downingtown Area Flood Planning project. It calls for developing a flood mitigation strategy as part of an intermunicipal effort to address flooding in the Brandywine Creek sub-basin.
- $475,000 for East Fallowfield Township to reconstruct the Mortonville Road Bridge. The funds will support construction, engineering, and administrative costs to replace the deteriorating bridge, which serves emergency first responders and a growing number of residents.
- $250,000 for the West Goshen Sewer Authority to replace 16 wastewater treatment process pumps and related equipment that maintain reliable treatment operations and prevent potential sewer overflows.
- $150,000 for West Whiteland Township to rehabilitate the Grubbs Mills Pump Station. The project calls for completely rehabilitating the 40-year-old pump station to comply with current codes, address reliability issues, and prevent ongoing costly repairs.
- $150,000 for Willistown Township to replace the Pump Station 3 interceptor along Eisenhower Drive. Constructed in the 1970s with asbestos-cement pipe, the current interceptor has deteriorated and collapsed, requiring emergency repairs. The funds will be used to replace the next section with corrosion-resistant polyvinyl chloride pipe.
Public Safety:
- $600,000 for the City of Coatesville to purchase a new pumper fire engine and tractor-drawn aerial apparatus ladder truck. The Coatesville Fire Department’s current engine and ladder truck are more than two decades old and frequently out of service. The new equipment will help ensure a reliable, timely response to the more than 700 emergencies the department responds to each year.
- $175,000 for Valley Township to replace and repave the main driveway of Westwood Fire Company #1. The existing driveway are severely deteriorated due to age and wear and tear, presenting a growing safety risk. The project calls for regrading and repaving the parking area, main driveway, and access points to and from the station.
- $818,576 for West Chester Borough to purchase a new fire apparatus for the West Chester Fire Department. It will replace a 21-year-old fire apparatus that is frequently out of service due to increasing repairs, as well as a lack of available parts, which is both time-consuming and costly.
Public Works:
- $150,000 for Londonderry Township to construct a new, four-bay salt storage shed for its road department. It will replace the existing two-bay salt storage shed, which is structurally failing and unable to fit delivery trucks. The new shed will be high enough to accommodate deliveries, improving cleanup and preventing salt residue from entering the stormwater system.
- $191,490 for Newlin Township to purchase a new tractor and boom mower for use in addressing encroaching vegetation on roadways. It will replace antiquated equipment, improve reliability, and enhance employee safety.
- $75,000 for East Bradford Township to purchase a new disc chipper to dispose of tree trimmings and other wood debris during routine work on roads, parks, and township property It will replace an outdated machine that lacks safety features and cannot process larger debris, requiring additional chainsaw work.
Housing:
- $350,000 for Safe Harbor of Greater West Chester (through the Chester County Economic Development Council) to expand its current facility by adding a second building. The new building will add 20 shelter units, expand trauma-informed day programming, and provide spaces for job readiness training, counseling, and life skills workshops.
Health:
- $100,000 for Main Line Health (through the Chester County Economic Development Council) to purchase and install 23 patient lift chairs at Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital. Ceiling-mounted patient lifts help to ensure a comfortable and dignified experience for everyone involved in moving a patient, reducing the risk of injury for both patients and caregivers.
Parks:
- $388,440 for East Caln Township to construct multiple park improvements to Bell Taven Park, the township’s only primary active public park. The project calls for resurfacing and upgrading the existing basketball courts, turning the obsolete roller hockey rink into pickleball courts, resurfacing the parking lot, and adding entrance gates, exercise/fitness stations, shade canopies, benches and trash cans, security cameras, signage and landscaping.
- $350,000 for Tredyffrin Township to make improvements to Friendship Park, including ADA parking spaces, an ADA accessible pathway, inclusive playground equipment, a dog play area, a new pavilion, benches and trash receptacles, stormwater management measures, and the restoration of a 3.6-acre greenspace with a fully accessible nature trail.
History:
- $700,000 for West Nottingham Township for the headquarters and visitor center for the new Oxford Area Historical Association. The association plans to acquire the historic former school building on 5th Street in Oxford Borough to serve as a gateway for regional tourism, welcoming visitors to the area and directing them to nearby historic sites.
- $325,000 for Malvern Borough for the Paoli Memorial Association to build the Heritage Center at Paoli Memorial Park. The funds will be used to construct a single-story timber-framed structure that will serve as the new Heritage Center on the site, along with connections to utilities, a driveway, parking, exhibit space, and interpretative signage.
Human Services:
- $200,000 for the Royer-Greaves School for the Blind (through Tredyffrin Township) for upgrades to the school’s energy infrastructure. The project calls for removing existing oil tanks and replacing them with natural gas-powered heating systems and adding solar panels and related roof modifications These improvements will be made across the school’s buildings.
The Local Share Account program is designed to distribute funds derived from gaming revenue to support community and economic development projects.
Eligible applicants include counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, economic development agencies, redevelopment authorities, land banks, and councils of government.
Eligible projects must improve the quality of life of community citizens and be owned and maintained by an eligible applicant or a nonprofit organization.
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