City Council approves use of Community Improvement Trust Fund money

Approves $25K for reuse study of Beachmont Fire Station

  At Monday night’s meeting, the City Council approved using Community Improvement Trust Fund money for several park upgrade projects as well as a reuse study for the Beachmont Fire Station. The City Council unanimously approved $80,000 for the Department of Planning and Community Development as matching funds for the Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant program for upgrades to Costa, Gibson and Harmon Parks.

  The PARC grants were established to assist cities and towns in acquiring and developing land for park and outdoor recreation purposes. These grants can be used by municipalities to acquire parkland, build a new park or renovate an existing park.

  “To be clear, the matching funds will cover the matching funds for all three of these [park] projects,” said Richard Viscay, the city’s finance director.

  The council also unanimously approved $25,000 for the Department of Planning and Community Development for an adaptive reuse study for the Beachmont Fire Station. The city’s Public Arts Commission is looking to convert the unused fire station into a community arts center and fire museum with gallery, studio and public use space.

  The project is very near and dear to the heart of Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna, who also serves on the Arts Commission and has been a driving force behind the reuse of the fire station. “I’m very happy about that; thank you very much,” McKenna said to Viscay at Monday night’s meeting.

  In other business at Monday night’s meeting, Viscay said the City of Revere is looking to establish three new revolving funds for the city government. Revolving funds are funds where a department or service, such as water and sewer, are funded exclusively through the money it brings in. One is for the parks and recreation program at the Garfield Pool; the second is for Electric Vehicle charging stations; and the third is for trash and recycling barrels.

  Viscay said the City of Revere has been offering Electric Vehicle charging stations free of charge in the city, but as the number of stations and vehicles increases, the City may look to collect some revenue from the stations to help pay for their upkeep.

  With the trash and recycling barrel fund, Viscay said, the goal is to have barrels in stock for those in the community who need new or extra barrels. “We have satisfied our three-year debt service on the purchase of these barrels, but we want to maintain an inventory,” said Viscay. “If people want a second barrel or a recycling barrel, we can set up a revolving fund so the dollars are in place so we can go back to purchase more and keep an inventory on hand.”