City Of Roswell: Roswell Projects Apply To Receive Federal Funding

Press release from the City of Roswell:

04/01/2021 9:50 AM

The Roswell community has the opportunity to provide their support for two City of Roswell projects that may be eligible to receive direct funding from the federal government through the Community Project Funding Initiative. By visiting an online public portal by April 18, members of the public can voice their support for two projects submitted by Roswell's Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Department:

• The Ace Sand Streambank and Floodplain Restoration project promotes riverbank restoration, protects the flood plain and creates river-oriented recreation opportunities for residents and visitors.
• The Doc's Café Renovation project will restore a historic structure that played a significant role in Roswell's history. This project will create an expanded interpretation and educational opportunity for the city, in addition to preserving a building that represents Roswell's community heritage.

Public support of these projects will be a significant factor in their being chosen for federal funding. Members of the public should take the following steps to vote for the projects:

• Visit the Community Project Funding Portal on Congresswoman Lucy McBath's site at mcbath.house.gov/community-project-funding-public-portal by Sunday, April 18, 2021.
• Each project will require a separate submission.
• Reference "City of Roswell's Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs" as the name of the Community Project Applicant.
• Reference the project title in your submission(s): "Ace Sand Streambank and Floodplain Restoration" and "Doc's Café Renovation"

About the Projects
The Ace Sand project is a major component of the City's River Parks Master Plan. If granted, federal funds would be allocated to complete Riverbank Protection, Floodplain Restoration, a Fitness Trail Loop, and the Children's Educational Stormwater Garden at the site. The project also includes a future green, carbon-neutral community building, although funding for the building is not included in this federal funding request. For more information about the Ace Sand project, visit www.RoswellRiverParks.com.

Doc's Café is the earliest known African American–owned commercial business in Roswell, and it was a long-standing gathering spot for social life within the community throughout the 20th century. The City of Roswell elected to relocate and stabilize this historic structure due to anticipated impacts from a transportation project. In collaboration with Roswell's Groveway Community, the City's goal is to repurpose the building as a public center for small gathering use and lateral park green space with the aim of bringing inclusion into the broader Roswell Historic District and awareness of the Doc's Café story. The requested federal funds would address the relocation of the building to the designated site, preservation of the building, and site development of a small lateral park, as well as interpretive exhibit elements and the creation of program opportunities to support local heritage tourism opportunities that speak directly to African American history within Roswell.

This press release was produced by the City of Roswell. The views expressed here are the author’s own.