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DUNKIRK, NY (WNY News Now) — The City of Dunkirk is joining five other downtown areas, including Jamestown and Olean, as a winner of a $10 million dollar grant that is part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
The goal of the DRI is to transform downtown areas through the ideas created by those who live there to attract businesses and other economic development.
“Mayor Rosas we know you mentioned developing the marina, we know this marina needs to be strong and it needs to attract people. We also need to continue working to have some fun options, I’ve always long believed that having a downtown brewery, the rest happens. It just happens. And an indoor waterpark, I know you have so many ideas and visions so we know that these ideas are brilliant, they’re great, it’s what the community wants,” says Hochul.
In order to win this award, small cities developed a strategic plan through a bottom-up, community-based process that articulates a final revitalization vision and identifies a list of signature projects.
“Its position, and I’m a boater, a new boater the last few years, the beauty of Lake Erie. It’s the communities that dot the shoreline like Dunkirk have such potential. It’s almost like they don’t realize how cool they can actually be,” says Hochul.
Dunkirk plans to utilize its waterfront to redevelop the business district and mixed-income residential opportunities. Through this vision, Dunkirk looks to build a diverse and strong manufacturing base, as well as create a new digital and biopharma sector.
“We’re ready to take that giant step to become a destination here in Western New York. We believe that this plan that we proposed will help us to bring in folks from the western part of the state. I’m talking about the state of Pennsylvania, state of Ohio. This will become a destination,” says Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas.
The planning team created ten projects for their proposal including the marina, a waterpark, and having the presence of Jamestown Community College, in Dunkirk.
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