U.S. Senators seek millions in funding for county community center, UMES

Posted 6/13/22

WASHINGTON, D.C. — United States Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin are showing their support for an indoor recreation and community center in Westover by requesting $5 million in direct …

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U.S. Senators seek millions in funding for county community center, UMES

Posted

WASHINGTON, D.C. — United States Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin are showing their support for an indoor recreation and community center in Westover by requesting $5 million in direct federal funding for Somerset County.

This “Somerset County Community Center” would be the only one of its kind in the county, located at the centralized recreation park on Sam Barnes Road. At 10,000 to 15,000 square feet it would include a gym with two basketball courts, track, activity and meeting rooms plus administrative space. The proposal also calls for a synthetic turf field.

“Presently there is no facility like this in Somerset County, but there is a tremendous need for such an amenity,” according Sen. Van Hollen.

This is one of at least three funding requests by the two Democrats through the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee for FY23. Two others are for UMES. One is for $468,000 to establish the Cybersecurity Education, Research and Training Center for Critical Infrastructure and the other is $1.5 million to convert underutilized facilities into a new Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

This Center for Entrepreneurship would be open to the public and provide free services to new and small businesses and include incubator and maker spaces and educational facilities. The goal with such a facility would be to build economic development in the region and especially support minority-owned small business.

With nearly $7 million pending congressional approval Sen. Cardin stated, “Ultimately, only a few of these requested projects may receive funding.” Nevertheless both he and Sen. Van Hollen “will advocate for their requests to be included as the Appropriations subcommittees draft their respective bills over the coming months.”

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