Warwick Community Center, Winslow ask town for block grants
Warwick Each year, the federal government offers Community Development Block Grants to municipalities through county governments for projects to help aid low income areas, the disabled and senior citizens. This year, as in past years, Winslow Therapeutic Riding and the Warwick Community Center have asked the town to apply for grants for their facilities. Virginia Mazza, emeritus executive director of Winslow, asked the board to continue its funding of the Winslow program through this grant. Mazza said the group needs funds for additional pastures and paddocks, as well as to finish part of the driveway, coming to $65,000. Last year, the group received $20,000 from the Community Development Block Grant. For 32 years, Winslow Therapeutic Riding has been providing programs that are designed to meet the needs of children and adults with physical, mental or social disabilities, as well as those who wish to learn about horses and riding in a therapeutic environment. Karen Thomas, executive director of the Warwick Valley Community Center, described the building’s downstairs renovation. The entire lower level is being turned into a teen center. Thomas said the project was helped with a $15,000 grant through state Sen. Thomas Morahan, which went mostly for flooring, and a Juvenile Justice grant for the programs offered. The estimate for finishing the renovation, including making the bathroom handicap accessible and fixing the façade on the building, is $66,000 Towns and villages submit their projects to Orange County Community Development, which then makes its recommendations to the county executive. Those are sent to Housing and Urban Development for final approval. In recent years, Warwick has requested and received money for constructing handicap accessible bathrooms and funding to both Winslow Therapeutic Riding and the Community Center. The town’s new senior center was also built using funds from this grant. In the village, Community Development grants have helped replace old sidewalks and bathrooms as well.