The Emeryville Connection: A news magazine published by the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce
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Representative Barbara Lee Secures Funds, Tours Emeryville Projects
Rep. Barbara Lee stepped off an AC Transit zero-emissions bus in front of the Emeryville City Hall last month and announced she was carrying more than bus fare--$600,000 in federal appropriations for two important city projects.
She was greeted by smiling city officials and other civic boosters eager to hear her announcement that she had secured funds for the proposed Arts and Cultural Center and the mobile fire pumping station.
“We’re very excited,” Vice Mayor Ruth Atkin declared at a press conference announcing the appropriations. “We are very appreciative.”
Lee announced the appropriations during a January 14 bus tour of her congressional district, which includes Emeryville. The appropriations are in the recent spending bill approved by Congress.
The Arts and Cultural Center will get $300,000, which boosters called a vital contribution to the $7.1 million project that is now about half-funded city officials said.
The other half will be used to purchase a mobile pumping station to be used in firefighting during the event of an earthquake, according to Emeryville Fire Chief Steve Cutright.
In her remarks, Lee said Emeryville was a city on the cutting edge.
“It’s a pleasure to work with you. You are doing so much. I commend you for working in a partnership to make Emeryville a shining light,” she said.
“I wanted to focus on some of the positive things happening in our congressional district and I am visiting a variety of places to highlight some of them. There is very little due to the war and tax cuts, but if there is a nickel left, I’m going to fight for it,” she said.
Atkin said that the Arts and Cultural Center already has three tenants lined up and others interested. It would give arts groups in Emeryville a permanent home instead of having to spend time and money searching for a venue for their various events and programs.
Emeryville’s plans for the center call for renovation of a historic 66-year-old warehouse in the Park Avenue district. It will be the first facility in Emeryville to feature arts and cultural activities through performing arts and visual media.
It also will be the permanent home of the Emeryville Historical Society and may be used to support art programs with the Emery Unified School District. Half-funded, the balance of the money is expected to come from grant applications and a variety of local fund-raising events.
In the event of an earthquake and failure of the city’s water mains, Emeryville homes and other buildings will be at risk during any fire. The mobile pumper will draw water from the Bay, pump it via a huge hose to outlying fire trucks that will be able to tap into it much like a fire hydrant and fight fires, Cutright said.
With the money from Lee, the city now has enough funds to buy the mobile pumping station, which Cutright said costs $550,000.
John VanLandingham is a writer for The Emeryville
Connection. If you have a question or comment, please contact him at ecocnews@gmail.com
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