Berks Municipal Projects Win Grants from Casino Fees

HARRISBURG PA – Four grants with a total value of nearly $219,000, funded by fees generated from gambling in Pennsylvania, will benefit three eastern Berks County municipalities, 24th District state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick says.

A Berks borough and two townships are scheduled to receive money from the Commonwealth Financing Authority to support local projects , the senator announced in media releases distributed Tuesday (March 18, 2025).

Also receiving grants are municipal projects in Cumberland, Westmoreland, and York counties, according to the state.

All are being paid for under the “Category 4 Facilities Program” of Pennsylvania’s Local Share Account. Administered by the authority, it uses state-collected casino revenue to pay for community improvement projects specifically within the four counties. All are hosts to casinos with between 300 and 750 slot machines and up to 40 table games.

Berks’ Recipients: Boyertown, Washington, Amity

Winning grants in Berks County are:

• Boyertown Borough, $66,462, for locker room renovations at the Boyertown YMCA. The existing locker room and an “underutilized area across from the pool” will be transformed into “a new, 2,600-square-foot family locker room.” The new space is “designed to meet various needs of the community,” the borough says. It applied for the grant on behalf of the Greater Philadelphia YMCA;

• Washington Township, $100,000, to buy and install an emergency generator for its Weinsteiger Road pump station. The generator “will provide power … in emergency situations,” and help “ensure its sewer infrastructure operates efficiently during severe weather or major power outages;”

• Washington Township, $30,681, to buy new portable radios, equipment installation, and professional services. The current radio system is more than 30 years old and “nearly obsolete,” the township explains. It hopes to address concerns over safety, slower response times in emergencies, and the need for strong radio coverage in all areas. They money will pay for a UHF repeater, 15 mobile radios, eight handheld radios, and related equipment; and

• Amity Township, $21,788, to buy solar-powered speed radar signs. They “will be placed in high-risk areas, such as school zones and residential neighborhoods.” Traffic studies have shown that speed radar signs calm traffic and make streets safer for drivers and pedestrians, the township notes.

“I advocated for these grants because public infrastructure and recreation are essential for healthy communities, but come with a significant price tag,” Pennycuick says.

The authority is an independent agency of the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

Photo by Curated Lifestyle on Unsplash+, used by Travels With The Post under license