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Lancaster City Council awards millions to invest in community

A $5 million allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to invest in community facilities serving Lancaster City residents has been approved by the Lancaster City Council.

The investment in 11 projects is aimed at supporting public programs, improving quality of life and public health, creating economic opportunity, and promoting equitable outcomes for residents.   

Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace called the investment an opportunity to make transformational investments in our community facilities that will enhance the quality of life for all residents.

“By leveraging ARPA funds to support these projects, we can create modern, accessible, and inclusive spaces that reflect our values and goals,” Sorace said in a statement.  

Following is a list of the allocations:

Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster - $600,000 to make improvements to their clubhouse spaces.
Bright Side Opportunities Corporation – $500,000 to renovate existing facility.

Church World Service - $250,000 to create a welcome center for refugees.
Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County - $400,000 to renovate Bridge House and Crispus Attucks Center.
Lancaster Public Library - $500,000 for new library construction costs.
Lancaster Recreation Commission - $750,000 for facility expansion to serve recreational and childcare needs.
SACA Development Corporation (Centro Hispano) - $500,000 for renovations to the Hispanic Community Center to provide human services.

SACA Development Corporation (Tec Centro) - $500,000 for renovations to existing facility to provide vocational technical training.
South Ann Concerned Neighbors - $250,000 to build a community hub that will include one affordable housing unit.
Union Community Care - $500,000 to renovate and expand existing facility to create a dental clinic.
Uni-Vision Childcare - $250,000 to renovate existing facility to expand Spanish Immersion Center for early education.

In 2021, $39.5 million in ARPA funding was allotted to the City of Lancaster. Also in 2021, a public engagement process regarding the use of ARPA funds was launched. An interest in improved community services in public health, youth support, parks, and recreation were identified via feed from the community.

In 2022, a $7.4 million allocation of ARPA funds to create and preserve affordable housing was approved by Lancaster City Council.

Camp-Hill based Brown Golf merges with GreatLIFE Golf

Royal Manchester Golf Links in Mt. Wolf, York County, is one of GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness’s holdings – PHOTO/PROVIDED

Camp Hill based-Brown Golf merged with GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness of Topeka, Kansas, today creating one of the largest golf holding and management entities in the country, GreatLIFE said.

With the merger, GreatLIFE Golf’s portfolio will include fifty-three golf courses and five gyms located in nine states under the GreatLIFE Golf brand.

John Brown, co-founder and CEO of Brown Golf, will assume the role of GreatLIFE Golf CEO, with Jason Harshbarger, co-owner and CFO of Brown Golf, assuming the role of GreatLIFE Golf CFO.

Collectively, the GreatLIFE brand will represent seventy golf courses, six of which are in Pennsylvania including Royal Manchester Golf Links in Mt. Wolf, York County; twenty-five gyms and one bowling center.

“Both our organizations have thrived the last several years,” said Brown. “We did not accept status quo. We’ve both pushed ourselves to invent better solutions – solutions that are better for our customers, and our bottom line.”

“GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness and Brown Golf is a partnership for the future,” said Rick Farrant, founder of GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness.

“Brown Golf has the infrastructure for success and GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness has created a great brand and portfolio that we look forward to carrying forward via this merger under the GreatLIFE name. Now, we want to expand our portfolio and help more courses realize their potential,” he said.

Golf courses have been closing faster than opening. According to a study from the National Golf Foundation, over 450 courses have closed in the past three years. GreatLIFE Golf is on a mission to turn the tide, Farrant said.

“As golf owners and operators, we knew the problems facing golf courses, so we set out to solve them,” said Brown. “By building our own proprietary booking engine and technology solution GolfBack , we have given course owners and operators back their brand, their direct traffic, their profitability and their rounds of golf. The GreatLIFE Golf company will be fully supported by GolfBack’s technology delivering data collection, automated marketing, dynamic pricing and much more.”

When asked what is next for the organization, Brown said the company will have two equally important goals.

“First, growing the company’s management platform and portfolio with our current teams and partnerships. Delivering integrity, transparency, and innovation, while understanding the impact our client courses have on their communities. Second, acquiring new golf courses. We want to find the right properties to join our network of clubs and we are excited this merger has escalated our ability to do so,” Brown said.

Hanover Trolley Trail expansion to spur Spring Grove, Hanover economy

Members of the York County Rail Trail Authority and the community cut the ribbon on the new portion of the Hanover Trolley Trail Thursday – PHOTO/PROVIDED

The York County Rail Trail Authority has expanded a portion of dormant rail lines into a multi-use trail that authorities say will net York County $200 for every $1 invested.

The Hanover Trolley Trail expansion in Spring Grove Borough officially opened Thursday.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony, held at Thoman Field, East Railroad Street, Spring Grove, marks the completion of the first phase of an ambitious trail expansion program to convert 8.5 miles of dormant rail line into a multi-use trail.

Located east and west of Spring Grove, the rail corridor was purchased by the York County Rail Trail Authority in 2020, specifically to advance development of the Hanover Trolley Trail.

Between 2008 and 2013, two sections of the Hanover Trolley Trail were completed in the Spring Grove and Hanover areas along a Met-Ed utility corridor known as the York Hanover Trolley Line.

“Continued development of the Hanover Trolley Trail will have significant economic benefits for Spring Grove and Hanover, as trail users venture off the trail to patronize trail-friendly businesses and visit our York County Trail Towns,” said Silas Chamberlin, vice-president of the York County Economic Alliance and a member of the Authority.

“Study after study has consistently revealed the return on investments in trails, which attract businesses and residents to communities and spur revitalization,’ he said. “As a result, every dollar our county invests in trails returns over $200 to our regional economy.”

The trail is used by residents for walking, cycling, and other forms of outdoor recreation. The recently constructed section adds 0.3 miles to the Spring Grove trail section and creates walking and cycling links to the borough’s parks and downtown district.

The project is funded through grants from Explore York, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the County of York’s allocation of federal American Rescue Act Plan funds.

“Through this generous financial support, the Rail Trail Authority is able to convert this first section of dormant rail line for public use as a recreational trail,” said Frank Kempf, York County Rail Trial Authority chairman. “But this is just the beginning. As additional funding becomes available, future phases will be constructed.”

He added, “The Hanover Trolley Trail is a prime project to spur this type of local redevelopment in this part of York County.”

Additional sections of the dormant rail line are currently under design for conversion to a trail, as the York County Rail Trail Authority continues efforts to expand the Hanover Trolley Trail.

New round of trail tourism grants available in York County

The next round of Bloom grants to promote trail tourism in seven York County Trail Towns is now open.

In June 2020, the York County Economic Alliance launched the trail towns program in five communities along the York County Heritage Rail Trail: York, Seven Valleys, Glen Rock, Railroad and New Freedom. The next year, Hanover and Wrightsville were added.

The program is focused on increasing trail tourism and supporting and encouraging businesses that provide services and amenities to the nearly 500,000 trail users who pass through these communities annually.

This round of Bloom grants will allocate $30,000, with grants up to $3,000 available for projects related to outdoor recreational users and/or to make the business more trail user-friendly, according to a release.

Examples include improved marketing and promotions targeted at recreational users; expanding inventory; physical improvements; and the addition of bike-friendly amenities.

For-profit enterprises are the intended beneficiary of the grants, but nonprofit organizations providing a specific service to outdoor recreational users may be eligible to apply. Nonprofits should contact the York County Economic Alliance first.

Businesses that have not received previous Bloom grant funding will be prioritized, along with Black, Indigenous and people of color-owned businesses. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. March 7.

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Lancaster City Council awards millions to invest in community

New round of trail tourism grants available in York County

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