City of Jasper set to receive $1,000,000 for improvements to Perrow Park 

City of Rockmart will receive $1,000,000 for renovations to the Rockmart Theatre

Dade County will receive over $600,000 to upgrade 8,000 feet of water main lines

Investments made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Appalachian Regional Commission

Senator Reverend Warnock: “North Georgia is in the midst of an infrastructure revolution thanks to the continuing benefits of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) announced a new set of federal investments totaling $1.6 million for Dade County and the City of Jasper made possible by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). In the City of Jasper, the $1,000,000 investment will be used for improvements to Perrow Park, enabling the city to host more events, increase visitor traffic, spending and revenues to the 78 downtown businesses. The project includes construction of a 950-seat amphitheater with 25 additional handicap-access seats, accessible parking and sidewalks, food truck parking and seating area, public restrooms, storm water control and new greenspace.

In Dade County, the $618,250 investment will go towards a two-part project that includes installation of 8,000 feet of new water main upgrades along Vanguard Industrial Road and State Route (SR) 299 near Trenton, GA. This water distribution system services residential and commercial customers and a medical facility. The project will improve service for 139 businesses, 1,409 households and increase the water capacity at Trenton-Dade Industrial Park, building capacity for new businesses to locate there.

“When Georgians sent me to the U.S. Senate, they sent me to serve all Georgians in every corner of the state, which is why I am thrilled to see these federal funds help upgrade the infrastructure of our vital North Georgia communities,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “North Georgia is experiencing an infrastructure revolution thanks to the continuing benefits of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and I will continue working to see these investments through.” 

The City of Rockmart will receive $1,000,000 for renovations to the Rockmart Theatre. The project will result in greater visitor capacity, improvement to 10 local businesses open in the evening, and over 9,500 square feet of upgraded infrastructure. Funds will be used for renovations to preserve this important cultural asset and stimulate economic activity in the downtown area. In 2022, the City of Rockmart made a long-term commitment to improving their central business district by creating the Rockmart Downtown Development Authority to address the downtown vacancy rate of 50 percent. A pivotal project in Rockmart’s downtown redevelopment strategy is to renovate the Rockmart Theatre and reestablish this cultural resource as a destination for area residents and tourism. The city anticipates fifteen new performances in the first full year after renovations are completed.

The City of Gainesville and Georgia Mountains Regional Commission will receive $100,000 to add new contractual personnel to provide grant development and management expertise to a twelve-county service area in the Georgia Mountains Region. The increased capacity will allow staff to focus technical assistance in the areas of economic development and planning. Work will help build local governments’ capacity to develop and implement new projects made possible through increased levels of funding available and other new economic development programs. Funding for this project is provided by Ready Appalachia, a community capacity building initiative funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and through additional support from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity, strengthen economic growth in Appalachia, and help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.

###