Here's How Canton Will Spend Its American Rescue Plan Act Money

CANTON, CT — Canton received over $3 million from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 — and last week, town residents voted on how to spend most of it.

Canton voters approved a spending plan for $2,535,863 of their town's $3,034,667 at a meeting on Jan. 26, First Selectman Bob Bessel said in a letter to residents.

Bessel said $100,000 of it would be put toward "supplemental funding for social/emotional services and learning support," and most of the other uses he listed are infrastructure-based.

Voters approved funding for the following projects, Bessel said:

• Purchase air packs for the Fire and EMS departments.
• Strengthen physical security at Canton Town Hall for offices responsible for town funds
• Replace broken decking on the Farmington River Bike Trail
• Irrigate playing fields at Canton Intermediate School
• Replace the failing pool shell at Mills Pond and install a splash pad in place of the current wading pool
• Replace broken playground equipment
• Add a boat ramp near the Public Works Garage
• Help fund a new little league field at the high school
• Provide air conditioning to the High School and Town Hall Auditoriums so they can be used year round
• Improve broadband communications at Cherry Brook Primary School and in town meeting rooms
• Replace furnishings in the Library and Senior Center
• Provides funds to reduce the impact of pandemic restrictions on local businesses and non-profit tourist attractions

An additional $498,804 remains in contingency, and Bessel said it will be used to fill in any funding gaps on existing ARPA projects and be saved for future endeavors.

Town officials continue to apply for grants to cover some of the improvements listed, Bessel said, and if any money is received, ARPA funds will be allocated toward other projects.

Read Bessel's letter here.