Spring City Gets Big Grant For 'Game Changing' Parking Downtown

SPRING CITY, PA — Spring City Borough will be able to create a downtown parking lot, compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, thanks to a community revitilization grant of $550,000.

Borough of Spring City Council President Don Shaner called the funding and project a "game changer." He announced the borough was happy to be awarded funding through the Chester County Community Revitalization Program, specifically to help improve the parking lot at Yost Avenue and North Main Street.

"The grant will enable the borough to rehabilitate this lot and ensure it meets ADA requirements. This should help in alleviating some of the parking issues on Main Street and hopefully spur business growth in the future," said Shaner.

Shaner thanked Chester County Commissioners and their staff for issuing the award. He also thanked State Sen. Katie Muth (D-44th) and State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten (D-155th) for their letters of support in order to secure the grant.

Borough officials said they spent years to get to this point. Through the process, the borough had to negotiate with an owner originally unwilling to sell to the borough, spend nearly a year in the courts clearing the title to the property, and finally work for close to two years obtaining the funding to make the lot compliant with the American Disabilities Act.

Shaner said that while it has not been a simple process, Borough Council feels this will be a "game changer" for the downtown commercial district.

"Last but not least, Council would like to thank our Borough Manager, Dennis Rittenhouse, for his tireless efforts working on the grant proposal," said Shaner.

Social media followers offered dozens of happy responses to the news last week.

Friel Otten said, "Congratulations. My office was glad to help."