BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A public meeting was held Tuesday to discuss the $4.5 million awarded to the community of West Falls through the NY Forward (NYF) program.
The program is meant to "invigorate and enliven downtowns in New York’s smaller and rural communities."
“I want it to go into the actual community. So these meetings that we’ve had so far...people have put in their proposals and a lot of them are private businesses, which in my opinion I don’t think they should get any of this money," said Missy Nuernberger.
“I’d like the money to go to a public pool put in up at JP Nicely Park. Summertime it’s a pool and winter time it's an ice skating rink,” Nuernberger said.
She would also like the town’s oldest and only library to receive what it deserves.
“The library deserves every penny, every penny they want and more. Those people are wonderful," said Nuernberger.
Others are excited about the project.
Conor Schneider is part of the board and the owner of West Falls Depot which was used from 1883 to 1955. Then it was converted into a house. He hopes to receive some funding to preserve the history.
“Create some kind of community venue where people can learn about the history of the railroad, learn about the history of West Falls. It’s a stop on the Rail Trail and NYS Scenic Byway and Route 240. It’s the first thing you see coming into the hamlet and last thing you see as you're going out. It could be the showpiece of the town, so I’m just really trying to restore the showpiece of West Falls," said Schneider.
Some committee members say this project is about making West Falls habitable.
“All of these projects are not going to happen, some of them will happen...some may not happen at all,” said Town Supervisor Charles Snyder.
“This planning process goes kind of until the end of the year, by the end of the year we’ll have a slate of projects, then the state will decide the funding early in the next year and then projects will start after that," said Angela Keppel, revitalization specialist, New York State Department of State.
The next public meeting will take place on August 27.
