WADDINGTON – The Village of Waddington is seeking a second round of public engagement for the Waddington New York Forward program. There are multiple ways for interested parties to participate.

The Village of Waddington has been awarded $2.25 million through the NY Forward program to fund downtown revitalization efforts. The Local Planning Committee (LPC) is evaluating a number of project proposals for potential funding consideration. Which projects do you think would make the most transformative impact on Waddington? We want to hear from you, an emailed press release states.

A virtual public meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. via Zoom; please register to attend at www.waddington-nyforward.com. This meeting will provide an opportunity to learn more about the proposed projects currently being evaluated.

An Online Project Gallery is available to learn more about each of the proposed projects at www.waddington-nyforward.com. For anyone who would like to view the proposed projects gallery in-person, an in-person Project Gallery is open through Oct. 12, at the Hepburn Library (30 Main Street).

To give feedback and share your perspective on how transformative each project will be to downtown, please complete a Project Questionnaire. Please complete by Oct. 12, at www.waddington-nyforward.com.

NY Forward is led by the Department of State, in close partnership with Empire State Development, NYS Homes and Community Renewal and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The Local Planning Committee (LPC) includes local and regional leaders, stakeholders, and community representatives. LPC members attend a variety of meetings at which they will be asked to brainstorm ideas, provide direction to consultants, review planning products, and prioritize actions. Mayor Michael

Zagrobelny and Steve Lawrence of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council are the Waddington LPC co-chairs.

NY Forward is a central component of the State's economic development efforts, working together with the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), to accelerate and expand the revitalization of New York's downtowns. NY Forward serves smaller communities with historic character that distinguishes them from the larger, more urban central business districts typically funded through DRI. NY Forward communities are walkable, less dense areas that serve the immediate local community, and are more local in nature - focusing on the immediately surrounding residential or rural agricultural centric development. Governor Kathy Hochul has committed $100 million for the first round of the NY Forward program. Each of the State’s ten Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) had the option of recommending two communities for $4.5 million NY Forward awards or three communities, one of which will receive $4.5 million and two will be awarded $2.25 million. Waddington was awarded $2.25 million.

More information about NY Forward can be Found at www.ny.gov/programs/ny-forward.