Ligonier Borough is seeking private grants to proceed with plans to renovate its iconic Diamond.
The project would be the first renovation of the Diamond at the center of the 1-square-mile borough since 1970. Council approved a concept for the renovations last year that includes a 10-inch curb around the island and widening the road to reduce damage from vehicles.
Engineer Greg Elliott of the Altoona-based EADS Group said during a council meeting Thursday that the borough applied in January for a grant from the Robert King Mellon Foundation for funds to pay for engineering and final designs on the project, which could cost more than $1 million.
Borough Secretary-Treasurer Paul Fry said council is seeking more than $100,000 from the foundation to help pay for a cost analysis, drawings and other technical aspects of the project.
“If we don't get the first grant, then we can't proceed,” he said.
He said that unless the borough gets outside funding, it would have to continue to make repairs as needed to the Diamond.
Through a second application to the Mellon Foundation to be submitted in June, borough officials plan to seek money to pay for construction.
The borough's yearly budget is about $1.2 million, so Fry said paying for the project from the general fund is “out of the question completely.”
“The tax dollars maintain it … but to do a complete refurbish, that's why we're applying for the grants,” he said.
The committee on the project has proposed a “wish list” of items that includes radiant heat under the sidewalks on the island, security cameras and new lighting.
Fry said that whether those items will be part of the project depends on how much the borough can raise.
Elliott said he anticipates seeking bids in November and awarding contracts in December if the borough receives the grant money. Construction would begin early in 2017.
Council President Jim McDonnell said he wants to consult an arborist to examine the nearly 65-year-old trees on the Diamond to determine how much longer they are likely to live. He said he wants professional advice on whether to remove the trees — that likely would raise objections from residents who enjoy them — as part of the work next year.
“We're not going to be able to replace the trees that may come down with trees of the same size,” he said.
Whether any trees are taken out as part of the renovation, one expert the borough consulted has warned officials some trees on the island are not healthy and will have to be taken down, Fry said.
“It's split already,” Fry said of one tree. “Through an investigation with the forester, it was determined that that tree and one other one near the fountain would have to come out.”
Gideon Bradshaw is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6660 or gbradshaw@tribweb.com.
