Sikeston projects receive more than $3M in grants

SIKESTON, Mo. — Four projects in Sikeston were awarded more than $3 million in grants Thursday, March 23, through the Community Revitalization Grant Program, the City of Sikeston announced Friday, March 24.

The City of Sikeston along with the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corp. (DAEOC), Grace Community Center and the Southeast Missouri Food Bank were all awarded grants totaling $3,317,353.

The City of Sikeston received $770,634 for the expansion of Legion Park.

Sikeston director of Parks and Recreation Dustin Care said the city parking lot, to the west of Legion Park that is asphalt, will be turned into green space and a downtown bathroom will be built that will go inside of the existing Legion Park.

An open-air market, to hold things such as the farmers market, will be constructed as part of the expansion project along with the purchase of a portable ice skating rink that will be open seasonally. Care said he thought the ice skating rink would be open from the beginning of December to coincide with the downtown parade and tree lighting events.

"I'm really excited about the ice skating rink," Care said. "I feel like we've been talking about that for years. Hopefully, it will draw more people from the area, not only Sikeston but surrounding communities, and get more people to come to Sikeston and our parks."

Also included in the project is an expansion of the rail trail to Sunset Drive. It currently stops at Scott Street.

The project also includes the partial street closure of New Madrid Street from Malone to Front Street. Care said it will be converted to a grass area and be part of the park.

"I'm very excited," Care said, adding that this is the first grant he has ever played a major role in. "It's something that is definitely needed."

DAEOC received $1,089,295 and will transform a vacant downtown Sikeston building into a regional community and cultural center.

The $2.2 million center will be known as the Malone Park Academy of the Arts, and will offer individual and family-oriented activities along with age-appropriate educational and recreational growth opportunities to residents of the six-county area. Programming will include music education, production and recording; photography and visual arts instruction, workshops and exhibits; dance, drama and performing arts classes and productions; academic tutoring; stability and strengthening classes such as yoga and Pilates; community service learning opportunities; and youth-focused after school, weekend and summer activities. Local and nationally-known guest speakers, artists, musicians and performers will be invited to visit the center, share life experiences, perform, conduct demonstrations and host workshops.

"The community action promise includes 'We care about the entire community ...' and through the flexibility of this funding, the project will provide opportunities to all of the region's residents without income or age restrictions," said Joel Evans, DAEOC president and CEO.

Evans said the concept for the project began with DAEOC board chairman Mike Marshall, who is a music lover and a true believer in the talent that exists within the youth of the community. The concept for an Academy of Art grew as Evans' belief in making fine art more accessible to all expanded the scope of the project.

DAEOC senior vice president Hillary Hamra added the possibility of including the performing arts and physical fitness. Many members of the DAEOC team, as well as local residents, contributed to developing the project and drafting a successful application.

Evans said collaboration with other local organizations continues to grow, which will prove to make this an amazing asset to the community.

Grace Community Center was awarded $1,107,424 for a youth center that will be at the corner of Compress and Petty.

The center will provide a place where youth can go for activities, food programs and educational opportunities.

"We thank God that we were chosen by the state to receive this grant," said Kenny King, co-pastor of Grace Bible Fellowship. "We appreciate everyone who helped us secure the grant. We are excited to be able to provide a community center on the west end."

SEMO Food Bank also received a $350,000 grant for new vehicles.

The money was awarded through the Department of Economic Development's Community Revitalization Program. A total of $94.15 million was awarded for 70 projects around the state. The program, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, is focused on investing in communities of all sizes to support local priorities, encourage economic recovery and build resilience for the future.

The Community Revitalization Grant Program was launched in September 2022. The program awarded competitive grants to applicants, including municipalities, counties and not-for-profit organizations, to benefit households, communities and small businesses affected by the pandemic. Grant awards will fund a variety of projects, such as downtown property renovations, business skills training, homelessness prevention and more.

A total of $100 million was allocated to the Community Revitalization Grant Program. A portion of the funding total was reserved for each Missouri region based on population, and every region except for the North region exhausted its reserved portion. The Department of Economic Development will hold a second round of funding for the North region, which initially had $10 million available and will have approximately $4 million available in the second round. Details on the second round will be shared at a later date.

To learn more about DED's ARPA-funded grant programs, visit ded.mo.gov/arpa.