O'Neill Community Center Groundbreaking Held

9/29/10 - Groundbreaking was held Wednesday for the new O'Neill Community Center at the site in south O'Neill. Master of Ceremonies was Scott Poese who welcomed a nice crowd and thanked them for their support of the new center.

Mayor Bill Price then told the crowd that O'Neill can be proud of this new addition and that after 14 years of thought and work that it is finally a reality.

Mauri Koenig, President of the O'Neill Chamber of Commerce then spoke and thanked all of those involved in making this a facility that will be available for generations to come. Koenig also stated the importance of having such a facility and the impact it will have in bringing small meetings and conventions to our town. By bringing more people to O'Neill this will also help our businesses in many ways.

Rich McIntosh, President of the O'Neill Community Center Committee was the next speaker. Rich thanked all of those involved. Rich thanked the City of O'Neill, O'Neill Development Corporation, O'Neill Chamber of Commerce, USDA and the individuals that have served on the Community Center Committee. Most importantly he thanked the many individuals and businesses in the O'Neill area that donated money to make the Center a reality.

Then the Mayor, City Council, City Administrator, members of the O'Neill Community Center Committee, O'Neill Development Corporation, O'Neill Chamber of Commerce and USDA turned over the first shovels of dirt.

RaDec Construction of Hartington are scheduled to start construction in the next two weeks.

O’NEILL TO GAIN COMMUNITY CENTER THANKS IN PART TO USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT
O’Neill, Neb., May 6, 2010 – The O’Neill Development Corporation will utilize a $750,000 loan awarded by USDA Rural Development through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, leveraged with $874,100 from the corporation to construct a 14,322 square foot community center in O’Neill, Neb.

“I'm excited that this project, which the City and its residents have been working on for many years, is becoming a reality,” said Mayor William Price, City of O’Neill. “This facility will be utilized and benefit not only the citizens of O'Neill but the surrounding communities as well."

O’Neill, with a population of 3,733, has a limited number of existing facilities in the community and surrounding areas to hold large gatherings. The construction of the O’Neill Community Center will provide the residents with a public building available for meetings, social gatherings, wedding receptions, local events, and many other services. The center, a pre-engineered building, will be located on 10 acres making it advantageous for future expansion. The center will feature a large meeting room with the capacity to accommodate 522 people. An additional room will have the ability to hold up to 60 people and there will be two small board meeting rooms in order to host more than one group at a time. The building will have handicapped accessible restrooms. There will be a small kitchen with commercial appliances available for use by the public. The large meeting room will contain an acoustical ceiling with a commercial sound system.

O’Neill Development Corporation, a Nebraska Non-profit corporation, will own the community center and lease it to the City.

Contact Mary Gambill (402) 387-2242 Ext. 112; mary.gambill@ne.usda.gov. Visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ne/.

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONSIDERING FUTURE STREET, WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS AT A SPECIAL MEETING ON FEBRUARY 8TH AT 7:30 P.M. IN PREPARATION FOR THE STREET ONE AND SIX YEAR REPORT AND WATER/SEWER TWO AND TEN YEAR PLAN. STREET, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT, WATER AND SEWER PROJECT PROPOSALS MAY BE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME OF THE MEETING OR IN WRITTEN FORM ℅ THE CITY CLERK AT 401 EAST FREMONT STREET.

Communities Honored for Affordable Housing Investment

Four area communities were honored by the Nebraska Housing Developers Association at the Central Nebraska Housing Developers First Annual Housing Conference held April 9 at Calamus Lodge in Burwell. The communities, Bassett, O’Neill, St. Paul and Stuart received 2008 Groundbreaker Awards from the Association in recognition of their local investment in affordable housing development.
“These communities have formed partnerships to make affordable housing development a key economic development strategy and a cornerstone for future growth,” said Danielle Hill, executive director of the Association. “Please join me in thanking each of these community leaders for their collaborative, visionary action and commitment to community development.”
Bassett was honored for fifteen years of housing improvement work, resulting in an estimated $8 million in economic impact for the community. The town has benefited from more homeowners, new and improved housing stock, and support for local businesses, including the hardware store, plumbers, electricians, and contractors.
O’Neill garnered its award for several innovative projects, including a rental housing inspection program that has been used as a model for other communities. The program helps to assure safety for tenants and protects the investments of property owners.
St. Paul has done remarkable work in housing rehabilitation spurring community-wide housing improvements that have enhanced the town’s “curb appeal.” Economic impact has resulted from increased appraisal valuations and the growth of the area’s tax base.
Stuart claims job creation as part of the economic growth resulting from its housing construction and rehabilitation programs. Affordable housing construction and renovation has been a community priority since the 1970’s and several local construction businesses have developed over the years to meet the area’s housing needs.
Established in 1996, the Nebraska Housing Developers Association has a membership base of more than 60 organizations working to strengthen the state’s economic vitality by making safe, affordable housing available to all Nebraskans. The Association provides technical assistance and training, leads statewide education and advocacy efforts, and partners in collaborative housing initiatives. Visit www.housingdevelopers.org for more information.