Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation grants $100,000 to Picayune
Published 7:00 am Thursday, July 3, 2014
GREEN SPACE FUNDING: The city of Picayune was issued a check for $100,000 that will be used to develop a green space on Goodyear Boulevard. From left are LPRVF president Clyde Dease, secretary Dr. Pam Thomas, vice president Sidney Whitley, Picayune City Manager Jim Luke and Picayune Grants Administrator Christy Goss.
Photo by Jeremy Pittari
The green space under development on Goodyear Boulevard in Picayune received another boost in funding from the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s grant adds another $100,000 to the $400,000 the city received from MDOT last month.
Foundation vice president Sidney Whitley said he was pleased to present the grant to the city for the development of the green space. He said the city can reapply for additional funding in the next fiscal year, which starts in October. City Manager Jim Luke said the city intends to apply for additional grant funding from LPRVF.
Luke said the city appreciates the additional funding the Foundation provided and the money will go a long way towards the green space development.
The foundation was established through funds collected from the sale of Crosby Memorial Hospital in 1998, which is the lot the green space now occupies. Crosby Memorial was sold to Forrest General Hospital shortly after Hurricane Katrina, at which time the name was changed to Highland Community Hospital. Several years after Forrest General acquired the hospital they began construction on a new building, which is located off of U.S. 11. It opened in July of 2012.
The old hospital site on Goodyear sat vacant until the city purchased the building and demolished it at a total cost of $255,000. According to a previous story in the Item, Luke estimates the empty lot could be worth as much as a million dollars.
Now the city intends to build a walking track, a stage or amphitheater, bathrooms and install wrought iron fencing at the green space. It will not be used for sporting events.
Plans are being drawn up and implementation of the plan is expected to begin later this year, according to previous stories.
Luke said he would like to thank Grants Administrator Christy Goss and City Clerk Amber Hinton for their hard work in securing this and other grants.
The presentation took place the same day Dr. Ted Alexander passed. Alexander was acting as the chief executive officer for the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation at the time of his passing. He was also a former Pearl River Community College president. He passed in the early morning hours of Wednesday. He was 78-years-old.
“We will certainly miss Dr. Alexander,” Luke said at the presentation.
He is survived by Barbara Alexander, his wife, and two sons.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
