Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
State officials announce $2.85M for new police station
WILLOW GROVE >> State Sen. Maria Collett (D-12th Dist.) and state Rep. Nancy Guenst (D-152nd Dist.) announced $2,850,000 in state grant funding to renovate the outdated space that currently houses the Upper Moreland Township Police Department and township administration and build a separate, state-of-the-art police station on the property.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community,” said Collett in a ceremony marking the check presentation. “This is a transformative investment for the people who live in Upper Moreland and those who serve them. To their credit, the men and women who work here have made do with what they have without ever sacrificing the quality of their service. But it’s time to show our appreciation with more than words.”
“The funding announced today will go a long way in providing the resources for the muchneeded renovations to Upper Moreland Township’s police station and township building,” Guenst said. “In addition, this project will allow for necessary safety measures and precautions that the previous building lacked.”
Clinton “Kip” McFatridge, president of the township’s Board of Commissioners, expressed his gratitude, and added: “This started about seven years ago, this project, and we’re finally there…. This means so much
when we can get money from the state in different avenues to get these projects done…. It’s time to get this done put a police station behind this building for the safety — they need
safety also so they can protect us.”
Following the announcement, Upper Moreland Police Chief Andrew Block and Township Manager Matthew Candland walked Collett and Guenst through the shared facility, built in 1967, highlighting some of the serious issues this funding will help address,
such as police cramped and inadequate holding, evidence storage and locker areas and the existing facility’s lack of lobby security and ADA accessibility. They also shared how the funded project will address them by constructing a new, state-of-the-art police station on the property.
This award was funded
through Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). The program is administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects.