Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Climate Resilience topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Roanoke seeks $20 million EPA grant to build Hope Center resilience hub, park upgrades and Lansdowne cooling
Summary
City and community partners are submitting a $20 million EPA Community Change grant to fund a net‑zero Hope Center resilience hub, an outdoor resilience hub at McCadden Park and air‑conditioning/ventilation retrofits and electric stoves for Lansdowne housing, paired with community science and governance supports.
Interim City Manager Lydia Patton and project lead Brad Stevens told the Roanoke City Council on Sept. 3 that the city is one of four applicants pursuing an EPA Community Change grant with a maximum award of $20,000,000.
Brad Stevens, representing a partnership led by the Hope Center and Virginia Tech, described a three‑year proposal that pairs physical infrastructure with capacity building and community science. Key proposed investments include a net‑zero, battery‑backed Hope Center resilience hub that could operate during emergencies; an outdoor resilience hub and redesigned McCadden Park with a splash/flash pad, amphitheater, additional tree canopy and an innovative play area; and building retrofits in Lansdowne that would add air conditioning, mechanical ventilation and electric cooking to reduce indoor heat and asthma triggers.
Stevens emphasized community engagement: the project builds on a $1,000,000 NSF grant and multiple charrettes and includes student and resident involvement in community science to measure indoor and outdoor heat impacts. He said the team planned to submit the application Sept. 9 with an expected response in about a month and explained grant funds would include grant‑writing support for nonprofits starting mid‑project to help sustain activities after three years.
Council members asked about long‑term sustainment and maintenance costs for new infrastructure. Stevens and staff said the proposal includes capacity building, coordination with Parks & Recreation for maintenance, and a grants administrator position within the project to ensure federal construction compliance (Davis‑Bacon) and to support nonprofit partners in meeting requirements.
No formal council action was taken beyond receiving the briefing. Staff said the team will hear back on the application about a month after submission and could resubmit with revisions if needed.
