Fort Valley State University News October 27, 2010 $1.5 million awarded to Fort Valley & FVSU to complete beautification project The spit of land at the corner of State University Drive and Camellia Boulevard near the railroad track in Fort Valley is the spot where Mayor John Stumbo, former County Commission Chairman James Khoury and Fort Valley State University President Larry E. Rivers launched an ambitious community beautification project four years ago. Soon after the announcement, passersby saw their words backed with action. Dilapidated homes were demolished and a FVSU monument was placed strategically in the middle of the main thoroughfare leading to the university campus. Then, the work slowed to a standstill. But this week, the streetscape initiative will get back on track. A $1.5 million boost from the U. S. Department of Transportation will allow for the project’s completion. A request for funding was submitted by the Middle Georgia Regional Commission (MGRC), under USDOT’s TIGER II program, and was approved. In the same spot where the project began in 2006, 50 community leaders and university administrators gathered to celebrate the good news on a windy Tuesday, Oct. 26 under a royal and beige blue tent. “Dreams Do Come True” is the message etched on a poster showing a photo rendering of how the entrance to the FVSU corridor will look. The same theme echoed throughout the half hour program. “We wanted to make access to our university attractive,” said Stumbo. “We wanted it to be first rate. Dreams do come true,” he added. According to Stumbo, the federal department received requests from throughout the country totaling $200 billion. Only 3 percent of the proposals were approved, and less than 1 percent were totally funded. The Fort Valley/FVSU grant is among the few to receive the full amount. The mayor praised the tenacity of MGRC staffers Courtney Payne and Laura Mathis, City Administrator Martha McAfee and FVSU Public Service Center director Joy Moten-Thomas. Thomas, also FVSU’s director of Facilities Development was singled out for her role in helping to develop the streetscape’s design and pushing the project forward at every phase. “It’s been a long road,” said Thomas. “A lot of people had given up hope, but we persevered. We made it happen, now everyone will benefit,” “I think it’s great,” said Barbara Williams, Fort Valley City Council member and 1971 FVSC graduate. “When people come into Fort Valley heading to the university, we want them to see the beauty of the community.” “We’re proud to be a partner with Fort Valley State,” said Martin Moseley, Peach County Commission Chairman. The commission provided $250,000 in matching funds, bringing the project total to $1.7 million. The funds will be used to implement a streetscape for State University Drive, which includes the widening of a portion of the street, improved sidewalks, the installation of a median with trees, and new streetlights and crosswalks. As the budget permits, improvements will also be made on other streets in surrounding neighborhoods. A jubilant President Rivers summed up his sentiments. “We’re going to start turning shovels tomorrow! Let’s start hiring workers and get the money circulating in this community.” —FVSU— Contact: Marketing and Communications (478) 825-6319, fvsu_pr@fvsu.edu SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org www.hbculibraries.org 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org Honor the ancestors, honor the children.