Village of Dryden schedules meetings as NY Forward planning progresses

The village of Dryden has scheduled a variety of meetings to further discuss and plan ways to spend its New York Forward funding.

Earlier this year, Dryden won a $4.5 million grant through the third round of the NY Forward program. After two unsuccessful applications, the village got the grant on the third try.

The village was selected by the Southern Tier Economic Development Council to receive the grant.

“Investment from this program will allow Dryden to develop a strategic investment plan and implement transformative projects in its downtown area,” according to a release.

The village recently announced that a NY Forward public workshop will take place on Sept. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Dryden Fire Department building at 26 North St.

“This workshop will provide information on the NY Forward program, solicit input on revitalization strategies for Dryden and review proposed projects through the NY Forward open call platform,” the release noted. “All are welcome.”

Spearheaded by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the NY Forward program was created “to invigorate and enliven downtowns in New York’s smaller and rural communities, the type of downtowns found in villages, hamlets and other small, neighborhood-scale municipal centers,” according to the state’s website.

NY Forward was formed from the success of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). Both programs have brought the total amount of funding allocated to $1.2 billion.

For those who cannot attend the workshop in person, the village is offering a virtual component from Sept. 18 to 25 at DrydenNYF.com.

The village’s Local Planning Committee will also hold its fourth meeting on Sept. 23 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Dryden Village Hall at 16 South St.

“The meeting is open to the public and will include an opportunity for public comment at the conclusion of the meeting,” the release noted. “This meeting will focus on public input, local engagement efforts and a detailed analysis and discussion of proposed projects.”

Dryden was one of three municipalities within the Southern Tier region to receive grant funding. The village of Bath was also awarded $4.5 million in NY Forward funding, while the city of Binghamton got $10 million from the DRI program.

“This achievement represents the culmination of a collaborative effort between the village board [of trustees], our dedicated staff, the Dryden Business Association and passionate community members,” village Mayor Mike Murphy said.

For more information, contact Stefan Lutter at 315-728-4267 or email at Stefan.Lutter@dos.ny.gov.

Organizer of Dryden Center for Community provides recognition for project

Local resident Stephanie Ortolano, who is one of the organizers for the Dryden Center for Community (DCC) and its fundraising initiative, provided recognition for those involved in the project.

“There are some key people involved,” Ortolano said. “Thomas Sinclair convened the first Dryden Community Center exploratory committee and is the president of our Board of Directors. Cathy Wakeman is the board secretary and cheerleader for all the wonderful things happening in Dryden. Zoe Leonard is a realtor extraordinaire and local business person. Cindy Kjellander-Cantu is our graphic designer and experienced board member who was deeply involved with the former Community Center Cafe. Kim Schenck is another Community Center Cafe organizer, former business owner and invested community member. Rich Winter is a former trustee of the Dryden United Methodist Church. Ann Marie Streeter [is] a social worker connected to many services that are in need of meeting space. Many more people attended exploratory committee meetings and have added their voice to the conversation.”

According to a description, the DCC is “a not-for-profit community center in the heart of the village of Dryden. Soon to be located in the former Dryden United Methodist Church, our vision is that the Dryden Center for Community will be an inclusive gathering place where the sounds and sights of community creativity always stream through its open doors,” Ortolano said on the website. “We want to create a welcoming space for everyone in the greater Dryden community.”

For more information on the DCC, send an email to info@drydencenter.org or go to drydencenter.org.

“We are all working to make the Dryden Center for Community a reality, and we appreciate your support,” Ortolano said.

In brief:

Upcoming meetings in Dryden

The Dryden Town Board is scheduled to meet on Sept. 11 and 18, each time at 6 p.m. at the Dryden Town Hall at 93 E. Main St. in Dryden. The public is invited to attend either in person or via Zoom.

The town’s planning board is slated to meet on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. at the town hall. This meeting can also be attended either in person or Zoom.

For more information, contact the town hall at 607-564-9981. Meeting agendas are available at dryden.ny.us.

The Village of Dryden Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet in person at 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Dryden Village Hall at 16 South St.

Book club to meet on Sept. 16

Jennie’s Book Club is set to meet at 10 a.m. Sept. 16 for a discussion at the Southworth Library at 24 W. Main St. in the village of Dryden.

The book this month is “Klara and the Sun” by Kazuo Ishiguro.

For more information, go to southworthlibrary.org.