$2M Sought For Haverford Library Redevelopment Project

HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP, PA — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon recently submitted requests to fund 15 community projects in Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District, including one in Haverford Township.

Implemented last year, the Community Project Funding program allows members of Congress to make recommendations for funds to be set aside within specific federal accounts for certain projects proposed by local governments, public institutions, and nonprofits.

In Haverford, Scanlon is seeking $2 million for the Haverford Township Free Library Redevelopment project.

According to Scanlon's office, the current library is both undersized and underdeveloped, which limits services to not only the Haverford Township community but also the larger regional community of over 180,000 visitors per year.

Using funds provided by this CPF request, Haverford Township will be able to bring its library into the 21st century, expanding the quality and range of services it provides to better serve the ever-changing demographics and needs of the residents of Haverford Township and surrounding communities.

The redeveloped library will feature a range of amenities, including a sensory room for the those with autism or other development challenges; a maker space/innovation zone that will support STEM education, workforce development, and entrepreneurship; a youth services floor to build out a safe space for teens and tweens who are looking for books, programs, and a place to study and gather after school; and a dedicated senior space with resources and programs geared toward community and lifelong learning.

Scanlon secured funding for all 10 projects she submitted for Fiscal Year 2022, totaling nearly $8.5 million in funding for the district.

Legislators were permitted to recommend up to 15 projects for 2023.

The final determination on which projects will be funded is made by the House Committee on Appropriations and is subject to a vote in the House on a Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill.

"Our office received 50 high-quality applications from nonprofit and government organizations across PA-05," Scanlon said. "After exhaustive deliberation — including steps to ensure all projects have broad community support, advance equitable goals, and meet other program parameters — I am thrilled to recommend these excellent projects to the Appropriations Committee for consideration. Each of these well-thought-out projects responds directly to one or more of our community’s most pressing needs, and I am proud to advocate for federal funding to support them."

Full project descriptions are available on Scanlon’s website here.