LACKAWANNA, NY – Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera announced today that he has secured $208,000 in state grant funding for municipal recreation facilities within the City of Lackawanna’s First Ward, a culturally diverse sector of the city home to widely used sporting amenities.

The grant funding consists of two awards:

• A $175,000 grant administered through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) which will fund the installation of new drainage, ADA compliant sidewalks, bleacher seating, playground equipment and covered patio seating at the Lehigh Soccer Field, and;
• A $33,000 award through the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), which is being used to fund construction of a new street hockey court at Bethlehem Park Playground. 

Construction of the new street hockey court at Bethlehem Park is already underway and will be completed by end of August/early September.

Work at Lehigh Field will begin in mid-August starting with drainage and ADA sidewalk construction and will continue with the seating and playground equipment installation in stages through the end of the year, as equipment orders are fulfilled and received.

The upgrades represent a significant investment for one of Lackawanna’s cultural gems and a vibrant recreation hub for the city’s youth. Lehigh Field is used primarily by the Yemen Soccer Club – a team with a rich history whose mission is not only to excel in the game but also to promote sportsmanship, community engagement, and diversity.

The improvements, which will be funded by the state grant funding secured by Assemblymember Rivera, will see upgraded drainage around the field, the installation of a concrete walkway from the street to the playground area, and the installation of new playground equipment to make it ADA accessible. It will also add two new bleacher sets while replacing an existing one.

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “The City of Lackawanna contains a number of revered recreational spaces that are heavily frequented by its youth population. I am immensely proud to have secured funding that will not only help to maintain these spaces’ upkeep but will provide needed investments to expand their capacity so that their reach extends to new generations of residents.”

Assemblymember Pat Burke said, “Lackawanna is fortunate to have not one, but two dedicated Assemblymembers representing the district, and a great partner in Mayor Iafallo. Securing and processing these grants is no small feat; it's a complex and time-consuming process. Having strong partnerships across all levels of government is crucial to implementing these funds in a timely and effective way. Thank you to Assemblymember Rivera. I look forward to working with you to continue building on these efforts for the City of Lackawanna.”

City of Lackawanna Mayor Annette Iafallo said, “We’re thankful for the generous grant funding Assemblymember Rivera has provided to Lackawanna to help improve recreational amenities in our city’s First Ward. The upgrades being made to the Lehigh and Bethlehem Park playground sites through these grants will provide great enjoyment to young residents and families in Lackawanna for many years to come.”