Aberdeen Gets USDA Grant To Improve Quality Of Life

ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – A Monroe County town is looking to improve its quality of life with a USDA rural development grant.

Aberdeen is one of five communities that will benefit from a USDA Rural Development Grant.  That grant will help Aberdeen plan for improvements, such as streetscape enhancements and other projects to spur community development.

“One of the main things we have working is to complete renovation on Parkway Hotel, and connect our park system together, we are working on Acker Park, so we can renovate that and connect that with our depot,” said Mayor Charles Scott.  He says another project could see an entertainment district in downtown Aberdeen.

Mississippi Main Street has contracted with the Orion Planning and Design Group, to help those communities selected for the grant.  Earlier this week, the Orion Group met with Aberdeen Main Street members, who will serve as advisors during the process.

Over the next few months, action items will be identified that will focus on community development and physical improvements.

“Basically, we’re doing a bottom-up review of Aberdeen,” Mayor Scott said.

The Orion Group will be back in November to present findings and recommendations, but in the meantime, Mayor Scott says work will continue on projects already underway to improve Aberdeen.

“We’re not going to be in the wait mode, but in the do mode, they will help you because you have a group that is doing the work and have a group who wants to do the work, if you have those two combinations together, we can come in and help you bring it across the finish line,” Scott said.

A “community facilities plan” will be delivered to Aberdeen, and on-site training will also take place to help locals implement the community improvement projects.

Other Main Street cities receiving the grant are New Albany, Booneville, Water Valley, and Columbia.