AHA! Fall River was awarded a $6,000 grant for program expansion from MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative to provide events on Old Second street just to the south of Government Center. The grant will spearhead efforts to rehabilitate the block long open space that the City owns to stimulate pedestrian activity and events. City Planning Director William Kenny noted that approximately $2.5 million from the sale of land in the Southcoast Life Sciences and Technology Park on Innovation Way by the Fall River Redevelopment Authority to Amazon would be available for this and other projects. He noted that repairs to the sidewalks and lighting were needed and has plans to engage architecture students from nearby Roger Williams University will be engaged to create a design proposal for the space. Craig Dutra, CEO of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts which supports the AHA! program in Fall River and New Bedford praised the grant award and what it would do for the AHA! program in Fall River. Both David and Sandy Dennis were presented with a citation from Mayor Sutter for their work on the project. Mass in Motion Fall River Coordinator Julianne Kelly was on hand for the announcement and noted that it fits nicely into a recent grant-funded project to encourage walking in the City. Click here for an eleven-minute video of the event. Click here for the Herald News article about the announcement. Click here and here for photos of  recent AHA! events that used space on Old Second Street. For more information about the AHA! project, contact Sandy Dennis at 508-646-3621.

(Top row, left and right) Rob Bentlyewski, Dave Dennis, William Kenny and Mayor Sutter greet Helen Rego of the Niagara Neighborhood Association. (Top row, center) Mass in Motion Fall River Coordinator, right, greets Sandy Dennis before the announcement. (Row two) City Planning Director William Kenny, AHA! spokesperson, Mayor Sutter and Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts CEO Craig Dutra, CEO begin the announcement. (Row two, right) Mayor Sutter presents a proclamation from the City to Sandy and Dave Dennis for their work on AHA!. (Row three) Mr. Dutra praises the AHA! program in Fall River before Mr. Kenny describes the work that the architecture students will be doing to design the space. (Bottom row) Mr. Kenny is interviewed by Herald News reporter Deborah Allard before posing for a photo with the group with Old Second Street behind them. (Bottom row, right) Ms. Dennis talks with SSTAR Community Prevention Coordinator and Ms. Kelly following the event.