Bangor City Council approves ARPA funding for Bangor Area Recovery Network

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Bangor City Council approved $415,000 in ARPA funding to a local recovery organization.

Bangor Area Recovery Network, also known as BARN, requested the amount to help cover the costs of renovating their current location.

The building was built in the 1950s and needs updates to the foundation, electrical wiring and making the property more accessible for people who live with mobility limitations.

The community center’s interior renovations will expand the space and enhance the safety and accessibility of the building.

Executive Director Robert Fickett says he is grateful for the community coming together to help their organization.

“Their showing of support from the Bangor City Council was really, actually myself another board member cried a little bit. But it was just there was no question. They just kind of unanimously said, of course we’re gonna support this and knowing that our city and our community is behind us like that feels really good,” Fickett said.

The city previously set aside $4.2 million of its original $20.8 million in pandemic relief funding for a few local organizations in partnership with the county.

The rest of the money must be earmarked by 2024 and spent by 2027.

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