Category: Projects
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Community Coffee Chats on Tour
Summer is flying by and there has been a lot going on behind the scenes that we are hoping to be able to share soon! Hint: think large-scale 3D printers, agrivoltaics, and new business opportunities. During the month of June, we took a break from Foxburg Fridays at Divani. But now, Community Coffee Chats are… Read more
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Kickoff Meeting for Communities LEAP Initiative: Paving the Way for Energy Resilience and Job Creation in Venango County
On Wednesday, July 10th, at 3 PM, a pivotal kickoff meeting was held to mark the commencement of a groundbreaking project under the Department of Energy’s Communities Local Energy Action Program (Communities LEAP). The meeting brought together an impressive array of representatives from the Pellere Foundation, the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Venango County, DBS… Read more
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Local Foundation Selected for DOE Local Energy Action Program (LEAP)
Oil City, Pennsylvania – [3/27/24] – The Pellere Foundation is proud to announce its selection into the second cohort of the federal Local Energy Action Program (LEAP). This marks a significant opportunity for Oil City, a designated LEAP Eligible Community. A LEAP Eligible Community, as defined by the Department of Energy (DOE), is one that… Read more
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Redevelopment and Public Space
“Public space helps determine the relationship between people and their surroundings. It has the potential to create a sense of belonging, cultural vibrancy and in turn to promote happiness and wellbeing.” – Laura Valdés, writer for Metropolis.org Following the public planning meeting for the proposed Fox-Hunt community park in Foxburg, I thought it might be… Read more
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Allegheny River Trail in Clarion County Public Planning Meeting
A couple of weeks ago, at one of our coffee chats in Foxburg, Lisa Myers joined us. Lisa is a champion and staunch supporter of Allegheny River Trail in Clarion County (ARTinCC). She was kind enough to give me a tour of the riverfront property where the proposed Fox-Hunt Community Park will be and a… Read more
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Local Community Gardens and an Update from River Roots Community Farm
Community Gardens are assets that bring not only fresh food but a much-needed sense of community. In addition to the River Roots Community Farm located in Foxburg (update below), there are other community gardens in the area. About twelve years ago, a group of church members at First Presbyterian Church in Oil City were interested… Read more
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Brownfields to Greenspace
When discussing redevelopment, we often think primarily about buildings or industrial sites being cleaned up and developed as another structure or business space. Redevelopment can also mean transforming a place back into a natural or semi-natural state. Let’s talk brownfields to greenspaces. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a brownfield as “a property, the expansion,… Read more
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Woolworth’s Building Revitalization
Investing in the economic vitality of Downtown Oil City, from the bottom up. Moving away from the top-down, grant-based model for community development to a more localized, entrepreneurial approach. Revitalizing distressed communities is one of the largest and most intractable problems in America today. Rural towns in economic distress did not just happen but are… Read more
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River Roots Farm – Spring Update
Winter might seem like it would be a pretty slow time for projects like River Roots Community Farm, but behind the scenes, Community Farm Coordinator, Jeremy, has been hard at work. Throughout the winter, he has been researching, planning, and gathering materials to make 2023 a successful growing season. By using a succession planting method,… Read more
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River Roots Community Farm Update – Nov. ’22
The gardens are put to bed for the most part (green onions, chives, and parsley are still available to cut!). But, things are still moving along with the community farm, and today our new gazebo and garden shed arrived. Both were built by a local craftsman and delivered this morning to the farm site at… Read more
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Pitfalls and Best Practices
Published first on the Progress News, September 12, 2022 One of the best things about visiting other areas undergoing redevelopment is the opportunity to learn from the successes and challenges of projects in those areas – being able to analyze our own community’s similarities and differences and figure out our most practical next steps. We never… Read more
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Notes from the National Brownfield Conference
Published first on the Progress News, September 5, 2022 A couple of weeks ago, from the 15th to the 19th of August, I was lucky enough to tour a number of former brownfield sites in Oklahoma City. It wasn’t just a random trip; it was the much-delayed, long-awaited National Brownfield Conference – the first in over… Read more