This is the audio from our monthly radio show: Focus on Stafford County. This show aired live Thursday, Jan. 25. Topics included a $50,000 HEAL grant that was awarded to the W.R. Gray Studio in St. John and a $50,000 loan from SJN Bank for the studio’s renovation. Other subjects included the Stafford County Port Authority, updates on the upcoming Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge; the county’s commercial kitchen, childcare, the Community Fair Building and new housing construction.
By: Ryan Russell
Gray Photo Studio (GPS) is soon to be renovated and will soon after open it’s art studio after receiving a $50,000 matching grant from Kansas Commerce Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL) program. SJN Bank of Kansas, which is always looking for ways to help develop Stafford County, has provided GPS with it’s match in the form of a loan. Without the matching loan, the HEAL grant would not have been possible.
Stafford County Economic Development Inc. (SCEDI) has been working with GPS to develop a plan to complete the historical building. SCEDI and GPS have a fiscal and administrative partnership. The buildings renovations will start no later than April and be completed by the end of the year. In March SCEDI and GPS are planning an online art auction that will benefit the GPS, with over 10 artists committed to donating pieces of art for the auction.
Stafford City Manager Jami Downing also applied on behalf of Stafford and received a HEAL Grant to renovate one of Stafford’s downtown buildings. See Governor Laura Kelly’s announcement of all the counties to receive the HEAL Grant.
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By Beccy Tanner
There may be a new/old look coming soon to the northwest corner of St. John’s Square.
A $45,000 matching grant awarded by the Kansas Creative Arts/Industries Commission – a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce—will portion some of that grant to St. John for use in building a Victorian-type gazebo.
The largest portion of the grant will go to Stafford to help them in helping the city construct a band shell.
A study last year determined both communities lack public outdoor spaces for special events.
Stafford’s project is called “Spaces Within The Places” and celebrates Stafford as the Gateway to Quivira.
With the annual Jubilee and Homecoming events held in the St. John Square, about $4,500 of the grant will go to St. John for construction of the gazebo and concrete pad.
In applying for the grant, Ryan Russell, director of Stafford County Economic Development wrote:
“These spaces will draw people together to hear music from all kinds of artists and bring young families together to enjoy the outdoors.”
The 10 x 16-foot gazebo in St. John will cost roughly $10,000 with $4,500 coming from the grant. The City of St. John will provide the remainder in funding along with the concrete pad and electrical wiring and sound for the gazebo.
Sturdi-Bilt near Hutchinson is constructing St. John’s gazebo.
It is expected to be delivered to St. John sometime in April or early May – in time for the Jubilee.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the square boasted a similar type of gazebo, and it was used as a forum for bands and special events. It eventually fell into disrepair and was torn down.
It is hoped the new gazebo will be a gathering place for people to once again come together.
This is the audio from our monthly radio show Focus on Stafford County. This show aired in December. It includes discussion on Giving Tuesday, Stafford County’s commercial kitchen, the partnership between Stafford County Economic Development and the Ida Long Goodman Memorial Library’s Lunch and Learns, a new gazebo for the St. John Square and some upcoming grant writing workshops.
