Ephrata info portal gives residents planning insights

EPHRATA — The Ephrata City Council got a look at some long-term plans and the grants to fund them at its meeting Wednesday evening. The information was on a new interactive website, and City Engineer Dave Bren walked the council through them. 

“We like to plan ahead six years,” Bren said. “Not just roads but water, sewer, storm (water), streets.” 

The city has applications out for seven grants in 2025, according to the website. Among the things the city is requesting money for are a feasibility study for a railroad crossing at the north end of town, road and sidewalk repairs, mapping and planning for a stormwater system and a joint economic development plan between the city and the Port of Ephrata. 

Most of the grants require a certain amount of matching money from the city, according to the website, generally about 10-15% of the project cost. At the moment, Ephrata has requested about $2.29 million in grants, with about $181,000 in matching funds committed. The matching funds are only expended as the project goes along, according to the website, so the city isn’t losing that money if the project is delayed or if the grant doesn’t come through. 

“In addition, grant awards are typically have a multi-year expenditure window and may be extended,” Bren said. “This provides some flexibility if we have to push a grant forward.” 

Bren said the city plans to apply for more grants in 2026, including one to study the feasibility of completing the 1973 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Flood Control Plan, including establishing the hydraulic overland connection to Rocky Ford Creek. 

“In 1973 and ’74, when the diversion channel was constructed, they constructed it out to a farmer’s field and then it ended,” Bren said. “If you look at this plan, it had more than that in there. They talked about continuing the canal all the way up to Rocky Ford Creek. There were six solutions, and what the Corps did is they took the cheapest and quickest solution. And then part of that solution was basically (to) hand it to the county and the city to deal with it thereafter. I've been talking to the Corps and I said, ‘Hey, your plan you didn't complete, can you help us? What can we do to complete this? I've had some initial conversations with them, so we'll see where that goes.” 

Grants are also being sought next year for improvements to the Parkway Ballfields Park and to Patrick Park. The latter would involve painting in street parking and installing a walking/running trail around the perimeter of the park. 

“This is exactly half a mile going all the way around,” Bren said. “You could have this part be dedicated to walking … We could put little concrete pedestals on the ground for each tenth of a mile or what have you and as you're walking around, you can watch your kids playing on the play center.” 

“It’s really great that you’ve got that uploaded to the website,” Council Member Matt Moore said. “I try to memorize all the different things we’ve got going on or potentially going on, but it hard to convey that verbally. But to be able to direct people to that, to see what we’re trying to do, is really cool.” 

The city of Ephrata’s planning website can be found at www.ephrata.org/202/Grant-Planning.