Contact:
Alex Panas
Communications and Development Manager
Wheeling Heritage
apanas@wheelingheritage.org
WHEELING, W.Va. – October 15, 2020 – Wheeling Heritage is pleased to announce it has received a $50,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative.
The grant will provide funding for a consultant to develop a strategy for a potential museum or heritage center. The consultant will do important planning work, which will help the organization and its partners better understand potential locations, costs, and themes for the heritage center.
“Wheeling has a rich history, and currently there is no central space where people can go to experience it,” said Alex Weld, executive director of Wheeling Heritage. “These funds will give us the ability to work with a consultant to collect and interpret community-driven data, which will lay the foundation for a potential heritage center.”
The City of Wheeling and Wheeling-Ohio County Convention and Visitors Bureau are partnering with Wheeling Heritage on the project. An ad-hoc committee of community members and partners will also assist in the next stages of the project.
“You cannot underestimate what it means for a city like Wheeling to be able to tell its story in a one-stop location that is inviting to local residents and visitors alike,” said Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott. “This grant will bring this long-sought project one step closer to reality.”
The organization plans to select a consultant for this planning stage of the project by the end of the year.
About Wheeling Heritage:
Wheeling Heritage is a catalyst for the revitalization of Wheeling. Through historic preservation, community development, and the arts, we help to tell Wheeling’s story and shape its future. We seek to improve the quality of life in Wheeling by preserving and investing in our city, collaborating with others, and engaging the citizens of Wheeling in our work.
