Wabash River RDA looks forward to READI 2.0

In 2021 the RDA was awarded $20 million for the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative or READI. Now, the group is looking forward to the second round of money.

Indiana's READI 2.0 was approved early last month. The initiative will spread $500 million throughout the state. It's all to make West Central Indiana a great place to be.

Clay, Parke, Vermillion, Vigo, and parts of Sullivan counties are members of the Wabash River RDA. It works with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and RJL Solutions in Terre Haute to best handle the money.

"This has been a process that's gone on for the past few years. We're still in the implementation phase," said Greg Goode, president of the RDA.

So far, READI 1.0 has already funded projects like the Sullivan City Pool, the Early Learning Center at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, and the Buell Community Center in Clay City.

And it continues with 2 new projects being approved in Parke County. $211,000 will go toward more renovations for the Ritz Theater, and over $31,000 for the Rusted Root renovation in Rockville.

"We were very happy that a couple of projects were able to bubble up and get to a stage where the RDA could get behind those projects. It's a victory for Parke County, but ultimately it's also a victory for western Indiana," said Goode.

The RDA is hopeful to continue that success in READI 2.0. At Wednesday's meeting, the board also approved the application for the second round to open November 1st and close in February.

"The READI process is intended to help communities increase the quality of place, the quality of life types of projects that will ultimately inspire individuals to move to western Indiana," said Goode.

As we told you before, Greg Goode will be replacing Jon Ford as State Senator for District 38, leaving an open space for RDA president.

On Wednesday, the RDA appointed Ford as its new president starting October 16th. He will represent Vigo County.