State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie was feeling awfully generous today.
Lackawanna’s historic Our Lady of Victory Basilica is seeing a major win for its dome restoration project. OLV received $1.2 million to finish the project, significantly up from the previous amount $250,000. Monsignor David LiPuma, who heard rumors of the Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s generous community-focused funding, said he was taken aback by the decision to fill the entire $1.2 million dollar gap.
"We heard that the speaker, when he comes, sometimes likes to bump the number up," said LiPuma. "So we kind of heard a rumor that that might be something he might do, but never in a million years and I mean never in a million years, did I think he was going to go from $250,000 to $1.2 million."
OLV began the project last summer, attempting to raise $3 million to restore the art filled dome. Assemblyman Pat Burke said he wanted the speaker to see the significance the Basilica has to the local community.
The historic dome is filled with 100-year-old copper, and weather deterioration has led to water leaks.
The generosity did not stop there. Earlier in the day, Heastie stopped by Hamburg Youth Center to join Assemblyman Jon Rivera in awarding the facility $1.4 million dollars. Heastie, electing to up the originally planned $100,000 to seven-figures, came to the surprise of youth and recreation director Josh Haeick.
"This isn't normally the case, but I'm speechless...and I'm sorry I'm so emotional, but this is my second home, so thank you," Haeick said.
Haeick said the money will go towards expanding the building and make it more accessible for children with disabilities.
