POTSDAM -- The town of Potsdam will receive $50,000 in state funds for rehabilitation work in Pine Street Arena.

The grant comes from the state and municipal facilities capital fund, which is part of the 2013-14 state budget. It comes from Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, at the urging of Potsdam Town Supervisor Marie Regan.

“I thank the senator for recognizing our need to preserve this building,” said Regan. “I hope these funds will be the impetus for the town and village to raise additional funds to make further improvements to the arena.”

The money is to go toward refurbishing the bathrooms at the arena, and any money left after that will go toward upgrades in the kitchen, Regan said.

Regan confirmed that the Village of Potsdam owns the arena, and acknowledges that the town and village have been at odds over the joint town-village recreation program, but she said the opportunity for some grant money came up and she decided to see if it could be applied to the arena.

“The arena needs rehab, and people from both the town and village use it,” Regan said. She said getting the grant money applied to work at the arena was one way to show that the town is cooperating with the village.

“I am pleased to see the town and village working together and happy to help,” said Sen. Griffo.

“An investment in the Pine Street Arena, which is the site of numerous recreation programs, is truly an investment in the children of Potsdam,” said Griffo, who represents the towns of Massena, Brasher, Norfolk, Stockholm, Potsdam, Pierrepont, Russell, Clifton, Fine, and Pitcairn in St. Lawrence County, plus Lewis and Oneida counties, all of which comprise Griffo's 47th Senate District.