The Peru Gazette

The North Country Chamber of Commerce is welcoming the full funding of two Adirondack investments in the new 2025/26 State Budget.

“The Legislature embraced the full $110 million for ORDA requested by the Governor, and also approved the $10 million in funding needed to move forward with the new APA headquarters project in downtown Saranac Lake,” notes Garry Douglas, Chamber President. “The continued investment in ORDA and its venues demonstrates well placed confidence in Ashley Walden and her team, as well as a welcome understanding that the venues must be continually preserved and updated versus the up and down funding of many years ago. And fully funding the APA project will further bolster and transform downtown Saranac Lake, building on the DRI, the hotels and other recent investments.”

The Chamber viewed both appropriations as economic development priorities this year, along with the approval of $100 million in new funding for the FAST NY Program for development-supporting infrastructure. Douglas thanks Governor Hochul, legislative leaders and state legislators including Assemblyman Billy Jones who secured the support of Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins who was responsive to outreach by the Chamber after the APA project was initially omitted from the Senate budget.