A First Friday event, popular in the village of Westfield during the late spring and summer, is pictured.

The village of Westfield has been awarded $4.5 million by the state for its Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

The announcement was made Wednesday afternoon by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The village of Cattaraugus was the biggest winner in Western New York, getting $10 million, while the village of Angola also was awarded $4.5 million.

“Our state’s downtowns unite friends and families, and these investments will only help reshape neighborhoods to become more vibrant destinations for shopping, dining and living,” Hochul said. “Through our Pro-Housing Communities Program, affordable housing opportunities will open up in neighborhoods across Western New York and local economies will thrive from these opportunities.”

The award announcement noted many activities that occur in Westfield.

“Westfield is a charming village that graces the southern shore of Lake Erie. This picturesque locale is defined by its stunning waterfront vistas and a wealth of recreational opportunities, inviting residents and visitors to embrace the natural beauty that surrounds them. Visitors and residents enjoy Westfield events like First Fridays, the Arts and Crafts Festival, the weekly Farmer’s Market, the Tour Chautauqua Cycling Event, the Grape and Wine Festival, Christmas in the Village, the Hot Toddy Crawl and the Christmas Cookie weekend. Historically, Westfield’s economy depended on agriculture and industry. Westfield’s vision is to cultivate a vibrant and sustainable community that celebrates its rich history, natural beauty and agricultural heritage while fostering economic growth, creating housing choices and celebrating diverse cultural activities in a safe and welcoming environment,” the news release stated.

Mayor Dennis Lutes thanked the governor for the award. “On behalf of the Village of Westfield, I am deeply honored that we have been selected as recipients of a NY Forward grant. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Governor Kathy Hochul for her leadership and for establishing the NY Forward program to support small communities like ours. This investment marks a pivotal moment for Westfield, providing us with an incredible opportunity to revitalize our village and build upon the progress we have already made. We are truly grateful to Governor Hochul, Department of State, the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, Empire State Development, the Westfield Development Corporation, and all the dedicated stakeholders who contributed to making this application a success. Their hard work and commitment to our community are greatly appreciated,” he said.

Nate Aldrich with the Chautauqua County Partnership of Economic Development said during a recent legislature committee meeting that along with Westfield, Findley Lake, Falconer, Sherman and Cassadaga had all submitted applications to the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

Past overall winners have included Dunkirk and Jamestown.

To receive funding from either the DRI or NY Forward program, localities must be certified under Governor Hochul’s Pro-Housing Communities Program — an innovative policy created to recognize and reward municipalities actively working to unlock their housing potential. Governor Hochul’s Pro-Housing Communities initiative allocates up to $650 million each year in discretionary funds for communities that pledge to increase their housing supply; to date, 287 communities across New York have been certified as Pro-Housing Communities. This year, Governor Hochul is proposing an additional $100 million in funding to cover infrastructure projects necessary to create new housing in Pro-Housing Communities, and a further $10.5 million for technical assistance to help communities seeking to foster housing growth.

Many of the projects funded through the DRI and NY Forward support Governor Hochul’s affordability agenda. The DRI has invested in the creation of more than 4,400 units of housing — 1,823 of which are affordable or workforce housing. The programs committed over $8.5 million to 11 projects that provide affordable or free child care and child care worker training. DRI and NY Forward have also invested in the creation of public parks, public art (such as murals and sculptures) and art, music and cultural venues that provide free outdoor recreation and entertainment opportunities.