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Making Westmoreland County a Better Place to Live
Posted
6-18-07
Two major developments at our county parks that
we recently announced demonstrate the diversity of not only the
county park system, but also Westmoreland County. We broke
ground on the west side of Twin Lakes Park in early June for the
new Peach Plaza Skate Park, a state-of-the-art facility for
skateboard enthusiasts. Two days later, we pledged $1 million to
the Westmoreland County Historical Society for the construction
of a History Education Center at Historic Hanna's Town, another
county park. These two announcements demonstrate the county's
commitment to supporting amenities that make Westmoreland County
a better place to live.
As we all know, young people who ride
skateboards have had a difficult time finding suitable places to
ride, and many municipalities have essentially banned them from
public places. Through the hard work of our Parks Department,
our Parks Citizens Advisory Board and the Westmoreland Street
Park Alliance, a plan was devised to develop land at Twin Lakes.
It will be a facility that will serve not only young people in
the county, but also skateboard enthusiasts from outside of our
area. Money was raised from a variety of sources, including
state grants and through various fundraisers by the Citizens
Advisory Board. Most impressive was the fundraising done by the
Street Park Alliance, a group of primarily young people who
raised nearly $20,000 through a variety of events.
But even then, more help was needed. Into that
void stepped James Peach, a retired schoolteacher and
businessman, who wanted to give back to his community. Mr. Peach
generously donated nearly $162,000 that completed the funding
puzzle and put us ahead of our original schedule. We would not
have broken ground in June without his most generous support,
and our entire county owes James Peach a debt of gratitude. The
Skate Park is named in memory of his wife, Joyce Peach.
Construction is now underway on phase one, which
includes the actual facility for skateboarding – with ramps and
jumps, and all the things that give skateboarders thrills – in
addition to access, parking and restrooms. Future plans include
a walking track and shallow ponds for ice-skating.
The story of Historic Hanna's Town dates back to
our founding. It is the site of our first county seat and the
first county seat west of the Allegheny Mountains. It is a tale
that needs to be told so that we all know the rich history of
our county and the role it played in the founding of our nation.
For too many years no real visitor facilities
have existed at Hanna's Town, and its rich collection of
Revolutionary Era artifacts cannot even be displayed. The
history of Hanna's Town offers too much to be neglected – from
the dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia for this region's
land, to the development of the Hanna's Town Resolves, to the
burning of the town by Native Americans and their British allies
in 1782 (one of the final battles of the Revolution). In this
era of growing historical tourism the opportunity to educate
ourselves, promote our county and attract visitors is one that
we must capitalize upon.
The Westmoreland County Historical Society is
our partner in this project and will be the driving force behind
raising the $7.5 million necessary to construct and maintain the
Visitors/Education Center. The county's commitment of $1 million
is just the beginning of a professionally run fundraising
campaign and can potentially serve as a local match for federal
and state grants.
If we miss this opportunity to tell the story of
our county's beginning, the details will be forgotten and the
artifacts will sit unappreciated. So we are working with the
Historical Society to make the county land at Historic Hanna's
Town a living, vibrant destination where people of all ages can
learn about our county and our nation's history in a dynamic,
entertaining environment.
Both of these projects are examples of a larger
effort to enhance the quality of life in Westmoreland County.
Nearly all of the services we provide in county government are
mandated services, and we are essentially carrying out the
mission of the Commonwealth in those areas. Recreation is one
area where we as commissioners have an opportunity to make
Westmoreland County a better place to live. In surveys we
conducted several years ago, citizens expressed a strong desire
for more recreational opportunities. The Peach Plaza Skate Park
and Historic Hanna's Town are examples of the effort we are
making to provide a variety of options for our residents and to
further prove that there is more in Westmoreland.
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