New park in works for Avella
Officials walk down Wylie Avenue toward planned picnic areas and walking trails in a park slated to open in Independence Township. The 40-acre park will be built over 10 years.
Independence Township officials and contractors stand at Wylie Avenue and Independence Road, the site of one of the planned entrances to a new township park. In the front row, from left, are Karen Warnock of state Rep. Jim Christiana’s office; Supervisors Tom Jennings, Joyce McKenzie and Lou Brandenburg; and steering committee members Cyndi Cecchini, Hope Thomas and Michelle Bongiorni. In the back row, from left, are Rich Rush of Widmer Engineering; Will Thomeier, district director for state Sen. Camera Bartolotta; Joe Gagliani and Mike Provenzano of the township public works department; and Jim Pashek of Pashek Associates Landscape Architecture.
AVELLA – A dream may be coming true for Avella residents as Independence Township supervisors unveiled plans to build a 40-acre park over 10 years.
“This was the dream of former supervisor Frank Longovich, but the funding sources are now available that we can finally do something. We’re doing the six phases in steps based on the availability of funds.
By fall next year, we’re hoping for at least the first phase, if not most of the second phase, to be complete,” Supervisor Tom Jennings said.
Permitting and construction is scheduled for February.
The park is situated along Independence Road and slated to have sports fields, courts, picnic areas, sledding hills and walking trails, in addition to an amphitheater, playgrounds and an ice skating rink.
The feature-rich park plan was the result of polling students in Avella Area School District and ongoing conversations with steering committee members.
“We need a place for everyone to be – for the kids and community to enjoy outdoor activities and nature,” said committee member Hope Thomas.
“I’ve lived here my whole life. This was supposed to happen in the ’70s. There’s nothing for people to do here. So once we have this, it’s going to be an asset to this community,” said Supervisor Lou Brandenburg.
“It’s just something that had fallen through the cracks. We were aggressive this time, but we were careful to have the funding sources in place before moving forward,” Supervisor Joyce McKenzie said.
Phase one – with picnic areas and walking trails costing $191,000 – is fully funded, according to Jennings, and grants and natural gas impact fee monies were key.
“We received $100,000 from the local share account (from gambling revenues) for this year, a state Department of Conservation grant worth $76,800, and private matching funds with it; then $25,000 in impact fees we put toward phase one. … Phase two is 30 percent funded with carryover from that, and about $55,000 in donated materials and services,” Jennings said.
“We’re hoping that as people see what this park is becoming, that they become more engaged and we may get more private donations,” Jennings said, “and because of the topography, and the location, this is right in between a bunch of housing developments – their property values will increase because of the park.”
“I think it’s going to be a gem of this area that will draw families here,” said Jim Pashek, who is leading engineering and design. “Places like this become a social gathering place to experience nature, bond with your neighbors, and for kids to learn gross motor skills.”