Jul 3, 2018 4 min read

When the revamped North Belle Vernon Community Bank Park reopened in August 2016, the many improvements and additions to the recreational options made it a fun, relaxing and memory-making place to visit.

Planners previously researched the three fastest-growing sports in the area and discovered soccer, hockey and lacrosse topped the list. So they decided to put in playing areas for all three. In addition to a new playground, the park had a refurbished pavilion with electricity, water and a kitchenette, a gazebo, walking track, cornhole boards, LED lighting, surveillance cameras and a new fence.

The project met all the regulations designed to benefit the handicapped and included handicapped-accessible restrooms, making it a very user-friendly park for all. Still, planners sensed something was missing.

“We realized we had no real attractions for life-challenged people and saw kids in wheelchairs or using other medical devices just sitting and watching other kids play, and it hurt,” said RJ Sokol, who chairs the parks and recreation board for North Belle Vernon Borough.

The solution came through the experiences of Lisa Pollock, the borough’s secretary/treasurer, and her developmentally delayed twin boys, now 15 years old. Whenever the boys and Pollock went to speech therapy, they saw other youths come into the facility in wheelchairs, braces and walkers and realized they would be unable to use the slides, tunnels, rock-climbing wall and monkey bars in the park’s playground.

With the goal of giving these individuals a chance to fit in with the rest of the crowd without feeling different, Pollock scoured the internet searching for attractions that could be used at the park by all life-challenged people from toddlers to adults.

As a result of an $89,000 project, the park is installing a specially-designed glider accessible by wheelchair, two adaptive car seat swings for children up to age 14, a wheelchair swing and two “expression swings” in which a parent and toddler can ride facing one another.

The project also includes an exercise piece for arm and leg lifts that can be used by everyone. To make the swing park area safe and easy to use, a synthetic turf base has been installed.

The new facilities will officially open at 10 a.m. Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local dignitaries and life-challenged youth and adults. The event is free and open to everyone.

Prior to the opening, Pollock informed the life-skills teachers in the Belle Vernon and Monessen school districts about the park additions and sent fliers to the facility where her sons attend therapy sessions.

“I could be wrong, but I’ve looked around the tri-county region and haven’t found another outdoor recreational facility that has a wheelchair swing, swings designed for children with muscular problems and swings designed where Mom, Dad, whoever can swing face to face with their toddler, and an exercise piece all at the same location,” Sokol said.

“This truly makes North Belle Vernon Community Bank Park someplace special to come and laugh, smile and make great memories for all people,” he continued.

According to Sokol, the park has been around for at least 60 years and originated as a place to play baseball. In 1994, the borough took over ownership from the Lions Club and, thanks to a $24,000 matching grant obtained through state Sen. Allen Kukovich, began to make improvements.

These included enclosing the park with a 6-foot fence, installing lights and refurbishing the tennis courts and basketball court. Unfortunately, by 2013, the park had fallen into such disrepair and was so little used that it was closed and locked.

Wanting to reopen the park, Sokol went to the borough council and asked to revitalize it. The council gave approval for its renovation but failed to provide the necessary funding. A series of grants, including one from Community Bank for $15,000, eventually provided $300,000 for the park’s renovation and subsequent reopening in August 2016. Donated equipment, materials and professional, skilled and unskilled labor estimated at about $500,000 helped complete the project.

When the new school year begins, the park, including the recently installed attractions for the life-challenged, will be open to all area school districts.

“This is what we have raised funds for and are still fundraising for,” Sokol said. “We have to pay back the money that was fronted to us for the renovation projects.”