North Strabane residents speak out against vacant lot proposal
Nine residents spoke out Tuesday evening against North Strabane Township’s plans to remove a vacant lot on Demar Boulevard’s status as a recreational space and put it up for sale.
“I’m going to fight this,” said Dave Banish, who lives on McClelland Road, during the township’s board of supervisors meeting. “We don’t want this parklet sold. We want something to be done with it.”
Amy Blythe Whipkey, a Demar Boulevard resident, said her husband David walks their dog in the park because the roads in the area are too dangerous for evening strolls.
“You don’t know what you have there,” she said. “It’s a nice green space.”
Township manager Andy Walz said this was his first encounter with the issue.
“Certain people who spoke this evening are very passionate,” he said. “I respect that.”
The board of supervisors will again take public comments before voting on the future of the lot next week.
In other business, the board is considering a three-year lease with the phone company Xycom, which would save the township $300 a month, said Walz.
Callers currently hang up and dial the number for the department they’re trying to reach. With Xycom, all township buildings and departments would be connected, Walz said.
The township has received half the total amount granted to North Strabane through the American Rescue Plan. The board is considering spending $200,000 on sewer relocations and putting the remaining total of $1,315,086 toward a new public safety building.