the almanac F E B R U A RY 18, 2024
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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PT council approves design contract for aquatic center By Jon Andreassi Staff writer
jandreassi@observer-reporter.com
Peters Township council is moving ahead with scaled back plans for an aquatic center at Rolling Hills Park after rejecting bids last year. Council voted 3-2 Monday to award the $188,000 contract to the Blue Bell-based Kimmel Bogrette Architecture. The firm will design plans for the first phase of the project, which will include a splash pad, shelters, parking
KIMMEL BOGRETTE ARCHITECTURE WILL DESIGN PLANS FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A SPLASH PAD, SHELTERS, PARKING AND A STRUCTURE CONTAINING RESTROOMS AND A PARTY ROOM.
and a structure containing restrooms and a party room. Space will be left for the potential of adding a pool in the future. Voting in favor were Frank Kosir, Tom Pirosko and Robert Lewis while Frank Arcuri
and Gary Stiegel opposed the contract. Council members Allison Shanafelt and Matt Rost were absent from Monday’s meeting. Kimmel Bogrette estimates the project will cost $5.5 million to $6.4 million. Peters
has so far received $3.2 million in matching grant funds. A year ago, council had budgeted $10 million for an aquatic center that would have also included a pool and lazy river. However, council rejected all bids after the low-
est came in at $17.35 million. Township Manager Paul Lauer explained at the time that grants received for the aquatic center could not be repurposed for a different project. Peters Township revisiting the aquatic center received some pushback from the public. Peters resident Eileen Burkhardt encouraged council to reject the contract. “I would like to speak on behalf of the residents in Peters Township who oppose the aquatic center, for sever-
al reasons,” Burkhardt said. “I can’t get past the fact that 80% of that prime spot there would be a cement slab, used 20% of the year because of the climate, and by 10% of the residents.” Burkhardt argued that it is a poor use of tax dollars for a seasonal amenity, and will be a continuing expense for the township due to maintenance. “Spending just to use grant money is financially irresponsible, given the huge cost to taxpayers,” Burkhardt said.
MM! MM! GOOD!
PHOTOS: ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
BRAD HUNDT/OBSERVER-REPORTER
Gov. Josh Shapiro talks about his proposed budget for 2024-25 in Mt. Lebanon Wednesday.
‘Investment in our region’ Governor visits Mt. Lebo music store to talk up Main Street program By Brad Hundt Staff writer
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
MT. LEBANON – Gov. Josh Shapiro dropped by Empire Music in downtown Mt. Lebanon at lunchtime Wednesday, but it wasn’t to buy one of the many guitars hanging on the store’s walls. Instead, the governor was there to talk up his proposed 2024-25 state budget and, more specifically, an additional $25 million for a new Main Street program that would boost small businesses and commercial corridors in Pennsylvania. Shapiro explained to a knot of media, elected officials and community leaders that getting behind Main Streets is a prime component of an eco-
nomic development strategy the governor’s office recently announced. “It’s time to do more,” Shapiro said. He said the infusion of money into the program, called Main Street Matters, would be “an investment our region not only needs, but our Main Streets deserve.” He added, “This is the time for us to be bold in Pennsylvania. This is the time for our Main Streets to come alive in Pennsylvania.” Shapiro said he came to Mt. Lebanon to promote Main Street Matters because of the vibrancy of its downtown business district. Saying he would “hold Mt. Lebanon up as an example SEE STORE PAGE A2
BETHEL PARK Best Buddies ‘polar plunging’ for the Special Olympics PAGE A6 What’s happening, B3
Meghan Gaston explains how the testers should rate their pizzas. Pies were rated 1 to 5 on appearance, crust, sauce, cheese and overall taste. Red Onion and Mm! Mm! Pizza tied for first place in the competition with Pizza Hut following. Olive Oil’s and Danny’s in Bethel Park also donated pizza for the taste-testing competition held at the library.
Pizza lures readers to library By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
Pizza doesn’t really need a national day to be celebrated as America’s favorite food. On average, citizens consume 46 slices a year. Saturday is the most popular day to digest a pie and Halloween narrowly beats out Super Bowl Sunday for the most popular day to order a pizza. Ten middle school students and their families learned these facts when they attended a taste-testing event at Bethel Park Public Library. While this year’s event actually fell on National Pizza Day, the Feb. 9 celebration has been a tradition at the library for more than a decade. “Whenever we offer it, it’s a highly successful, popular program,” said Elaine Volpe. A Dormont resident, Volpe is a Keystone Oaks and Westminster College graduate with 21 years of experience at the library. She has been the head of the children’s department for the past 13 years. She collaborated with Meghan Gaston to put on the teen-taste challenge this year. “It’s always a super-fun program,” noted Gaston, who has been at the library for nearly three years. “Anytime you invite kids to enjoy pizza, you have a for-sure program,” agreed Volpe. While Gaston created the questions for the trivia contest and came up with Pictionary clue words as well as a pizza name generator, Volpe solicited pizza shops within the municipality for donations.
ABOVE: Brady Wallace takes a bite out of his pizza before giving it an overall rating during a taste-testing event at Bethel Park Library. Participants ranked Mm! Mm! Pizza and Red Onion as the best pies in the municipality with Pizza Hut following in the ranking. AT RIGHT: Addy O’Malley enjoys a slice of pizza on National Pizza Day. She was part of a taste-testing competition held at the Bethel Park Library.
Students in grades five and six rated the pies from 1 to 5 in five categories: appearance, crust, sauce, cheese and overall taste.
SPORTS USC swimmers looking for more success at WPIALs PAGE B1 Real estate transactions, A4
SEE PIZZA PAGE A2
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Historical Society to honor baseball great PAGE B3 Classifieds, B4-6