Vandergrift residents implore officials to unlock borough playgrounds
Taegen Caudle stood at the podium in front of Vandergrift officials during Monday’s council meeting to plead for playtime options in the borough’s still-locked parks.
Taegen, 9, was one of about 20 residents in attendance in support of the playgrounds being unlocked April 1.
“We really want some time outside to play, and we don’t have the playgrounds to play, and there’s a bunch of really sad kids,” Taegen said. “Please open the parks. There’s so many kids who have so many letters (supporting the playground’s opening) who don’t have the voice or the strength or the courage, but I’m standing up for all of the kids in Vandergrift.”
The playgrounds in Vandergrift’s Kennedy and Franklin parks have yet to open, even amid record-breaking warm winter temperatures.
“Council delayed action on a formal decision of when to open the playgrounds based on the full council needing more information from the recreation committee regarding the condition and inspection of the playground and its equipment,” borough Solicitor Larry Loperfito said.
The parks and recreation committee members are Daisha Clayton, chairman John Uskuraitis and Joey Sarno.
Uskuraitis did not attend Monday’s meeting and declined later to comment for this story.
Sarno and Clayton did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Councilman Tom Holmes said that, in the past, the playgrounds at Kennedy and Franklin parks were unlocked on Memorial Day, or at the discretion of the Parks and Recreation Committee, and locked for the rest of the year on Labor Day.
Last year, the playgrounds opened April 30.
Brianna Burd moved from Apollo to Vandergrift two years ago and purchased a home near Franklin Park.
“I assumed that the parks would be open based on the weather, rather than a scheduled timeline,” Burd said. “I purchased my home specifically for its location to Franklin Park.
”I hoped my son would enjoy our local park every chance he could,” Burd said. “But I soon discovered the park is only open specific months instead of being accessible during good weather. As a young family, access to our parks is critical in our day-to-day lives.”
Burd, 30, pointed out other parks in other communities, such as Northmoreland Park, Owens Grove and Crooked Creek, are open year-round. Northmoreland Park, located primarily in Allegheny Township, is owned by Westmoreland County; Owens Grove is owned by Apollo; and Crooked Creek is a state park mostly in Burrell Township.
“I joined the Garden Club this year. I would like for him (Uskuraitis) to work with us,” Burd said. “He has volunteers that are willing to help get the parks ready, and I wish he would utilize the manpower.”
On Tuesday, Uskuraitis approved a request by Vandergrift Community Garden volunteers to open Franklin Park on March 19 for garden and park cleanup.
After public comments Monday evening, Holmes spoke on behalf of the absent Uskuraitis.
“The chairman of the parks and recreation asked that we table this long enough to let him make those decisions because there are some things that no one talked about tonight,” Holmes said. Reasons provided by Holmes included grass in the parks need time to grow and both playgrounds need to be inspected.
“We had one unfortunate incident before when some of the playground equipment broke down and we had to have it inspected,” Holmes said. “We have a concern about some of the cleanup, the mud — some of those things.”
Burd said she’s hopeful council will honor the April 1 request.
“I felt like the council was receptive and they want to see the change,” she said. “They appreciated the interest we have. I don’t like that I have to leave Vandergrift to go to a park on a nice day.”
Vandergrift resident Chloe Kruse attended a portion of Monday’s meeting and has advocated for a change in the park opening policy for several years.
In 2022, Kruse circulated an online petition and later presented it to council, asking borough officials to open the fenced-in playgrounds before late May.
“I’m so disappointed that even after many residents, even children, spoke requesting the parks open soon, that council pretty much said no — no time soon,” Kruse said Tuesday. “They do not care about the kids here in Vandergrift.”
Councilwoman Marilee Kessler did not say whether she’s for or against opening (playgrounds) early.
“I have to defer that to the committee. I certainly understand the desire to have the park open, but I also understand that this is not just a weather-dependent issue,” Kessler said. “There are things that must be done prior to opening something to the public to ensure everyone’s safety and to properly maintain the site.”
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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