March for Parks will raise money for park, trail projects
For more than two decades, Westmoreland County residents who use and enjoy the area’s parks have taken part in the spring March for Parks, to raise money for projects across the county’s park system.
This year’s event will be March 23, 10 a.m. at Twin Lakes Park east of Greensburg.
Marchers have the option to fundraise for projects at Cedar Creek, Mammoth, Northmoreland and Twin Lakes parks, and can also designate proceeds for local trail projects.
“We completed the (second phase of the) Northmoreland Park rehabilitation project last fall, and now each of our major parks has now received some form of rehabilitation to improve infrastructure or other elements of the parks,” said Westmoreland County Parks Planning Coordinator Jeff Richards. “So we’re now at a stage where we’ll be looking at other things as priorities.”
One of those projects is the closure of the “middle gap” in the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, between Delmont and Export. That project includes tunneling under Route 66.
“Any money we can get along with the March for Parks funding and grants helps us get closer,” said Westmoreland Heritage Trail President Stan Rudge. “Right now we’re developing that area. There’s a little marsh and we’re working out how to get over that. It’ll probably take a very small bridge.”
On the western side of the trail, coming from Export, Rudge said trail officials are working with landowners to obtain easements that will help get them north of Export and headed toward Route 66.
“Once we get past that area, we’ve already got rough trail cut for a couple miles above there,” Rudge said.
Both Rudge and Richards acknowledged that going beneath Route 66 is the biggest hurdle to clear.
“There’s just so many different parts involved with it,” Richards said.
March participants can also earmark their donations for things such as the Five Star Trail relocation project in Greensburg or improvements at Mammoth Lake in Mt. Pleasant Township.
March for Parks participants collect donation either individually or in teams of three or more. Those collecting $30 or more will receive a march t-shirt. The event will include musical entertainment, a barbecue pig roast lunch, raffle baskets, auctions and more. An optional 11 a.m. march will take place around the upper and lower lakes.
For more, or to register and donate, see www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/MFP or call 724-830-3950.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.
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