North Belle Vernon park gets new look
Front row, from left to right, Sarah Tonini, Tory Roberts and R.J. Sokol; and back row, from left to right, Nathan Nelson and David Carbone help to spread textile cloth used to protect the area from weeds and grass.
Doug Indof, left, and Mark Frederick install roof shingles on the new restroom facility.
Front row, from left to right, Sarah Tonini, Tory Roberts and R.J. Sokol; and back row, from left to right, Nathan Nelson and David Carbone help to spread out the textile cloth used to protect from weeds and grass.
The new pavilion, left, and kitchen area impress with fresh green, white and gold colors.
Old tennis courts will be home to new youth soccer fields.
The newly installed playground area
An old basketball court area where a Dek hockey rink is being installed.
R.J. Sokol begins to assemble the center line of a Dek hockey court.
A rundown community park once in danger of being sold is again becoming a neighborhood jewel, thanks to the efforts of a North Belle Vernon councilman.
R.J. Sokol said his son enjoyed the park as a child, but the dilapidated facility was slated to be removed by North Belle Vernon Council in 2014 because of rundown equipment, vandalism and crime. Sokol, who was not on council at the time, said he saw a newspaper article about the borough’s plans wanted to step in and try to change that.
“My son said, ‘Dad, is there something you can do to keep the park alive?'” Sokol said.
He said he took his revitalization project idea to the council, where he was given approval to begin work on the park in late 2014.
“With the support of council and Mayor Craig Ambrose, they provided me with a lot of leeway to see what I could do,” Sokol said.
Work, which began last year, resumed Saturday at the first volunteer day of the year for the North Belle Vernon Community Bank Park project. Volunteers gathered to work on projects like spreading stone at the playground and cleaning up the tennis court.
Sokol is working with Mark Frederick, North Belle Vernon councilman, Doug Indof, North Belle Vernon Recreation Commission member, and Larry Rusnak, Washington Township Lions Club member, on the renovations. He said he also received assistance from state Sen. Pat Stefano and Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas.
“They provided me with all of the insight I needed,” Sokol said.
Sokol was able to obtain a state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant for $159,000. He said the group also did substantial fundraising, bringing in $130,000. Sokol said the North Belle Vernon Recreation Commission donated $20,000 and North Belle Vernon Council also made a $20,000 donation. About $20,000 worth of materials was contributed by local businesses along with about $20,000 in equipment donations.
Sokol said the project is expected to cost between $300,000 to $330,000 and includes replacing tennis courts with youth soccer fields and replacing basketball courts with a Dek hockey rink. A kitchen and a handicapped-accessible restroom are being constructed and there will be a playground and a custom iron grill for cooking. Sokol said the park will have a variety of features, including electricity, water and a 12-foot high screen to provide privacy and block the view of nearby Interstate 70.
He estimates with the park’s location just off the North Belle Vernon exit of I-70, an estimated 16,000 visitors a year use the facility.
With support from Belle Vernon School Distict, Sokol said the base colors of the park will be white, green and gold.
“We designed this park for up-and-coming sports,” Sokol said.
Safety is a main concern, so fencing was installed fencing as well as a surveillance camera system to keep crime and vandalism out of the park.
“We have a plan in place to prosecute offenders,” Sokol said. He said too large of an investment was made to allow the park to be vandalized.
Frederick said he got involved because he thought it would be good for the community.
“Nothing makes me feel any better than to watch children doing something wholesome and enjoying it,” Frederick said.
Local business support really helped the project.
“Some of the businesses in the area have been so good to us. It’s unbelievable how they have responded,” he said.
In addition, there has been extraordinary volunteer support, with 40 to 50 people a day volunteering last year.
David Carbone of Belle Vernon came to help out Saturday.
“Hopefully, more people help out to get it done sooner. The more of the summer it’s open the better,” he said.
Tory Roberts of Belle Vernon also helped to get the park opened for her two granddaughters. Roberts, who came to the park in the past, said she and her grandchildren walk past the park daily and they always ask when the park will be open.
“Hopefully, we can get this done so they can play,” Roberts said.
Sokol said, “The enthusiasm will take off,” Sokol said. Volunteer sessions will be held every other Saturday from 7 a.m. to at least 5 p.m. or later.
Anyone interested in volunteering, can call 724-929-2749 or 724-929-8848.
Sokol said people can visit the group’s Facebook page for updates at https://www.facebook.com/nbvpark.