PHOTOS BY CARLY GREENE
The building of the new docks was the result of a
Community Conservation Partnership Program grant,
which is provided through the Pennsylvania Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
Gerstenhaber says that Townsend Park is dog-friendly too.
“Townsend has been adopted as a meeting place for people
who want their dogs to have a little more freedom than they
have at the fenced in ‘official’ dog park, which is located near
the Murrysville Community Park. Just for fun, and because we
can’t remember names, we maintain a list of regulars, which
currently includes 98 owners and 128 dogs. Of course, not all
of them show up at the same time. However, on any given day,
regardless of the weather, there will be some of these hearty
souls in the park with their dogs.”
There are 12 additional parks in the Murrysville Park System,
including the Peter and Victoria Skena Nature Reserve, the
Lillian Kellman Nature Reserve, Murrysville Community Park,
which features numerous athletic fields, and the Staymates
Log House and Barn, which was built in the 1700s. Many of
Murrysville’s parks also feature walking, hiking or mountainbiking trails. Greene estimates that there are between five and
seven miles of trails in Townsend Park alone.
“Trail mapping is still in progress, so an exact number is not
known, but well-established trails are marked with trail signs
and directional markers,” Greene adds.
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In addition to the fishing derby this spring, Greene says
her department hopes to bring the Nuts About Nature youth
summer camps to Townsend Park this summer. The camps
focus on fishing and outdoor exploration. They are also
planning a Family Overnight Campout for September 20
and 21, in which the public can enjoy a variety of outdoor
recreation and environmental activities. Families who preregister for the event can remain in the park overnight for
campfires and storytelling.
“Townsend Park is part of Murrysville’s excellent park
system, which is made up of a network of community parks
and neighborhood parks, well-distributed throughout the
municipality,” notes Betsy Aiken, chair of the Murrysville Trail
Alliance. “Townsend Park offers a great blend of amenities and
topography with hills, a pond and a mix of field and forest. It’s
a place of beauty and tranquility,” adds Aiken.
Greene agrees. “We are proud to be able to offer something for
everyone – from sports fields and hiking trails to nature reserves
and fishing ponds in all of our parks, reserves and open spaces.
We are also especially proud of our community volunteers, who
work tirelessly to maintain and improve our parks and trails.”
For more information about Townsend Park, or any other
Murrysville municipal park, visit the website Murrysville.
com/Parks.html or call the Municipality of Murrysville at
724.327.2100.