IN Plum Summer 2019 | Page 26

D ear Residents: Quality of life factors like recreational opportunities are vital to community health both in terms of actual physical well-being and developing/maintaining community sustainability. Increased recreational opportunities help to create better intra-community relations, promote healthier lifestyles and create a more attractive community for current and future residents. A few years ago, the Boro conducted two community- wide surveys as part of our Compressive Plan Update. Residents overwhelmingly identified “increased recreational opportunities” as something that they wanted the Boro to improve upon. They were very clear that they meant opportunities beyond the already well-established youth sports organizations. Now that winter is finally over and you begin to think about outdoor activities like sports, festivals and vacation, the Boro is gearing up for the season as well. We wanted to make sure that you are all aware of the great outdoor activities available to Boro residents-most of which are free. Over the past few years, Plum Boro Parks and Recreation has grown significantly. We have greatly improved and expanded our facilities and we have added many new events or expanded existing ones. Our goal is to improve our current recreational facilities, add new facilities and expand recreational programs and events. We are currently working on master site plans for Plum Creek Park, Renton and Logans Ferry to include new playground equipment, expanded sports fields and courts and even designated fishing areas at Plum Creek Park. We have also made major improvements to Larry Mills Park to improve playing surfaces, expand storage facilities and generally improve the look of the park. Boro Parks Larry Mills - (Fontana Drive in Holiday Park) soccer fields; ADA accessible playground; rental pavilion Plum Creek - (New Texas & Ross Hollow Roads) baseball, softball, football and lacrosse fields; playground, rental pavilions & fishing. Logans Ferry - (Memorial Drive & Plum Avenue in Logans Ferry) New renovated park in 2020 Renton - (Renton Avenue & Walnut Street in Renton) New renovated park in 2020 Last year we launched BoroHaps to grow and promote our community events. BoroHaps is our tag for all Boro sporting, festival and social “happenings” in the Boro. It’s where you can find information on all of the Boro events and recreational programs for all ages. Detailed information on the Annual Kids Trout Fishing, SummerFest, Movies in the Park, FallFest, Halloween and Christmas at Plum Creek events and other recreational programs can be found on the BoroHaps page on the Boro website. For up-to-date notifications on these events and more, don’t forget to sign up for the Savvy Citizen App. 24 PLUM Events & Programs Trout Fishing for Kids - Plum Creek Park, Boro stocks Plum Creek with 1,000 trout for the 1st Day of Trout Season, free fishing for kids under 16 Movies in the Park - Larry Mills Park, free outdoor movies and popcorn, the second Saturday in June, July & August SummerFest - Larry Mills Park, food vendors, amusements rides & entertainment, weekend prior to 4th of July FallFest - Plum Creek Park, Octoberfest style foods and beer, kids games & entertainment, last Saturday of September Halloween Party - Plum Community Center, free Halloween movie and candy, last Saturday of October Christmas at Plum Creek - Plum Creek Park, Santa, reindeer, food vendors, kid’s games & sleigh rides, Thursday after Thanksgiving Soccer Camp - Larry Mills Park, Soccer Quick Skills Camp for ages 4-14 Adult Bocce League - Larry Mills Park, coming this Fall In addition to the many recreational opportunities and more than 100 acres of Boro park space, Plum also has a great deal of recreational opportunities offered by Allegheny County and the Allegheny Land Trust. Boyce Park is in the southern half of Plum and has more than 900 acres within the Boro for hiking, biking, jogging and numerous pavilion areas for rent. It also offers areas for skiing, snowboarding and tubing as well as archery and even a model airplane airport. Through the Allegheny Land Trust, more than 300 acres are available to the public at the Barking Slopes for hiking and hunting in the northern section of the Boro along Route 909. To make the most of these additional recreation opportunities, the Boro has partnered with both the County and the Land Trust to offer even more to the public. This summer, we will have the grand opening of the new Dog Park in Plum. This was accomplished through a partnership with Allegheny County Parks and Recreation and with significant assistance from the Plum residents who lobbied for the creation of the park. The new Dog Park will be located on New Texas Road adjacent to the basketball courts in Boyce Park and is expected to open this August. The Boro has also partnered with the Land Trust to expand hiking trails in the Barking Slopes and to make them more accessible. Boro crews helped to construct parking areas, trail head access areas and even constructed stairways on the steeper elevations to create walking trail connections from the lower portion along the river. Currently, there are two miles of improved trails with plans for future expansion. With so much to do in the Boro, we are sure you will find the right activities and enjoy all that Plum Boro has to offer. Michael A. Thomas, Borough Manager