Council preparing for summer as parks reopen
Bethel Park Mayor Jack Allen and other municipal officials have reopened all parks and fields as part of the region’s transition to the green phase under Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan for opening up the state.
But Mr. Allen, speaking at the council’s Monday meeting, cautioned that “residents need to continue social distancing.”
He added that residents are encouraged to bring their own chairs to events at the park and to not sit in the bleachers.
Mr. Allen also announced Bethel Park is offering a new summer program for children who have completed kindergarten through eighth grade.
“Summer Fun 2020” is a partnership between the municipality and Lois Johnson Learning and Childcare Center.
The program will run June 22 through Aug. 21 at the Bethel Park Community Center.
The community center’s regular programs are on hold until the end of August due to the summer program.
Information on the “Summer Fun 2020” program can be found on the municipality’s Facebook page at facebook.com/BethelParkMunicipality.
Bethel Park Library director Christine McIntosh said the library will open to the public on Monday with limited hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The library will continue to offer curbside pickup and returns of materials.
All materials will be quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours before being put back into circulation.
Masks are required while in the library, with exceptions for those under the age of 2 and those with a medical condition.
Library computers will be available, but limited to one hour per day per person. Study rooms will also be available with a limit of two people per room.
The furniture in the library has been reconfigured to allow for social distancing and hand sanitizer will be readily available. All toys and games have been removed form the library.
In the police department, Chief Timothy O’Connor said the police records room is now open to the public. Additionally, the prescription drop-off box is available for use once again.
In business matters, council accepted the donation of two vacant parcels of land near the Montour Trail. Council member Jim McLean said the parcel is the former location of an Allegheny County Public Works facility.
According to the Allegheny County poperty assessment site, the parcels, which consist of 1.54 acres located on Montour Avenue and 2.01 acres on Brightwood Road, were owned by Sam and Leonard Tischler.
Council also voted to approve a $691,717 bid from Mele and Mele and Sons Inc., of Braddock, for the municipality’s 2020 road improvement program.
Council President Tim Moury said the council voted last month to not accept the bids for the road program based on the COVID-19 pandemic and “our potential loss of revenue.”
“We’re now going to approach the road program a little differently,” Mr. Moury said.
“We’re going to do the base bid and we’ll see by August, when the program starts, where we are financially and we can potentially increase this amount, but as of right now this is the bid we’re going to go with.”