Young Twp. Rec Board returns after years-long absence
YOUNG TWP. — The Young Township Recreation Board is back in business after having been dormant for a number of years.
The Young Township supervisors held a recreation board meeting to discuss grant funding and plans for the revival of the Walston Festival to be held June 10 and 11, which will coincide with the softball tournament that is held annually by Cub Martino.
All the money collected will go to the recreation board to use at the playground and ballfield. Lily Cameron, Young Township supervisors chair, said they’re planning on fireworks by Bill Carey on Saturday, sponsored by Vinnie Miller of the Walston Club.
They’ve applied for a small games of chance license, and will have several food vendors.
Mike Gigliotti said that he has bounce houses and other inflatable games for the kids.
The members of the new Walston Playground Recreation Board are: Vinnie Miller, Bill Carey, Rick Vizza, Mike Gigliotti, Coleen Martino, John Joyner and Cub Martino.
Tom Barber, temporary chair of the board, said that the new festival will pay tribute to the original board members, Anthony Gigliotti, Pete Betts, Joyce Betts, Ron Walker, Ross Gigliotti, Guy Astorino, John Astorino, Michael Gaglardi, Anthony Gigliotti, Jr. and George “Shorty” Fairman.
The township obtained the property from R&P Coal Company.
Glenn Means installed the electricity and help put the flagpole up.
Everyone agreed that they were looking for a revival of the Walston Festival, which used to be put on by St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. It was closed in a consolidation of churches several years ago.
More details are expected prior to the festival.
The the Rec Board received approval for a $250,000 grant to be used to revitalize the Walston Playground.
The Walston Recreational Area was built in the mid-1990s on Young Township properties along Walston Road directly across from the Walston Post Office and just a mile and a half north of Punxsutawney borough.
It is in a moderately populated residential
area and includes a baseball field, a small pavilion and an activity area with a basketball court, a volleyball court, a tennis court and miscellaneous playground features.
Matt Stoehe, project manager from Keller Engineers, said the recreational area was originally operated and maintained by the Walston Playground Association up until about five years ago, when the township took over due to the passing of the association’s president.
“The township’s longterm goal is to modernize the recreational area,” Stoehe said, adding that the supervisors hope to accommodate larger gatherings and offer more features and activities for all ages.
The township’s vision for this project is to construct an additional pavilion and permanent restrooms, isolate and surround the existing playground features with engineered wood fiber, install a disc golf course and construct walking trails to not only promote health and wellness, but to provide better accessibility to all features of the park.
Once they have the grant funds, the project could proceed to bid within three months.
Stoehe said the total construction period of the project is estimated at four to five months.
“We estimate that the construction period would be the spring/summer of 2023,” Stoehe said.