Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, in partnership with the Westmoreland County Land Bank, will provide $2,000 in seed money to Adelphoi USA for the development of a pocket park on Ligonier Street in Latrobe.

The proposed site was a former bakery that has been a vacant lot  for nearly a decade.

Adelphoi will work with the Land Bank to transform the vacant lot into a pocket park that will include benches, herb gardens, lighting and iron flower sculptures.

Youth from Adelphoi will participate in the project by assisting in the design of the flower sculptures, creating herb gardens and providing ongoing maintenance.

“It really is encouraging when we are able to have so many different people and organizations come together to make truly a wonderful project happen,” said April Kopas, Executive Director of the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Westmoreland.  “We have been actively involved with several projects in Latrobe since they have joined the Land Bank, and this collaborative effort with officials of the City of Latrobe and Adelphoi make this ‘blight to bright’ project possible.  Thank you to the project funders –the Community Foundation of Westmoreland and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful-- for investing in this valuable and visible community asset.”

The Redevelopment Authority demolished the unsafe commercial structure that once stood on the site to make way for the pocket park.

“Community revitalization is so critical but resources are limited. When it comes to community greening, a little can go a long way by coordinating investments with economic and community planning already underway and then engaging local community organizations to nurture long-term community stewardship,” said Shannon Reiter, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful President.  “Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is honored to provide assistance with the development of this pocket park and we look forward to seeing the transformation from a blighted property to a valuable asset for the City of Latrobe as well as for the local residents.”

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s new Electronics Waste website.

Sign up now for the 2017 Great American Cleanup of PA and set up your own cleanup and beautification event through May 31.

(Photo: Latrobe Mayor Rosemarie M. Wolford and youth from Adelphoi USA.)

[Posted: May 16, 2017]

5/22/2017