the almanac M AY 26, 2024
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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WET AND WILD VETSROLL MAKES STOP IN CARNEGIE ON WAY TO WASHINGTON, D.C. PAGE A2
PHOTOS: ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Heavy rain showers could not dampen the fun had by adults, including South Fayette Township’s parks and recreation director Paula Willis (left) and Pennsylvania state Rep. Jason Ortitay (far right), as well as children during a grand opening celebration for the splash pad at Fairview Park in South Fayette Township. The splash pad operates from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
MT. LEBANON’S SHIELDS COOLS OFF BUTLER IN QUARTERFINALS PAGE B1
Splash pad opens in South Fayette Editor’s note: As The Almanac was going to press, it was learned that the splash pad had been closed due to mechanical issues. A reopening date was not available.
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
They weren’t exactly singing in the rain, but those attending the grand opening of the Fairview Park Splash Park in South Fayette Township on a soggy May 17 shrieked with delight as they raced from one water feature to another. “It’s cool,” shouted Levi Bardo. “Fun.” Bardo’s sister, Lucy, agreed: “So glad it’s here. I love it.” Luke Dilodeau especially enjoyed the buckets that soaked people from 10 feet above after filling up with water. He also liked the squirt guns that enabled him to wage a water war against his friends. “I’m really excited,” Dilodeau said. “It’s going to be a great summer.” SEE SPLASH PAGE A2
LITTLE LAKE THEATRE DELIGHTS AUDIENCES FOR 76 SEASONS PAGE B3 What’s happening, B3 Real estate transactions, A6 Classifieds, B4-6 Two pals play in the puddles created by the pools of water at one of the fixtures at the splash pad in Fairview Park in South Fayette Township.
Refurbished Greer Tunnel reopens on Montour Trail By Brad Hundt Staff writer
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
PHOTOS: JON ANDREASSI/OBSERVER-REPORTER
Peters Township students look on in horror as Justin Tornatore lays on the hood of a car during the mock crash.
Mock crashes aim to steer students toward safe decisions By Jon Andreassi Staff writer
jandreassi@observer-reporter.com
The scene was a grisly one in the parking lot of Peters Township High School May 17 as students acted out the aftermath of a mock fatal car crash on prom night. The mock crash is presented ahead of prom weekend every other year by the school’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club. SEE CRASHES PAGE A3
Peters Township firefighters cut through the roof of a vehicle to “rescue” the students inside
After being shuttered three times in the last year, the refurbished Greer Tunnel has reopened on the Montour Trail. The 235-foot-long tunnel in Peters Township is available again for cyclists, walkers, runners or anyone else who uses the Montour Trail. It reopened following a yearlong renovation project that cost more than $1 million and provided a new lining for the tunnel and upgraded the facades. A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the completion of the project May 10. The work was necessitated by concrete in the ceiling that was “pebble by pebble dislodging itself,” according to Julian Wolfe, president of the Montour Trail Council, which owns, manages and maintains the 60-mile trail. It snakes through Washington and Allegheny counties and is the longest suburban rail trail in the country. The deterioration of the 111-year-old tunnel that was built by the Montour Railroad “was to a point where we needed to address it in a
PHILLIP TOREZ/MONTOUR TRAIL COUNCIL
A year-long project refurbishing the Greer Tunnel on the Montour Trail was completed last month.
large-scale fashion,” Wolfe explained. Several years ago, a temporary scaffold roof was put in place to catch falling debris. Once it was determined, though, that a more permanent fix was needed, the project was divided into three phases, and it necessitated closing the tunnel last spring, and again from July
through November, and for a final time in March and April. Ned Williams, a member of the Montour Trail Council’s engineering and construction committee, said in a news release, “Over the past 30 years, the Montour Trail has undertaken numerous trail SEE TUNNEL PAGE A6