Manager's Message

Dog owners and their furry friends are jumping for joy that our Bark Park is open at Fairview Park.

The wooded, fenced off-leash dog park is the latest feature that South Fayette Township has added to our parks for the public to enjoy. You can find details in the summer issue of South Fayette Connect.

The township values the positive impact of parks and recreation. We have prioritized investment in athletic fields and park amenities to encourage active, healthy lifestyles for children and adults.

Our Bark Park, fields, courts, playgrounds, pavilions and other outdoor public spaces serve as opportunities for friends to gather, families to celebrate and community spirit to blossom. South Fayette Township Parks and Recreation is offering an all-star lineup of community events, camps and programs this season to help you enjoy the outdoors.

For starters, a free movie at Fairview Park will be screened one Friday night each month. Bring chairs, blankets and snacks to enjoy a family movie under the stars.

Enjoy our annual Fourth of July fireworks from Fairview Park, neighboring Boyce Mayview Park or your favorite community viewing location.

Touch-a-Truck on Sun. July 16 at Fairview Park features the world’s only fan-built replica of Optimus Prime, a truck from the Transformers franchise.

South Fayette Community Day on Sat. Aug. 26 at Fairview Park provides a day of outdoor fun for everyone, just as kids are returning to school. And in October, check out the Evelsizer 5K Run and Walk.

The township also is offering a creative array of camps and recreation programs for all ages (p. 35). Plus, Summer Playground Camp for kids ages 5 to 12 is held every weekday through Aug. 11 in our parks.

I hope everyone finds time this summer to put down the remote control and enjoy the outdoors, including the wonderful parks and public spaces in South Fayette Township.

One of my favorite parts of the job is when I have the opportunity to work directly with residents to help solve a problem in their neighborhood.

These moments are especially memorable when citizens are willing to invest their own time and energy.

The spring 2023 issue of South Fayette Connect highlights Parkes Farm Estates, including references to stormwater improvements recently completed in the neighborhood thanks to a partnership between the township and the homeowner association (HOA).

To me, this story is so much more than a stormwater project. This story exemplifies the power of cooperation and the true spirit of community.

Township staff first contacted members of the Parkes Farm HOA to share the unfortunate news that a stormwater detention pond in the neighborhood was not functioning and to notify them that the responsibility to repair and maintain the facility belonged to the HOA, not the township.

At first, the news may have been a bit alarming to the HOA, but as we moved through the process, we were able to form strong working relationships with the residents we met in Parkes Farm. We soon realized the township and the neighborhood were coming from the same place; that is, we both had the best interests of the community at heart.

The township and HOA cooperated to clean up the stormwater pond, inspect the mechanical components of the structure and produce a scope of work to finally have the facility function safely and effectively, as designed, to adequately protect from flooding, erosion and property damage.

When all was said and done, the residents of Parkes Farm put forth a good amount of sweat equity, and the township was able to help the neighborhood diagnose the problem and determine the proper repairs.

This scenario provided genuine benefits to Parkes Farm residents, township officials and the South Fayette community as a whole. It was great to see such community pride and spirit on display as this project progressed, and I am thankful for the experience.

Another year is in the books—and it was another great year for South Fayette Township.

We enter 2023 poised to hit the ground running and keep our momentum going.

But before we shut the doors on last year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on our accomplishments.

To some, the year will be remembered as the year we killed the toll bridge proposal. Understanding the negative impacts that would have resulted from PennDOT’s plan to toll the Interstate 79 bridge in South Fayette, township officials took legal action to stop the project before it could begin.

We also saw the long-awaited completion of the Southern Beltway, including four miles within our borders. The Pennsylvania Turnpike’s highway provided South Fayette with a direct connection to Pittsburgh International Airport and opened up hundreds of acres of land to potential development.

Work continued at Fairview Park to expand recreational amenities on the Mayview site. Overall, we secured $1.65 million in grants for park projects in 2022—and that’s on top of the $1 million grant we received the year before.

Perhaps most importantly, we enjoyed opportunities to spend time with friends and neighbors at a dozen outdoor events such as South Fayette Community Day, which returned in August after a two-year pandemic hiatus. More than 15,000 people attended community events in 2022, while 50 local businesses contributed more than $55,000 in support of them.

I am so proud of all the hard work township staff has put into making our community stronger, and I thank our strong network of elected officials, volunteers, first responders and other community leaders for their countless hours of support.

Now, bring on 2023…