Butler selling former playground to church
Butler City Council voted Tuesday to sell the South Side playground to Berean Bible Chapel to build a new church.
Council unanimously agreed to sell the playground for an up-front payment of $50,000 and $2,500 a year for 10 years that will be spent on maintenance at the adjacent Father Marinaro Park.
“We have a great vision for meeting people down in Butler,” said Andrew Pepe, pastor of Berean Bible Chapel, which is currently located on North Road in Franklin Township.
Pepe said the church has met with residents living around the playground who said they want a “lighthouse” in their community and the church intends to be that lighthouse.
The 10-year payment agreement with the city could last longer, he said.
Councilman Jeff Smith said the playground doesn't have any playground equipment or ball fields, but there is a backstop for a ballfield on the property. A youth football league uses the field for practice, he said.
He said the sale is the culmination of an effort former Councilman Bill May started six years ago to find a use for the playground at the corner of Short Street and Zeigler Avenue.
The sale will provide money to match a $100,000 grant the city intends to apply for to purchase new equipment for Father Marinaro Park, Smith said.
He said organizations have raised money for improvements to Memorial Park and Rotary Park, and other playgrounds have received new equipment. The city has applied for a grant to renovate Ritts Park, and Father Marinaro Park will see improvements next year as a result of the sale, he added.
In other business, council amended a resolution adopted last moth to apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for a $738,570 grant to replace sidewalks on Main Street to include the city's $316,530 match.
Council also agreed to advertise for proposals for a $1 million tax revenue anticipation note for 2021.
