People check out the renderings of the CTCC Project of the year at Four Pillars, a kick-off event for the Cranberry Township Community Days, sponsored by the Cranberry Township Community Chest & Cranberry Artist Network Wednesday, July 12, at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center. Justin Guido/Butler Eagle

CRANBERRY TWP — Cranberry Township Community Chest presented its $1.2 million Project of the Year at the Four Pillars Reception on Wednesday, July 12.

“This wonderful municipal center has served the township well for 30 years,” said Bruce Mazzoni, CTCC president. “But as we gather here today, you notice that we’re just about to reach capacity as the township has grown.”

Packed in the municipal center, the Four Pillars Reception invited local leaders in the community’s “four pillars” — businesses, nonprofits, faith communities and civic groups — to celebrate the township and the start of its Community Days.

“As the literal center of the township, this space is in the process of receiving a makeover, making it the perfect time to jump in and take on the Great Lawn as the Project of the Year,” Mazzoni said. “The front of the building will become a grand gathering space that’s more suitable to host events; provide a natural, welcoming entrance to the township; and it will help tie the community together by improving connectivity, pedestrian access, for our neighborhood.”

The Four Pillars Reception, followed by the Martinis with Monet Art Exhibit, served as the unofficial kick-off for the CTCC’s Community Days.

Proceeds from the three-day festival will benefit Great Lawn project, Mazzoni said, which is the 13th CTCC project in the township.

“We already received a major boost in making this project a reality with Armstrong coming onboard as the title sponsor,” he said. “Much as they did with the Rotary Amphitheatre Project, Armstrong sees the value in helping our community grow, prosper and they recognize that assisting on such a project benefits everyone.”

Joe Taylor, general manager for Armstrong, said the company has worked with the CTCC for approximately 20 years, sponsoring the construction of the Rotary Amphitheater at the community park in 2021.

“When this opportunity came up, Cranberry came to us and of course we’re very honored that they think of us as a sponsor for this big project,” Taylor said. “We’ve been here in this community for over 40 years and it just makes sense to continue to do what we can to support and grow the community.”

People check out the renderings of the CTCC Project of the year at Four Pillars, a kick off event for the Cranberry Township Community Days, sponsored by the Cranberry Township Community Chest & Cranberry Artist Network Wednesday, July 12, at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center. Justin Guido/Butler Eagle

Jim Fearth, assistant vice president of HRG civil engineering, said the project reminded him of a Joni Mitchell song.

“For those of you who may know, the main lyric goes something like ‘paved paradise, put up a parking lot,’ right? We’ve all heard this song,” Fearth said. “Not very often do we get the opportunity to take up the parking lot and build paradise, and that’s what we’re going to have with this space.”

Mazzoni, also a township supervisor, said the project tied in well with ongoing renovations to the municipal center, helping give the municipality a much-needed town center.

“One of the, I always say, negatives of Cranberry is that we don’t have a town center, we don’t,” Mazzoni said. “But you know, in reality, what we do have is really — soon — four gathering areas.”

The township’s three major parks as well as the municipal center’s front parking lot serve as major gathering places in the township, according to Mazzoni.

“It’s not really a commercial downtown, it’s more of a gathering area,” he said. “So we’re blessed from that standpoint that we will have a fourth location where people can gather.”

The municipal center’s front parking lot is already host to a variety of community events, according to Mazzoni, making it an ideal space for the project.

“That parking lot just didn’t really add a lot to it, and now that Meeder is there, we have a more neighborhood-centric area,” he said. “We do the farmers market and other events could be done there, so it ties in very well ultimately to what we’re trying to do — it was those synergies that made us determine the Great Lawn.”

Mazzoni said the project would take place over the next two years.

“There’s certain features of the Great Lawn that we said, ‘Oh, if we raise this amount of money then we would do,’ so, you know, we do have our wish list depending on how much we raise in total,” he said. “But, again, we have a good 15 months-plus to raise money and then we get into the construction.”

While the project is still in its early stages, according to Mazzoni, he told the reception Wednesday that he was excited to bring the space to the community.

“In the coming months, we’ll be calling on you to join us in bringing the Great Lawn to life,” he said. “I can’t wait to celebrate the completion at future Four Pillars Receptions out on the Great Lawn.”

Audrey Rattay, Cranberry Township Communications external affairs specialist, talks at Four Pillars, a kick off event for the Cranberry Township Community Days, sponsored by the Cranberry Township Community Chest & Cranberry Artist Network Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center. Justin Guido/ Butler Eagle

People check out the renderings of the CTCC Project of the year at Four Pillars, a kick off event for the Cranberry Township Community Days, sponsored by the Cranberry Township Community Chest & Cranberry Artist Network Wednesday, July 12, at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center. Justin Guido/ Butler Eagle

Cranberry Township Board of Supervisor chairman Mike Manipole talks at Four Pillars, a kick off event for the Cranberry Township Community Days, sponsored by the Cranberry Township Community Chest & Cranberry Artist Network Wednesday, July 12, at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center. Justin Guido/ Butler Eagle