With nearly $386,000 from three grant sources, Harrisville is taking on one of the biggest projects the borough has seen.

The community park is getting a new walking trail and a bathroom with plumbing through grants from Butler County, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and a community development block grant.

Council member Bobbie Jo Comes said the project has taken about three years to get off the ground. By getting so much grant money, however, Harrisville can complete this park development without spending taxpayer money.

“We have never had this kind of money to be able to do something like this,” Comes said. “The only other big project (was) four years ago, (when) we had to do an income-based survey for Route 8 and 58. This is more of a community development project.”

The walking trail will be about a mile-and-a-quarter long and circle the perimeter of the park. Comes said it will be handicap-accessible.

According to Comes, the borough received about $86,000 from the DCNR and about $95,000 from Butler County. The rest of the construction is covered by the block grant.

Comes said she doesn't have an estimate for when the project will be done, because the borough is waiting on an electric system to be installed before starting work on the trail.

She also said a prefabricated bathroom is going to be installed next month.

Marty Stemmerich, Harrisville council president, said the coronavirus pandemic held up the development, but the completed park will be worth it for locals and visitors of the park.

“I think it's going to get a lot of people out that can walk a nice stretch without anything being in their way,” Stemmerich said.

Comes said having events in the community has been difficult. Having an improved park with a bathroom might make it a community hub for events and activities, she said.

“We're trying,” Comes said. “We have a beautiful park over there, and it is an untapped resource.”