Connoquenessing debuts eye-catching playground additions at borough’s park
CONNOQUENESSING — Families now have a new reason to head outside after community leaders introduced three one-of-a-kind pieces of playground equipment to Connoquenessing Borough Park.
With a lofty tower shaped like a rocky mountainside that doubles as a slide and other climbing structures resembling sprawling trees, the new amenities could easily be confused with something straight out of a storybook illustration.
Officials hope the county’s first-of-its-kind structures will spark kids’ imaginations, complement traditional playground equipment and breathe new life into an already popular green space.
“It’s huge. This is a small community and a small park, but people come here,” said Connoquenessing Mayor Raymond Betz of the revamp. “There’s baseball and softball games here, and people have functions at the pavilions.”
Betz, along with other Connoquenessing representatives, invited state Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, state Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-8th and County Commissioners Leslie Osche and Kevin Boozel for an official ribbon cutting during what was one of the hottest days of the year on Tuesday afternoon, July 29.
The event capped off four years of collaboration between borough and county officials, turning a shared vision into reality. A vast majority of the $160,000 project was funded through a grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Since less than 1,000 residents call Connoquenessing home, the state covered the first $30,000 and every dollar provided after that had to be matched by the borough.
There was also an undisclosed donation from the estate of the late Joyce Hays, a lifelong borough resident who spent countless hours riding her blue bicycle and walking her dog at the park.
“I think it was just a great opportunity to have not only new equipment in the park, but just something so unique,” said director of Butler County Parks and Recreation Lance Welliver. “Just to make it fit so well in this park is just a tremendous thing for us.”
Officials have taken other steps to brighten up the space. In 2021, they added a mile-long trail that winds its way around the wooded areas of the park.
As the population continues to expand along the Route 68 corridor, improving the borough’s facilities is a top priority, according to Betz.
“Before all we had was a few little pieces of equipment here, but this is certainly a draw,” he said. “Real estate agents will oftentimes bring people looking in the area over here to show them the park. We have a lot of growth going on right now, so it’s definitely going to help a lot.”
Beyond the park improvements, county leaders emphasized their commitment to listening to new residents and making thoughtful upgrades that reflect the community’s evolving needs.
“We’re listening to our employers, who are always searching for good employees to keep our economy booming here in the county,” Osche said. “The quality of life now for young people is very important. They want to have a place they can go for recreation and they want a place that their kids can enjoy as well.”
All of the new structures were specially designed by Cre8Play, a playground design company based out of Minnesota, and then installed by Jeffrey Associates, a playground equipment supplier in Allegheny County.
