Slippery Rock Township, school district approve one-time park payment
SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Slippery Rock Parks and Recreation is set to receive a one-time payment from its supporting entities to give it the breathing room to make adjustments to its child care program.
Slippery Rock Township board of supervisors and Slippery Rock Area school board met Monday, Jan. 26, and voted to approve a payment of $12,000 each to the organization. Slippery Rock Borough already voted to approve the payment on Jan. 20. The payments from the three entities total $36,000.
Slippery Rock Parks and Recreation is a nonprofit organization responsible for the Slippery Rock Community Park at 320 N. Main St. The board of directors that guides it comprises representatives from Slippery Rock borough, township and school district.
The three entities are also currently responsible for an annual contribution to the organization that increases by $500 each year. As of 2026, that contribution reached $24,000 each for a total of $72,000.
Parks director and Slippery Rock Borough Councilman Denton Zeronas came to both meetings Monday to offer additional context as to why the funds were being requested.
“Primarily, what we’re looking at with that is to help us as we adjust into the state certification process for our Playsafe program. Our hope is that certification will allow us to have more of the residents in the area qualifying for a subsidy for child care,” he said at the township meeting.
The Playsafe program is a child care program facilitated by Slippery Rock Parks and Recreation that operates before and after school at Slippery Rock Area and Moraine elementary schools.
Zeronas said Playsafe has been a top revenue source for the organization, but the lack of subsidies caused numerous parents switch to Slippery Rock University’s child care program. He said there has also been a rise in parents who are not paying the program for its services.
“I look at 2026 as a kind of bridge. Making those adjustments and getting that format on what the certification will look like. I think that’ll be a much better foothold for 2027,” he said.
He added the program was already actively going through the certification process, but due to a long review period, it would need some months before it would qualify.
Looking ahead, Zeronas said the current agreement between the borough, township and district is set to expire at the end of 2027, which gives parks and recreation a chance to negotiate a new annual contribution rate in the near future.
