| Park Plans |
| The following is a list of some of the amenities to be included in the park as proposed by students at Burrell High School and Site Signatures: |
The city will purchase the park from developer August Moret for $183,500, payable with no interest, over 20 years.
Moret said he will not make a profit on the deal because he bought the park for the same price.
The 27.5-acre park sits at the bottom of Wildlife Lodge Road in Braeburn.
Mayor Donald Kinosz said he has received requests for the park's usage that only a 275-acre land area could accommodate.
'There is a greater need than this will meet, but it still will go a long way,' he said.
Council went public with its intentions to purchase the park last fall and has since solicited opinions from a number of groups for the park's use.
At its last meeting, council approved a motion to seal the deal to buy the park and forge ahead with its design.
Councilman Richard Kotecki, head of the city's parks department, said with the title transferred, the city can claim $91,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for design and development.
A DCNR spokeswoman said the city's grant was awarded April 19. It typically takes about three months for the grant to be distributed, she said.
This year, the DCNR awarded $30 million in grants for park and recreation use, which included the acquisition of 9,000 acres of land, the spokeswoman said.
Kotecki said the park still is under design and is more than a year away from being developed.
The city has entered a contract with Site Signatures, Tarentum, for the park's design but also has gathered input from students at Burrell High School and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Kinosz said that once the purchase of the park is finalized, the city 'will move ahead with construction after the design goes through its final stages.'
Plans include adding playing fields, an additional concession stand and bridges to cross the creek, among other things. The park is home to two lighted softball fields and a large parking area.
In addition to the developments with Wolf Pak Park, council announced it is looking at a piece of property along Braeburn Road to turn into another parklet like Kinloch Park.
Kotecki said the property is owned by Braeburn Steel and negotiations into the purchase of the property are beginning.
Michael Aubele can be reached at maubele@tribweb.com
