Summer 2020 Message from Board of Supervisors Findlay Township Board of Supervisors Janet L. Craig - Chairperson Thomas J. Gallant - Member Raymond L. Chappell - Vice-Chairperson It is with sadness that the Annual Findlay Township “Fair in the Woodlands” scheduled for August 14 & 15, 2020 and the July 3, 2020 Fireworks had to be cancelled this summer due to restrictions imposed on us by the State and County because of COVID-19. The Board of Supervisors did everything in their power to try to keep these annual events as scheduled. However, these events take months to plan and at the time decisions had to be made, there were just too many questions and not enough answers to proceed forward with them. The Supervisors are committed to holding these events in 2021 and beyond. In the meantime, for this year, please continue to check the Township website (www.findlay.pa.us) and social media pages on Facebook at: Findlay Township Parks and Recreation….and….Findlay Township/Admin for updates on summer and fall events that we are working to schedule to replace the “Fair in the Woodlands” and other cancelled events. In fact, this newsletter has a list of some of them – more details will come in the mail with your Recreation Newsletter. Finally, although we’ve had disruptions, having to cancel or alter some of our events, we would like to take a moment to commend the students who completed their school year - and the parents and families who helped them. We applaud your achievements and celebrate West Allegheny and other students who graduated high school and college this year – you all are amazing! Township Sponsored Programs In This Issue: for Senior Citizens As announced in the Spring Newsletter, the Board of Message from Board of Supervisors .. Front Cover Supervisors continued this year to offer “FREE” trash and recycling for Senior Citizens, age 67 or older. Township Sponsored Programs The Senior Citizen must also be the owner AND for Senior Citizens ........... .Inside Front Cover occupant of the property. The program would result in a savings of $235.68 per year for those that qualify. Swift Reach Networks ........ .Inside Front Cover The Board also continued to Memories of White Swan Park................ .1 offer a “FREE SUBSCRIPTION” Dog Park Updates ......................... .1 to the NorthWest EMS for senior citizens, age 67 and older. This pro- Western Allegheny Community Library ......... .2 gram would result in a savings of $40.00 a year for a single senior citizen or $60.00 for a family membership (2 or Real Estate Tax Office....................... .2 more senior citizens in the same household). Regulations on Street Addressing ............. .2 A membership to the EMS Service provides residents with unlimited emer- gency medical services. Even with a membership and depending on the indi- Permits - Do I Need One? ................... .3 vidual’s insurance co-pay and deductible, a resident might still receive a bill from the EMS Service representing 50% of the co-pay or deductible related to Local Resident Assists First Responders........ .4 those services. Without a membership, the cost to a resident in need of emer- gency service would cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Police Officer Promotion .................... .4 Police Department Accreditation .............. .4 UPDATES NEEDED for those residents who have already registered for the ambulance service, once your spouse turns age 67, you must register him/ Caregivers of Special Needs Residents ......... .4 her for the program too. Otherwise, the Township currently is only paying a subscription for the person that has registered and not the spouse. The spouse must Don’t Leave Your Pet in a Parked Car .......... .5 submit proof of age (driver’s license, Medicare card or other valid information indi- cating date of birth) to the Township Office. Welcome New Residential Neighbors .......... .6 New Commercial Landings .................. .6 The Findlay Township Police DepartmentThe Findlay contracted Township with Swiftreach Police Department FTMA Water & Sewer Authority............... .8 Networks,contracted Inc. with as Swiftreach the Township’s Networks, Inc. as the Emergency Notification service provider. Public Works News… ..................... .9 Township’s Emergency Notification service provider. Swift911 is a high speed notification program with the capability of delivering Stormwater Fee ........................... .9 recordedSwift911 message is a highto the speedentire community notification via telephone, program e-mail with or the text. capability of delivering New Parks Employee Welcome ............... .9 recorded message to the entire community via telephone, e-mail or text. Once the Swift911 system became operational, the Township expanded on its use Only Rain Down The Drain.................. .10 and capabilities. Swift911 is now used by the Findlay Township Municipal Authority toOnce report thewater Swift911 breaks or upcoming system work,became and byoperational, the Administration the TownshipOffice to notify expanded on its use Computer and Appliance Recycling ........... .12 theand community capabilities. of special Swift911 events like is trash now delays used or byroad the closures. Findlay Township Municipal Authority Glass Recycling .......................... .12 toIf report you are waternot receiving breaks these or callsupcoming or have a work, non-published and by telephone the Administration number, Office to notify pleasethe community go to the Township’s of special web events site (www.findlay.pa.us) like trash delays, click or onroad the closures.Police Household Hazardous Waste Program ........ .13 Department Page (under the Government tab), then click on the “Emergency Notifications Swift911” link on the left side of the page, fill in the requested Beware of Ticks .......................... .13 informationIf you are in not the receivingred Swift911 these Portal calls box, or and have submit a non to add-published yourself to telephone the number, Recreation Department 2020 ................ .14 notificationplease to list.go the If youTownship’s are now receiving web site the (www.findlay.pa.us),messages and wish not to click receive on the Police them,Department you can use Page the link (under on the web the page Government to remove your tab), contact then information. click on Allthe “Emergency Parks, Pavilions & Fields COVID-19 Safety . .15 contact information remains secure and for Township use only. Notifications Swift911" link on the left side of the page, fill in the requested Township Directory ....................... .16 information**Note to Armstrong in the red Telephone Swift911 Customers** Portal box, If and you submitare an Armstrong to add yourself to the Telephone customer AND have the Privacy Defender set up on your telephone (this Traveling Glass Recycling Bin ... Inside Back Cover settingnotification eliminates list. telemarketing If you are and now robocalls), receiving please thecontact messages the Township and officewish not to receive them, soyou we can set use up theyour linkaddress on to the receive web calls page from to the remove Township. your Otherwise, contact you information. All willcontact not be informationable to receive the remains automated secure Swift911 and calls. for Township use only. **Note to Armstrong Telephone Customers** If you are an Armstrong Telephone customer AND have the Privacy Defender set up on your telephone (this setting eliminates telemarketing and robocalls), please contact the Township office so we can set up your address to receive calls from the Township. Otherwise, you will not be able to receive the automated Swift911 calls. Presented by the Western Allegheny Community Historical Society Findlay Township was once the home of a small but popular amusement park. It was located on the Penn-Lincoln Parkway West (renumbered to I-376 in 2009) at old McClaren Road just 1.5 miles south of the old Greater Pittsburgh International Airport site. The park opened in 1955 with seven rides. It was built by siblings, Roy Todd and Margaret Kleeman, along with Kleeman’s husband. It occupied about 40 acres and featured a Kiddie Park and later rides such as the Galaxi and Mad Mouse roller coasters, Merry-Go-Round, Sport Skooter, Scrambler, Ferris wheel, Tilt-A-Whirl, a Giant Slide, and a train billed as the “longest train ride in the Tri-State” were added. There was a midway of games, picnic shelters, a skee ball building, and in 1963 a miniature golf course was opened. The name came from the idea of having actual swans on the property, which included several man-made ponds. In its earlier days, a fishing lake was operated in the summer and an ice-skating pond in the winter. In the early 1980’s, with the construction of the Pittsburgh International Airport, a re-routing of Route 60 (now I-376) was necessary resulting in the acquisition by PennDOT of the 40-acre park and 15 rides. After the 1989 season, the park closed and the amusements and artifacts were sold at auction. The Mad Mouse went to Lakemont Park in Altoona, PA, the train went to a private collector, the Tilt-A-Whirl went to Koebel’s Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA and the Galaxi went to Joyland Amusement Park in Lubbock, TX – and is still operating today. The local park was appropriate for families with young children and was host to many company picnics and children’s birthday parties. The park also gave employment opportunities to local high school and college students during the summer months. Dog Park Updates Recently, our Public Works Findlay Businesses are the Best! department installed an asphalt walkway from the ballfield parking We want to take this opportunity to thank area to the entrance of the dog all of the businesses in Findlay Township for being park at the Recreation and Sports such an important part of our community. Complex. The Parks department then followed up with planting From long-standing family businesses to our grass along the sides of the walkway and by the dog park entrance. newest corporate entities, your contribution in The Township has also purchased a small, covered picnic shelter providing local jobs, sponsoring and participating that will be installed in that area soon.