Park News

Community Churches Provide Lunches Click here for more information

First Friday of each month lunch is provided at the Mission Covenant Church

Second Thursday of each month lunch is provided at the Sugar Grove United Methodist Church

Third Wednesday of each month lunch is provided at the Hessel Valley Lutheran Church

Project Description Project News Funding Pictures: Before - After

The small park located on Main Street in Sugar Grove is the only park in the community. At the start of this project the park contained some benches and picnic tables, 2 horse shoe pits, 2 memorials, and a lot of grass. The Sugar Grove Borough, along with Growing Greener Funds and a gift from the Pearl Manross Estate, plan on making several improvements to the park. The improvements include a pavilion, new sidewalks connecting the memorials, the pavilion and the parking lot, benches, landscaping and lights. The project has already begun and is targeted to be done by the end of July. More information will be added on a weekly basis.

Click HERE to read an article on the park opening ceremony published in the Times Observer on 8-23-10

Click HERE to read an article on the park published in the Times Observer on 7-9-10

Click HERE to see the architect's drawing of the finished park

Project News

Grand Opening for the Park

Participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Sugar Grove Community Park that was held on Saturday, August 21st, 2010, were, left to right, council member Bob Snyder, borough secretary Karla LoPresti, County Planning Director Dan Glotz, Dick Morgan, AMVETS Post 50 Commander Jeff VanArsdale, State Rep. Kathy Rapp, Mayor Dutch Strand, County Commissioner John Eggleston, project architect, Chris Brown, Regional Main Street Coordinator Kathy Reitinger, council members Kevin Nicklas, Jerry Bloomgren, and Neal Hoisington.

The Sugar Grove Borough Council hosted a Grand Opening celebration to mark the completion of the improvements to the community park. The event was held on August 21^st, at the park, from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm. The opening started with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4:00. The Northern Railroad Bluegrass Band formerly known as Goodfellows played in the new pavilion courtesy of The American Legion, The AMVETS, Sons of the American Legion, and Sons of the AMVETS. John VanDorn played his Prisen Band Organ, built in Belgium, during the band intermission. Hotdogs, chips, and lemonade were provided by the Sugar Grove AMVETS Post 50. Warren County Dairy Princess, Ashley Enos helped serve the refreshments. Pictures from the event are below. Click on a picture to view it larger and click you back button to return.

Donations - Thank You

Briggs Transportation - Mulch John Allen Excavating Inc. - Topsoil Louis Enos - Grading of the Garden

David Hoisington Construction - Dump Trailer Conrad Wilson - Rocks for the Gardens

AMVETS Post 50 - Sugar Maple Tree Brown's Services - Garden Tilling Silo View Farms - Garden Plants

Community Park Meeting

By now some Sugar Grove Area residents may have noticed there is something happening at the park on Main Street. A new pavilion, sidewalks, lights, benches, and landscaping are all part of the plan. There is a lot to do. A community park meeting has been scheduled for Monday night, July 19th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Sugar Grove Borough building. On the agenda for the meeting is the grand opening event of the park, information on the gardens, benches, and work for people interested in volunteering to be a part of the project. If you would like to help make this a wonderful park for the Sugar Grove Area, you are invited to this meeting. The project is possible due to the Sugar Grove Borough working with Growing Greener Funds distributed through a DCNR Grant, a gift from the Pearl Manross Estate, Sugar Grove Borough funds, and volunteer work. The completed improvements will include a pavilion, new sidewalks connecting the memorials, the pavilion and the parking lot, benches, landscaping and lights. Click here for meeting results.

Derck & Edson Associates

The Sugar Grove Borough choose Derck & Edson Associates as the architects for the park due to their experience with actual DCNR grants which have many additional rules not normally involved with a grant. This experience has been a great help to council members throughout the grant process. Below is some information on their company.

Since 1940, Derck & Edson Associates has been creating successful downtown spaces with careful planning and attention to detail. We understand that Pennsylvania’s communities have unique opportunity to highlight rich, unique spaces with appropriate lighting, site furnishings, and interesting paving and plant materials. Combined with appropriate programming, these places become treasured, intriguing, and comfortable gathering spaces. Derck & Edson have completed projects for communities large and small in Pennsylvania and beyond. For Sugar Grove, Project Manager, Chris Brown led a collaborative design process with Borough officials which will revitalize the existing Community Park. Chris is a Warren County native and a graduate of Youngsville High School. For more information on Chris and his company, please visit www.derckandedson.com.

Hill and Dale Garden

The Hill and Dale Garden club has volunteered to design and put in the 2 garden areas in the park along with donating some of the plants. Below is a little history on the club.

One summer afternoon in June 1937, a group of ladies from Sugar Grove and Lander met at the home of Mrs. Bernice Goggin in Sugar Grove for purpose of discussing the organization of a garden club. The group decided to organize The next meeting was at the Barkman home in Lander. There was a good turnout including two men A.J. McIntosh and W.C. Jamison. Mrs Goggin was elected president, Mrs. Haggerty, vice president , and Mrs. McIntosh, secretary-treasurer. The name "Hill and Dale Garden Club" was chosen from several suggested names.
The object of the club is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening among amateurs, to aid in the protection of native plants, trees and birds, and to encourage civic plantings.
In 1953 the garden club purchased a picnic table for the park in Sugar Grove. In 1970 shrubs were planted at the grave site of Robert Miles, first settler in Sugar Grove the club still maintains the Miles marker. We also do garden therapy at the Rouse Home twice a year. Members take care of the planter at Northern Area Homes in Russell and we are actively involved in the warren Co Fair flower show.
Our normal meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 12:30 location and time very with the monthly program. New members are most welcome.

There will be a planting day scheduled in the near future which people can volunteer to come and help. The date will be published when it is announced. At this time, there are some plants that the garden club is looking for. If you have some of these items growing in your gardens and would like to donate toward the planting of our community park gardens, you can contact Mary Lou VanDorn at 489-3929. The garden club is looking for additional hardy mums, autumn joy sedum, thyme, lavender, lime green and dark green large leaf hostas, salvia, peony plants, coreopsis, floribunda rose bushes, crazy daisy plants, liatris, phlox, penstemon, and pink dianthus.

Project Funding

The Sugar Grove Borough has acquired money for this project from several sources. $40,000 came from Growing Greener II funds distributed through a DCNR grant. The Borough had to match 50% of that money to qualify for the loan. $11,000 of that match came from a donation to the Sugar Grove Borough from the Pearl Manross estate that was designated by the estate to be used on improvements to the park. The remaining $9,000 will come from the Borough and will include volunteer time as well as actual funds.

Before Pictures - Click picture to open it - Click back arrow to return