Sharpsburg dedicates new playground equipment

Michael DiVittorio
Monday, April 25, 2022 4:27 p.m. | Monday, April 25, 2022 4:27 p.m.

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People attend the dedication of new equipment on April 25, 2022, at Sharpsburg’s Marion Gerardi Memorial Park playground. New play units and other upgrades were made possible through a donation from private donor Patricia Gottschalk and a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Kids try out new playground equipment at Sharpsburg’s Marion Gerardi Memorial Park playground. Sharpsburg had a dedication ceremony on April 25, 2022 for the new play units. The equipment was made possible through a donation from Patricia Gottschalk and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The late business man Norman E. Gottschalk Jr. would often talk about Sharpsburg and how it influenced him, said his wife Patricia.

“He always said the lessons he learned in his youth in Sharpsburg made him the businessman he became,” she said.

Sharpsburg officials dedicated new playground equipment on April 25 at Marion Gerardi Memorial Park aided generously by a $125,000 grant from Patricia Gottschalk to help match a $250,000 state grant awarded through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The money paid to upgrade the park, located at 16th and Main streets.

Patricia Gottschalk said she was thrilled to be able to do something in her husband’s memory to benefit the borough.

“We’re very fortunate in life,” she said. “It’s a labor of love … It’s the most spectacular playground equipment you’ll ever see.”

Gottschalk’s great-grandchildren, Ari, 4, and Eli, 3, of Fox Chapel were among the first to use it.

Sunny skies and warm weather brought out dozens of people to the dedication.

“It was an awesome event, great weather,” interim borough Manager Jason Dailey said. “We’re looking forward to many nice sunny days of kids using this facility.”

The Gottschalks had been married 55 years and lived in the borough for a while before resettling in O’Hara Township.

Norman Gottschalk died on June 18, 2017, after suffering unexpected complications from surgery. The retired chief executive officer of Butler-based metals supplier Marmon/Keystone was 73.

He also served as chairman of Metals Service Center Institute in 2007.

The revamped playground features slides, tubes, swings and various things for children to crawl and climb upon.

It features a rubber surface to minimize any injuries should someone stumble. The site was also re-landscaped and meets the requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The ADA accessible park equipment was installed over the winter months by Sports & Recreation Associates of Apollo. Public works crews did the follow up seeding.