Build day planned for South Buffalo's first public playground
South Buffalo is set to get its first public playground as the township tries to turn the RIDC Armstrong Innovation Park into a hub for government, housing and recreation.
“We would like that to be a community center,” said township Supervisor Paul Bergad.
In 2022, South Buffalo moved its administrative building to the area. A 90-home development is slated nearby, and the township is planning to move the police station next to its offices in the coming years.
Right now, the park site is just a patch of grass behind the administrative building.
At least a dozen volunteers will be needed to install a swing set, slides and more. A build day is scheduled for Sept. 7 at 167 Northpointe Blvd.
The park will be built in two phases.
The first phase is being is paid for by a $70,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, plus $40,000 in donated services and cash from NexTier Bank, Allegheny Mineral, Charlton Law, Bergad Inc. and MECALL Services.
It will be mostly completed Sept. 7 and will open on a yet-to-be-determined date once crews lay wood fiber mulch as the playground surface, according to municipal coordinator Sally Conklin.
Conklin described phase two as a “ninja warrior course,” a type of obstacle course popularized by reality show “American Ninja Warrior.” It will include familiar features from the series, such as a warped wall and slanted steps.
“I’ll be trying it,” Conklin said with a laugh.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering the Freeport Area and Kiski Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on Penn Hills municipal affairs. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.
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