Venango seeks engineer for park upgrade

Keith Gushard, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Nov. 29—VENANGO — Planned recreational improvements to Karl Gerdon Park are moving forward as the borough of Venango seeks engineering proposals.

Venango is requesting qualifications from engineering firms to develop engineering plans and specifications for the upgrades to the 2.3-acre community park. Proposals are due to the borough by 5 p.m. Dec. 21.

More than $700,000 worth of improvements overall were outlined earlier this year.

Plans call for a full-sized multi-purpose basketball court, new playground equipment with safety surfacing, a multi-purpose recreational field, a new handicapped-accessible pavilion, handicapped-accessible restroom facilities, a boat launch at neighboring French Creek, plus parking around the perimeter of the park and a pathway within the park to link the various sites.

Work would be done in 2023 and 2024 and would be the first major upgrade to the park since the mid-1970s.

The proposed park revitalization project started in 2021, involving the community, borough government and Venango Volunteer Fire Department. The fire department owns the park which is located on South Street next to the fire station.

The park is named for the late Karl Gerdon, a founding member of the fire department, and owner and operator of the former Gerdon's Red and White Grocery in Venango.

The project has been able to secure funding from a variety of sources.

Major sources are a $381,500 grant awarded in September from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources plus $227,940.40 in two years worth of Community Development Block Grant funds through Crawford County.

Venango Borough and neighboring Venango, Cambridge and Cussewago townships also have committed a total of $39,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Altogether, grants and cash donations from various sources total $723,411.64 plus another $91,644 in in-kind labor, equipment and material has been committed.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.