Penn Hills volunteer group aims to beautify the area

People driving into Penn Hills at the intersection of Verona Road and Coal Hollow Road will see a colorful sight at the traffic light.

The BOB Project finished a years-long mural project on the wall by Butler Gas Products Co. The 60-by-70 foot mural features a variety of art styles and designs to depict gas-related items because of its location.

“We wanted to work on it and make the intersection look nice since it is one of the first places you see from Allegheny River Boulevard when you arrive at Penn Hills,” founder Shawn O’Mahony said.

The mural has been in the works for seven years, O’Mahony said. More than 400 Penn Hills School District students, along with several community volunteers, helped with the mural over the years.

The mural showcases a scuba diver swimming with a flashlight shining on a few fish coming toward the diver. A hot air balloon floats among the clouds and there is sun above the water farther down the wall. An artistic style called Zentangle, consisting of structured drawing patterns, makes up the rest of the wall.

Prepping and priming the wall took up a chunk of the progress, while covid put a pause on working on it, according to O’Mahony.

“We are really happy with how it has held up over the years,” he said. “Butler Gas has been very supportive of it.”

The BOB Project aims to “bring out the best” in the communities within Penn Hills. O’Mahony said the name pays homage to his dad, Robert “Bob” O’Mahony, a former Penn Hills resident who gave a helping hand to anyone he encountered.

The organization was incorporated in 2016. It offers various charitable and educational programming for children, veterans and community development projects.

Their latest mural is one of many projects they have done around Penn Hills. The other three projects can be found at Sophie’s Lanes, Penn Hills Lawn and Garden (now Gardening With Jayme) and Learning to Learn Daycare.

O’Mahony said the organization has frequently worked with the Penn Hills School District on community gardens. Through the collaboration, O’Mahony met Amanda Power, an art teacher at Linton Middle School and now art director and vice president of The BOB Project.

Power brought in her students for a community project where they created scarecrows for the garden. As a community member and Penn Hills High graduate, she jumped at the chance to join The BOB Project board to help beautify her community.

“Everyone came together for this project over the years, and I love it,” she said. “I am so proud of the community.”

Several volunteers, some coming from neighboring communities, current and retired staff members, assisted with painting the wall.

Gabriella Sevilla said it was great to see the community come together to create something beautiful.

“It looks beautiful. I pass by there all the time, and I don’t think I looked at it or noticed it,” she said. “It was beautiful to see the end project.”