Leetsdale resident Whitney Gresham remembers when the Henle Park trees weren’t as tall.

She said the family had a great view of the Fourth of July fireworks from their home about a block away from the recreation site.

The park’s natural beauty and potential were a major factor in moving from Sewickley to the nearby borough.

“That is one of the reasons that we bought our house in Leetsdale,” Gresham said. “This is 22 years ago. We could watch the fireworks from our daughter’s bedroom.”

Today, her daughter is borough Councilwoman Caitlin Gresham.

The trees have grown over the years, and so have the park’s amenities. The community garden recently harvested from its inaugural season.

New Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant parking spaces were installed last year and the ADA sidewalks were expanded. More safety measures were taken to mitigate vandalism.

The park has also hosted countless graduation and birthday parties, as well as community events like the annual pumpkin festival.

“We love watching the park evolve because we’ve seen so many changes and improvements in it,” said Gresham, 61. “What I love the most is when I drive by on a Saturday or a Sunday and I see families having parties here. That’s the thing that brings me the most joy, seeing people use our park and it is busy. People are parked everywhere.”

Borough officials this month announced the park’s next evolution, a new fitness/wellness area between the basketball courts and the sidewall.

Five workout stations have been proposed, including a balance beam, flex wheel and other low-impact equipment designed to target the core and upper body.

Wellness area designs have not yet been finalized, except for what will not be allowed.

There will be no treadmills, stationary bikes, bench presses or dumbbells.

Borough Engineer Dan Slagle said the plan is to have eco-friendly equipment with minimal risk of theft or vandalism.

“They’re very simplistic exercise cycles,” Slagle said. “They’re designed to be very environmentally friendly-type things. They have them set up in a couple of different ways. They’re not very intrusive.”

Gresham met with council President Maria Napolitano and resident Kong Lee for a walk around the park and a look at the proposed fitness area on Sept. 10.

“The challenge there was it’s a small space, but we found a vendor who can do equipment that would fit there,” Napolitano said. “It’s not going to be for cross-fit enthusiasts to work out for hours, but for basically any level of exercise it would support. Friendly to active retirees, friendly to people with disabilities. … Just basic things that are low to the ground and stay active that way.”

Whitney Gresham, owner of the Curves gym franchise along Beaver Street in Leetsdale, said working on balance is key for folks older than 40. She would like to have fitness classes at the park once the equipment is installed.

Lee frequently brings her children, ages 16, 13, 9 and 6, to the park.

“It’s fun,” Lee said. “I get a nice tan during the summer sitting outside at the splash pad,” Lee said. “I like to sit out there with my kids, and I do have a little plot in the community garden.”

Lee, 43, hopes the new fitness area will be another great way to stay in shape and meet new people.

“We women need to keep healthy,” Lee said. “There might be some more people coming around. We might have a little unity. This is exciting.”

Big picture

The fitness area is part of a larger park renovation that includes resurfacing the basketball court to include pickleball courts, installing new sidewalk, new playground and increased accessibility.

Slagle said the projects will likely be put out for bid separately in the spring, awarded next summer and hopefully completed by the end of next year.

The fitness area cost is estimated at $30,000. Total park renovations are estimated at $500,000.

The borough so far has secured about $375,000 in grants toward the project, including a $249,000 state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and $50,000 from the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

DCNR funds come with a 50% match, meaning the borough needs to come up with about $250,000 to get the grant.

Napolitano said the goal is to have the match covered through other grant sources, and there are at least two grant applications still under consideration this year.

Grant funds specifically earmarked for the fitness area include $15,000 from the People, Parks & Community Foundation. Leetsdale was one of six areas to be awarded funding this year. No matching funds are required.

“With more than half of Leetsdale’s residents living on limited or fixed incomes, this project will provide free, accessible fitness opportunities close to home,” said foundation president Tim Herd via release. “It’s a great step toward healthier, more connected communities.”

Napolitano said she learned about the foundation while at a Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society conference in March. She called the foundation grant very competitive and Leetsdale was lucky to be selected.

“We are very grateful to (the foundation) for this generous award,” she said. “It’s not just going to help make our community healthy, but it will help contribute to the comprehensive (park) renovation and make that a reality.”

The People, Parks & Community Foundation supports recreational and educational opportunities, creating and sustaining local parks and open spaces, and envisioning and promoting vibrant, livable communities. More information is available at peopleparks.org.

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