Arnold Council appears ready to allocate a large chunk of its 2021 Community Development Block Grant funds to recreation.

On Tuesday, council gave preliminary approval to allocating $69,000 out of its CDBG allocation of nearly $312,000 with an eye toward creating a water spray park for children similar to one in Tarentum. It likely would be located in Roosevelt Park.

Jerry Jefferson of Constitution Boulevard brought up the spray park during the first of two required council hearings aimed at receiving community input on using the federal funds.

Jefferson said the previous push for another basketball court has given way to the spray park from city residents he has talked to as a way to provide recreation for younger children.

“We have families who take their kids to Tarentum, to Deer Lakes, because we have nothing here,” Jefferson said. “The spray park seems to be the real need, not the basketball court.”

He said there is room for it in Roosevelt Park, and adding the spray park would make it more of a community center facility.

Rick Rayburg, Arnold’s redevelopment director, said he would need a lot more in the way of specifications and details in order to arrive at a firm cost, such as exactly where it would be located, the equipment needed and how the water would be supplied. He said that information has to be obtained by the next council hearing, July 13, so the city can prepare its grant application. It must be submitted by Oct. 10.

“Whatever you are proposing, we need it to be defined,” Rayburg said.

Councilman Phillip McKinley said he had looked into the spray park idea a few years ago; he cautioned Jefferson that it carried a high price tag.

“I had cost estimates between $150,000 to $250,000,” he said.

But Rayburg said the spray park wouldn’t have to be done in one year.

“It could be a multiple year program. Fund some of it this year and, if mayor and council are willing, fund the rest next year.”

Councilman George Hawdon said other considerations include the cost of maintaining the park, such as cleaning an sanitizing it every day and winterizing it once the season ends.

“It would probably need a maintenance agreement,” he said.

Mary Lou Bitar of Mohawk Drive said the city would almost certainly have to hire an adult to supervise the park and permission from parents allowing their children to use it.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” she said. “I hope it becomes a reality.”

In addition to the spray park, Chelsea Booker of Third Avenue suggested the city create an all-day recreation program at the park similar to one she participated in as a child that was sponsored by the school district.

Mayor Joseph Bia said people have asked about the possibility of building a fishing pier along the Allegheny River by the baseball field where there once was one years ago.

Rayburg said the city does not have to worry about putting aside what is usually $40,000 in CDBG money for demolition of blighted housing. Rayburg said that’s because he and City Administrator Mario Bellavia were able to secure $330,000 in grants specifically for demolishing deteriorating residential structures.

In addition, he said the city saved $50,000 from last year’s paving program, which will provide money to pave Richmond Street this year.

Council agreed to continue its effort to pave every street by designating more than $125,000 for that purpose.

Peter Dziadyk, a 16th Street resident, asked that council use some of the federal funds to improve Riverside Drive, which he uses to access his garage. He joked that every time he drives down Riverside, the ride is so rough that he loses car parts.

Paving the 1500 block of Riverside was included in the CDBG budget at an estimated cost of $38,000.

Along with Riverside, council agreed to designate $87,000 to pave McCandless Street, from Leishman Avenue to Kimball Avenue.

Funding requests from both city fire companies, totaling $35,000, also were given preliminary approval by council.

That included Engine Company No. 1’s request for money to buy ventilation saws, smoke ejectors, battery-powered scene lights and portable radios with chargers. Engine Company No. 2’s request was to purchase two more self-contained breathing apparatus units.

Another part of the approved budget is a $25,000 annual repayment on a loan for $330,000, which the city incurred in 2007. That loan financed the demolition of a number of blighted structures along Third Avenue. That enabled the city to clear the way for developing a commercial-light industrial business area there.

Administrative and planning costs for the CDBG totaling $56,000 rounded out the rest of the proposed uses.

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