Indiana Township's Emmerling Park to double in size with recent property purchase

Emmerling Park in Indiana Township is growing about twice its size after a recent property purchase.

Supervisors recently authorized the purchase of nearly 60 acres of undeveloped commercially zoned land to effectively double the parkland off Cove Run Road.

The new land encompasses Deer Creek near the pedestrian bridge on the lower end of the park to just above a refinery on Route 910 by the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Township manager Dan Anderson said the property was purchased from D&D Supply for $250,000, a significant decrease from its original $750,000 posting via Howard Hanna.

The DeBaldo family, which owns D&D Supply, had owned the land since the 1960s.

“It does seem to be a reasonable price for the property,” Anderson said about the sale. “We became aware of the property sale price being reduced. The township discussed it and felt the need to make an offer to acquire the property because of its proximity to Emmerling Park and more recent acquisition by the (Pennsylvania) Game Commission of the property surrounding Emmerling Park.”

The Allegheny Land Trust and the commission in March closed on a deal for about 266 acres of new hunting and conservation grounds near the park. No hunting is permitted in the park.

The state’s acquisition is part of a multi-year effort to preserve the area that includes about a mile of the Rachel Carson Trail.

Township supervisors unanimously voted on June 11 to buy the land. The Allegheny County Real Estate website indicated transfer of ownership was recorded on July 3. The county listed the land value at $179,600.

The township’s website, as of July 23, lists Emmerling Park at 59 acres with three picnic pavilions, a gazebo, two additional shelters, three playing fields, a large parking lot, playground structures, public restrooms and a concession stand. It also has a walking trail accented with benches and a scenic waterway.

The park is open from dawn to dusk daily. However, portions of it are closed during the summer camp program.

Township finance director Ann Moss said there are no official plans to make changes to the densely wooded area just yet.

However, excitement is building for its possibilities. Moss credits Anderson with getting the deal done.

“We’re looking forward to extending the park,” Moss said. “Hiking will go directly from Cove Run all the way up to Field View (Lane). We really think that hikers could use it right away. Emmerling is our star park. We have the most activity up there and there’s a lot of interest in maintaining its natural state.”

The park hosts the township’s annual Touch-a-Truck as well as its summer camp. There are youth baseball tournaments and many other functions there via rentals.

“We always refer to Emmerling Park as the crown jewel of Indiana Township,” Mayor Darrin Krally said. “Now, it’s even more phenomenal. … It’s to the benefit of the township and it’s a huge win.”

Controversial grounds

The acreage the township purchased is the same land Cranberry-based MPF Management sought to rezone to pave the way for more gas well construction.

It proposed changing it last year from commercial to light industrial.

Supervisors voted last Aug. 14 to deny advertising a public hearing for the request.

Multiple residents came to that month’s meeting urging their elected officials not to rezone the area.

The township planning commission also recommended denying the request.

The public hearing was a step in the legal process to formally bring up the zoning amendment for a vote.

Denying the hearing was a de facto rejection of the request.

“We have seen applications for potential uses of the property, and the township wanted to be able to preserve it for the residents,” Anderson said on July 14.

Krally, who cast the only vote in favor of the hearing, said at the time it would have been another opportunity for residents to get information and give input on the proposal.

The mayor this month said he believes the park expansion was a very smart and strategic purchase, and a way township officials show they listen to their constituents.

“All of our actions are to benefit the residents of the township,” Krally said. “This purchase just reinforces our commitment to certainly listening to our residents. If not all the residents, certainly the largest majority would be in favor of this purchase. I can’t think of one reason that somebody would not view it as a positive move from the board of supervisors.”

New hunting grounds

The Allegheny Land Trust has been working toward securing the more than 260 acres in the township for several years as part of an estimated $2.59 million effort called the Deer Creek Conservation Project.

The property also borders Deer Creek, a stocked trout tributary of the Allegheny River, as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Its fundraising received a significant boost in early October 2024 when game commissioners voted to put $1.3 million toward the purchase.

The land trust initially expected to fund the purchase in the Deer Creek Watershed through other state agencies and private foundations, as well as $150,000 from the public.

Lindsay Dill, senior director of marketing and community engagement for the land trust, said July 23 that the game commission ended up chipping in nearly $2.3 million.

“It was an incredible partnership,” Dill said. “We work with them a lot because we allow hunting on some of our green spaces. It is owned and will continue to be managed and conserved (by) the Pennsylvania Game Commission) …

“When we started the project, we didn’t know we would be transferring it.”

Dill said the trust gave the property to the game commission because of its financial contribution, deed restrictions and “confidence in its permanent conservation.”

She also acknowledged that previous plans had listed the property at 280 acres.

“Sometimes the acreage changes once we get a survey done,” she said. “We realize the land is a different size than the seller may have thought it was. I think between a survey and a carve out that was planned from the seller from the get go ended up around 266 (acres).”

The land trust purchased the property from Miller Family Holdings LP and transferred ownership to the Game Commission in March.

“We like to preserve areas where we can for wildlife habitat and offer hunting and trapping opportunities,” said Dan Puhala, game commission plan management group supervisor.

“That’s a unique area. It gets harder and harder to get land in and around Allegheny County. It’s kind of a neat opportunity. That’s a nice track of land. If you go down through there, it almost looks like you’re in West Virginia somewhere.”

Puhala, who also worked as the local game warden in the area, is excited for more people to explore the natural beauty of the township.

“It’s kind of nice to see that preserved in perpetuity as a place where we can manage wildlife habitat and offer some protections there and some opportunities for people to get out and enjoy nature,” Puhala said.

Anderson said the township was surprised to learn about the land being transferred to the game commission, and is not opposed to it.

“That’s not what we were expecting, but that is what has happened,” Anderson said.

Puhala said he plans to meet with township officials in the coming week to talk about new borders and accessibility between the hunting grounds and the parkland.

There will be white marks on trees at the border as well as lots of signage. A new Americans with Disabilities compliant parking lot near the property lines could also be in the works.

Puhala said the goal is to have those things in place in September in time for archery season and small game hunting.

The Rachel Carson Trail goes through Emmerling Park and the Game Commission’s new land.

Dill lauded the support the trust received from the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy and the township as part of its conservation project. She also commended township officials for expanding their park.

“They’re lucky to have the community leadership that’s interested in supporting outdoor recreation and conservation,” Dill said.