Tree planting projects in three Jeannette locations have been put on hold while $1.7 million playground and park renovations get underway.

Council on Thursday awarded a contract to Franjo Construction of Homestead for installation of playground equipment and other improvements at six city recreational facilities.

“We’re ecstatic for that,” said Mayor Curtis Antoniak.

The city was awarded the funding through the state Department of Community and Economic Development. The original grant amount was $1.2 million, but the department agreed to provide an additional $500,000 after costs were more than expected.

A plan by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to plant trees in two of those parks and a third city-owned lot was put on hold Thursday. A majority of council members voted to table the three agenda items and seek more information about where exactly the trees would be planted and what engineering-related costs might be associated with the project.

Councilwoman Robin Mozley expressed concern that the two projects — tree planting and park renovations — might butt heads. She said waiting until the improvement project is done would show clear spots where trees could be planted, rather than having to remove them to make way for playground equipment.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea, I love the idea of planting the trees …,” Mozley said. “However, I have so many more questions about this and it makes me very nervous that we’re getting ready to go do these park renovations.”

“You can get a plan laid out to you, but sometimes those plans change and that can still leave us having to rip some trees out,” she said.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy community forester Brian Crooks presented council on Tuesday with a plan to plant trees at a playground in West Jeannette and a recreational facility on Arlington Avenue, both of which will be the site of improvements under the $1.7 million project. The third site is a city-owned lot on South Fourth Street.

“It is a great entryway into your town,” Crooks said.

Councilwoman Michelle Langdon said she met with Crooks in preparation for the proposals and they were thorough and thoughtful in determining the best spots for trees and how they could address invasive species of plants in the two parks.

Crooks was seeking approval from council for the three proposals so he could order an appropriate amount of trees by early September. Plantings would take place in the fall and spring.

“My job with the conservancy is to pick appropriate trees,” he said.

Antoniak also expressed concern that the playground plans might be altered and could affect the location of trees.

“We can still do the plantings, I have no problem with that but I would just like to table it until we can have some discussion on it,” Mozley said.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy started an inventory of trees on public lands in the city this spring.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)