Westmoreland parks upgrades targeted in amended tourism plan

A year since local tourism slowly rebounded after the coronavirus pandemic, the Westmoreland County commissioners are allocating an additional $128,000 for grants and upgrades at county parks.

The commissioners failed to finalize a tourism plan last year but voted this month to reimburse the county for money paid to arts organizations and for upgrades at local parks.

“There was no plan because of covid in 2021, but a hotel tax and expenses still occurred, so we as a county paid for those upfront,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said.

As part of the hotel tax program, the county is required to craft a plan annually to spend a portion of the money collected for the promotion of county tourism.

In January, the commissioners allocated $1.3 million in this year’s hotel tax revenue with a focus on enhancements at county parks.

Projects receiving retroactive payments dating to last year include nearly $93,000 to hire an architect to design upgrades at Northmoreland Park in Allegheny Township. Those were described in the amended plan as enhancements to “allow for competitive team play and bring outside teams to the county.”

The tourism plan approved earlier this year for 2022 included more than $800,000 in county park upgrades, including about $310,000for the purchase of play equipment, grills, picnic tables and other apparatus.

Meanwhile, spending from last year also included 18 small grants totaling $20,000 for local municipalities and arts organizations such as the Westmoreland County Historical Society, Westmoreland Cultural Trust and the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor Inc.

More than $6,700 was used to pay for maintenance last year along 43 miles on five trails: Five Star Trail, Coal and Coke Trail, Little Crabtree Creek Trail, the Westmoreland Heritage Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage.

About 60% of the tax revenue collected in the county is turned over to Go Laurel Highlands, an agency that promotes tourism in Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties. Formerly known as the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, the agency sets aside some of the revenue collected in Westmoreland to award grants to tourist attractions.

In December, 44 entities received a total of about $550,000 in grants from those funds.

Go Laurel Highlands Executive Director Ann Nemanic said Thursday she had no information about the commissioners’ amended tourism plan.